When people who are in school to get their degree in psychology study the DSM-V, they often think that there something wrong with them. They read about personality disorders, or other conditions for that matter, and start to believe that they have one of them. It’s a common phenomenon. One of the most frightening personality disorders is called antisocial personality disorder. I can’t think of anybody who wants to be a sociopath unless, of course, you are one. How do you know if you have this personality disorder? There are two ways to find out. One is to see a mental health professional, and the other is to take a sociopath test that will screen you to see if you’re at risk.
Are you afraid to take the are you a sociopath test?
Why would you believe you’re a sociopath? One of the reasons might be that you think you have the symptoms of sociopathy, or what is called “antisocial personality disorder,” is that you don’t seem to care about others. A clear symptom of sociopathy is a lack of empathy. These individuals seeing people as trophies rather than as human beings, and manipulation. People who are sociopaths don’t form relationships because they care about others. Instead, they connect with other human beings so that they can actively manipulate them to get what they want in life. Knowing this, do you believe that you’ve interacted with a sociopath?
What to do
If you suspect that you’re interacting the sociopath, or are in a relationship with them, step away and get out of this dynamic. You don’t need to be involved with somebody who is toxic for your mental health. Surround yourself with people that care about you. This individual, if they are indeed a sociopath, doesn’t care about you. You want to be around those who genuinely have your best interests in mind. You are the master of your life, and you can decide who you allow to enter it. You don’t owe anyone anything, and if somebody seems like they have an antisocial personality disorder, you don’t need to change them. You can try to direct them towards treatment if they are open to it, but it’s not your job to change anybody. The only person that you can better is yourself.
Boundaries
It is possible, it is essential to draw boundaries with this person. Limit your interactions with them. If you’re required to interact with this person, there are ways to cope. Maybe you accidentally got into a romantic relationship with one of these individuals. Perhaps you even have children with them. In that case, you may need to talk to them, but you can draw boundaries. It’s important to set limits if you have to interact with a sociopath. Sometimes, you don’t get to control in your life, especially if you share custody of children with an individual. Perhaps a sociopath is a relative of yours, and you are forced to talk to them sometimes. If this is the case, it is especially important that you set boundaries and stick to them. Do not let a person guilt trip or manipulate you into crossing your boundaries.
Sociopaths at work
You may run into a situation in which you have to interact with a sociopath in your place of work. It’s very likely to happen to most of us at some point in time – sociopaths seek to control others and the workplace, especially if they are in a management position, is a great place to do that. They’re not going anywhere, because generally sociopaths are extremely motivated by personal gain and want to climb the corporate ladder. If you need to work with this person on a team of any sort, you can draw strict boundaries with them. If you don’t need to work with them directly and you run into them in the workplace, keep the conversation casual and don’t get too intimate. Sociopaths have a way of manipulating people, and it’s not worth making yourself vulnerable.
Getting Help
Even if you are a sociopath, you can get help. Reach out to a therapist online or in your local area. Do not lie to your therapist. Be honest with them. This is important because that is how you truly make strides in therapy, which will allow you to live a better and more prosperous life. You deserve the chance to live a good life, so find help and stick to it.
This is a featured post by site sponsor Better Help.
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