Can a Psychopath be rehabilitated ??

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I believe that psychopathy is not a mental illness but more of a personality disorder that cannot be treated.

Many doctors would agree with me ( even though I am not one myself)

I've seen and heard of serial killers who say they have been rehabilitated only to find out they were just using it to try to manipulate and convince the doctors that they were okay.

When in truth they are and have always been psychopathic.

Your feeling on whether not a sociopath or psychopath can be treated ???
  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Well, after watching Whats New Pussycat, with Peter Sellers playing the psychoanalyst, and trying to treat several nymphomaniacs, (and himself) l can say with confidence, that l have no idea.

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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    I don't believe anyone without the many years of training in health and mental health would know what can or cannot be rehabilitated.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      I don't believe anyone without the many years of training in health and mental health would know what can or cannot be rehabilitated.
      But you can glean from what those that do have the many years of training and have been in the trenches for years to maybe have an opinion on the matter
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  • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
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    Interesting question discrat.

    I don't know if it's accurate ... However I read that most psychopaths (etc.) are actually relatively harmless. (Rather than how they're portrayed on TV.) As long as they're not harming anyone or anything, I don't see it as much of a "problem".
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Originally Posted by Jonathan 2.0 View Post

      Interesting question discrat.

      I don't know if it's accurate ... However I read that most psychopaths (etc.) are actually relatively harmless. (Rather than how they're portrayed on TV.) As long as they're not harming anyone or anything, I don't see it as much of a "problem".
      True Jonathan, very few are violent criminals. Most are just manipulative and shrewd. There is speculation that some CEOs and men in position of power are sociopaths. Many believe they got to that position because of this "condition"
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  • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
    Originally Posted by discrat View Post

    I believe that psychopathy is not a mental illness but more of a personality disorder that cannot be treated.

    Many doctors would agree with me ( even though I am not one myself)

    I've seen and heard of serial killers who say they have been rehabilitated only to find out they were just using it to try to manipulate and convince the doctors that they were okay.

    When in truth they are and have always been psychopathic.

    Your feeling on whether not a sociopath or psychopath can be treated ???
    We will ask him when he shows up on this thread!
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    • Profile picture of the author OptedIn
      Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

      We will ask him when he shows up on this thread!
      I ain't copping to shit, other than being a raging narcissist, the single most important personality trait in my ability to be more successful than I ever thought I would be as well as giving me the manipulative powers I have relied on to get almost anything I want from almost anyone I have ever encountered.

      And this is a negative, how???

      Google still works, people. lol

      "Psychopathy and sociopathy are different cultural labels applied to the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. Up to 3 percent of the population may qualify for a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. This disorder is more common among males and mostly seen in people with an alcohol or substance abuse problem, or in forensic settings such as prisons. Psychopaths tend to be more manipulative, can be seen by others as more charming, lead a semblance of a normal life, and minimize risk in criminal activities. Sociopaths tend to be more erratic, rage-prone, and unable to lead as much of a normal life. When sociopaths engage in criminal activity, they tend to do so in a reckless manner without regard to consequences."

      Source: Mental Health Association.

      They had a very flattering of Claude on their website, labeled: He's both!
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      • Profile picture of the author discrat
        Originally Posted by OptedIn View Post

        I ain't copping to shit, other than being a raging narcissist, the single most important personality trait in my ability to be more successful than I ever thought I would be as well as giving me the manipulative powers I have relied on to get almost anything I want from almost anyone I have ever encountered.

        And this is a negative, how???

        Google still works, people. lol

        "Psychopathy and sociopathy are different cultural labels applied to the diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. Up to 3 percent of the population may qualify for a diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder. This disorder is more common among males and mostly seen in people with an alcohol or substance abuse problem, or in forensic settings such as prisons. Psychopaths tend to be more manipulative, can be seen by others as more charming, lead a semblance of a normal life, and minimize risk in criminal activities. Sociopaths tend to be more erratic, rage-prone, and unable to lead as much of a normal life. When sociopaths engage in criminal activity, they tend to do so in a reckless manner without regard to consequences."

        Source: Mental Health Association.

        They had a very flattering of Claude on their website, labeled: He's both!
        You might be a Narcissist but as far as a Psychopath ?? Nah, Winnie the Poo was more likely to be one than you
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        • Profile picture of the author OptedIn
          Originally Posted by discrat View Post

          You might be a Narcissist but as far as a Psychopath ?? Nah, Winnie the Poo was more likely to be one than you
          I am a narcissist, but the rest of me is pure pussycat. :-)

          Big Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    If I think about it - I question the 'rehabilitation'. You can perhaps teach a 'path' person to hide better or that some actions have undesirable consequences.


    I don't think you can teach someone to have a conscience and that is lacking. Their behavior might improve with treatment....but not sure how deep it goes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by discrat View Post

    I believe that psychopathy is not a mental illness but more of a personality disorder that cannot be treated.

    Many doctors would agree with me ( even though I am not one myself)

    I've seen and heard of serial killers who say they have been rehabilitated only to find out they were just using it to try to manipulate and convince the doctors that they were okay.

    When in truth they are and have always been psychopathic.

    Your feeling on whether not a sociopath or psychopath can be treated ???
    There is no treatment. Being a psychopath isn't a disease, malady, condition.

    Psychopaths have different brain wiring. Like dogs are different from cats.

    A psychopath can be raised by loving parents, who will somewhat submerge the psychopathic traits.

    But psychopaths have several traits;

    They don't respond to punishment. They don't respond to peer pressure.

    In fact, I can say that psychopaths have no sense of comradery, social structure, peer pressure. They are like a slightly different species.

    By the way, psychopaths are born that way. Brain scans can identify the affected areas of the brain that indicate psychopathy.

    Sociopaths are not born that way, they are made...usually through decades of hard abuse. They can be guided, and reformed sometimes.

    Psychopaths can learn to act more and more normal. But it's a mask.

    Serial killers aren't usually psychopaths. The urge to violence isn't a psychopathic trait.
    But the revulsion of violence isn't a trait they have either.

    Sociopaths are more often killers.
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    • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      There is no treatment. Being a psychopath isn't a disease, malady, condition.

      Psychopaths have different brain wiring. Like dogs are different from cats.

      A psychopath can be raised by loving parents, who will somewhat submerge the psychopathic traits.

      But psychopaths have several traits;

      They don't respond to punishment. They don't respond to peer pressure.

      In fact, I can say that psychopaths have no sense of comradery, social structure, peer pressure. They are like a slightly different species.

      By he way, psychopaths are born that way. Brain scans can identify the affected areas of the brain that indicate psychopathy.

      Sociopaths are not born that way, they are made...usually through decades of hard abuse. They can be guided, and reformed sometimes.

      Psychopaths can learn to act more and more normal. But it's a mask.

      Serial killers aren't usually psychopaths. The urge to violence isn't a psychopathic trait.
      But the revulsion of violence isn't a trait they have either.

      Sociopaths are more often killers.
      Hey, I'm the one writing your Biography!
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    • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
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      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      There is no treatment. Being a psychopath isn't a disease, malady, condition.

      Psychopaths have different brain wiring. Like dogs are different from cats.

      A psychopath can be raised by loving parents, who will somewhat submerge the psychopathic traits.

      But psychopaths have several traits;

      They don't respond to punishment. They don't respond to peer pressure.

      In fact, I can say that psychopaths have no sense of comradery, social structure, peer pressure. They are like a slightly different species.

      By he way, psychopaths are born that way. Brain scans can identify the affected areas of the brain that indicate psychopathy.

      Sociopaths are not born that way, they are made...usually through decades of hard abuse. They can be guided, and reformed sometimes.

      Psychopaths can learn to act more and more normal. But it's a mask.

      Serial killers aren't usually psychopaths. The urge to violence isn't a psychopathic trait.
      But the revulsion of violence isn't a trait they have either.

      Sociopaths are more often killers.
      How do you know all this, Claude? Are you an expert on psychopathy? Or is in just what you've read/your opinion?
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      • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
        Originally Posted by Jonathan 2.0 View Post

        How do you know all this, Claude? Are you an expert on psychopathy? Or is in just what you've read/your opinion?
        Don't go there, just don't
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        • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
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          Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

          Don't go there, just don't
          If a Person is an "authority" on a subject ... Then fair enough. Other than that, it's just their opinion.
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by Jonathan 2.0 View Post

        How do you know all this, Claude? Are you an expert on psychopathy? Or is in just what you've read/your opinion?
        I've studied psychopathy in real depth.

        Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

        Don't go there, just don't
        I agree. I've beaten this subject to death on this forum before.
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        • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
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          Thanks for the honest post Claude. : ) At one point I thought I was Psychopathic ... However it was just me being "paranoid". I suppose my point was that we're all Human/People ... Despite our "conditions".

          [Edit=]
          Sorry Claude, I was responding to your original Post
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          • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
            Originally Posted by Jonathan 2.0 View Post

            Thanks for the honest post Claude. : ) At one point I thought I was Psychopathic ... However it was just me being "paranoid". I suppose my point was that we're all Human/People ... Despite our "conditions".

            [Edit=]
            Sorry Claude, I was responding to your original Post
            Not at all. I decided to edit my post because I have covered this ground in such depth before.
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            • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
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              Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

              Not at all. I decided to edit my post because I have covered this ground in such depth before.
              Sure. : ) I understand. Thanks Claude.
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          • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
            Originally Posted by Jonathan 2.0 View Post

            Thanks for the honest post Claude. : ) At one point I thought I was Psychopathic ... However it was just me being "paranoid". I suppose my point was that we're all Human/People ... Despite our "conditions".

            [Edit=]
            Sorry Claude, I was responding to your original Post
            I once had a friend tell me that he "Worried" that he was a psychopath.

            I told him "If it worries you, you aren't one."
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            • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
              Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

              I once had a friend tell me that he "Worried" that he was a psychopath.

              I told him "If it worries you, you aren't one."
              I knew this post was a lie five words in.
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  • Profile picture of the author salegurus
    Just like professional looters, you are either predisposed or you're not... (:
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  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

    Don't go there, just don't
    Nah, go there!

    Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

    I've studied psychopathy in real depth.
    True, he has a library in his dungeon.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      Originally Posted by tagiscom View Post

      Nah, go there!



      True, he has a library in his dungeon.
      Joking aside, Claude is a true Psychopath. I think he would be the first to admit this. But he is what you call a Pro Social Psychopath.

      To sum this up I would say Claude does not have the same wiring when it comes to feeling and emotions like the rest of us have. But because Claude was lucky enough to come from a family of good hearted, kind, and loving people...well he turned out the same.

      You see the part of the brain called the amygdala ( the almond shaped gray matter in each cerebral hemisphere responsible for emotion and flight or fight) in Claude is similar to Bundy, Gacy, Manson, Ramirez, Dahmer, Dr. Richard Fallon and others. However, the other parts of the brain for Claude and Dr. Fallon are so well developed that they offset the "broken" amygdala and thus you get an Individual who is kind hearted, loving etc....etc...

      Claude is a very interesting fellow. A little different in species than the rest of us. Just be thankful that Claude was not molested, raped, or tortured as a young child...else he could have turned into a shyster, petty criminal, or even a Theodore Bundy.

      Luckily, his frontal cortex is well enough developed that we get a man who is a stellar human being and a sterling pillar of his Community.


      Disclosure : I am not a mental health professional in any way, shape, or form. Both my commentary and Claude's are the result of bantering back and forth on this topic for going on over a decade now. We both are "armchair" experts on this subject ( as we have both studied it in real depth) and love to analyze people and their traits relating to psychopathy and narcissism.
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      • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
        Originally Posted by discrat View Post

        Joking aside, Claude is a true Psychopath. I think he would be the first to admit this. But he is what you call a Pro Social Psychopath.

        To sum this up I would say Claude does not have the same wiring when it comes to feeling and emotions like the rest of us have. But because Claude was lucky enough to come from a family of good hearted, kind, and loving people...well he turned out the same.

        You see the part of the brain called the amygdala ( the almond shaped gray matter in each cerebral hemisphere responsible for emotion and flight or fight) in Claude is similar to Bundy, Gacy, Manson, Ramirez, Dahmer, Dr. Richard Fallon and others. However, the other parts of the brain for Claude and Dr. Fallon are so well developed that they offset the "broken" amygdala and thus you get an Individual who is kind hearted, loving etc....etc...

        Claude is a very interesting fellow. A little different in species than the rest of us. Just be thankful that Claude was not molested, raped, or tortured as a young child...else he could have turned into a shyster, petty criminal, or even a Theodore Bundy.
        If l remember correctly his Mother was very religious, so his childhood wasn't "playing on the green lawn in the sun, with a sprinkler" setup?

        Luckily, his frontal cortex is well enough developed that we get a man who is a stellar human being and a sterling pillar of his Community.
        Oook!

        Disclosure : I am not a mental health professional in any way, shape, or form. Both my commentary and Claude's are the result of bantering back and forth on this topic for going on over a decade now. We both are "armchair" experts on this subject ( as we have both studied it in real depth) and love to analyze people and their traits relating to psychopathy and narcissism.
        Neither am l, but to hell with it.

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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by discrat View Post

        Joking aside, Claude is a true Psychopath. I think he would be the first to admit this. But he is what you call a Pro Social Psychopath.

        To sum this up I would say Claude does not have the same wiring when it comes to feeling and emotions like the rest of us have. But because Claude was lucky enough to come from a family of good hearted, kind, and loving people...well he turned out the same.
        I appreciate what you are saying, but it may be closer to the opposite.

        My mother was a religious zealot. Although she was decent to my brother and me, she was really cruel to my younger sister. I mean physically cruel. My brother, when he became 18 or 19 became schizophrenic and eventually violent. In the end he was found robbed and murdered.

        I was raped by a relative when I was about 11 years old.

        The fact that I have a blunted emotional response (mainly a lack of empathy) actually shielded me from any real trauma as a child and teenager.

        But I grew up with little understanding of why people behaved the way they did. I didn't understand why people would be offended, get their feelings hurt, get angry, yell, argue, threaten.....it just all seemed ...well...insane to me.

        I was picked on in school. Not because I was nerdy, but because I was usually the biggest kid in my class (until high school), and a few kids found out they could hit me, and I wouldn't hit them back.

        I had to learn behaviors intellectually. Nothing came intuitively. It made my childhood and young adulthood more difficult, but it eventually became an asset.

        Occasionally, I would be selling something to a person I went to school with, and they invariably told me that I was a different person than they remembered. Everyone assume that I was just really shy. I wasn't shy. I just didn't feel the need to interact with the other kids. Several students tried to be friends with me, but I avoided social interactions.

        I was very lucky that I met my wife those decades ago. Her consistent caring and decency have had a strong effect on me. Having a son made a difference as well. And I've had a few friends, as an adult, that made a real difference in how I think of others. I've been very lucky.

        Originally Posted by discrat View Post

        You see the part of the brain called the amygdala ( the almond shaped gray matter in each cerebral hemisphere responsible for emotion and flight or fight) in Claude is similar to Bundy, Gacy, Manson, Ramirez, Dahmer, Dr. Richard Fallon and others. However, the other parts of the brain for Claude and Dr. Fallon are so well developed that they offset the "broken" amygdala and thus you get an Individual who is kind hearted, loving etc....etc...
        Sort of. I read Dr. Fallon's book. But I can only speak for myself. Lacking empathy doesn't make you evil...or even mean. It means you don't take their behavior or feelings personally. Studying human behavior (mostly to help my selling) allowed me to eventually understand better why people think and act the way they do. While it isn't exactly empathy, it does lead to understanding...which is close enough.


        Bundy, Gacy, Manson, Ramirez, and Dahmer Had more wrong with them. They had compulsions that drove them to extreme violence. I suspect they had terrible childhoods.

        I wasn't kind hearted growing up...or loving. But I wasn't violent because I never had an urge to be violent. Being cruel made no sense to me. Seeing cruelty as a kid was repulsive to me....irrational.
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        • Profile picture of the author discrat
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post


          I was raped by a relative when I was about 11 years old.

          The fact that I have a blunted emotional response (mainly a lack of empathy) actually shielded me from any real trauma as a child and teenager.
          Claude I am truly sorry this happened to you. And I sincerely apologize for being presumptuous that nothing had ever happened to you like this ( in my earlier post)

          You say you have a lack of empathy but I see a person who is full with it. In your own unique way
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          • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
            Originally Posted by discrat View Post

            Claude I am truly sorry this happened to you. And I sincerely apologize for being presumptuous that nothing had ever happened to you like this ( in my earlier post)

            You say you have a lack of empathy but I see a person who is full with it. In your own unique way
            I almost never think about it. And there is no need to apologize.

            This may interest you.

            I friend once asked me (after I mentioned that I was somewhat psychopathic) how I hid it so well. And he told me that I displayed empathy, like anyone else.

            So I told him this...

            In my center is a small ball of nothing, where most people have something. But over the years, layers and layers of coating have been applied to my nothing...just as layers are applied to everyone else's inner core. These layer are made up of interactions with others, learned behaviors, life lessons. We all go through this.

            Eventually, the layers of coating are so thick, it's impossible to see what's at the core. And those layers became my personality. At first, I would be wearing a mask, faking feelings. But eventually, that just became who I was.

            Anyway, that's what I told him.

            And at my age, I find it difficult to believe I was ever the guy without emotional attachments. Sometime I remember something I did as a young man, and shudder.
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            • Profile picture of the author discrat
              Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post



              Eventually, the layers of coating are so thick, it's impossible to see what's at the core. And those layers became my personality. At first, I would be wearing a mask, faking feelings. But eventually, that just became who I was.

              Anyway, that's what I told him.

              And at my age, I find it difficult to believe I was ever the guy without emotional attachments. Sometime I remember something I did as a young man, and shudder.
              That is truly interesting and fascinating. They ought to do a case study on this. Maybe give hope to some others who have mild psychopathic tendencies.

              Thank you Claude for sharing
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          • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
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            Originally Posted by discrat View Post

            You say you have a lack of empathy but I see a person who is full with it. In your own unique way
            Same. After reading Claude's posts and interreacting here ... I think he's a very nice Gentleman.
            : )

            And I particularly like his approach to Selling ... (That -- if I'm right, Claude -- it's about putting the Customer first and really caring about their needs etc? Basically making sure they "benefit" from the transaction more than the Salesperson?)

            [Added=]
            Something to add to the convo. is that I think a Person is greatly defined by their actions. For example a Person could be a sociopath (etc.) ... However if they don't act on thinking of doing something wrong, that would kind of make them right/good no?

            Thoughts?
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            • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
              Originally Posted by Jonathan 2.0 View Post

              Something to add to the convo. is that I think a Person is greatly defined by their actions. For example a Person could be a sociopath (etc.) ... However if they don't act on thinking of doing something wrong, that would kind of make them right/good no?

              Thoughts?
              Maybe.

              Sociopaths are different from psychopaths.
              Sociopaths have poor impulse control. With poor impulse control and an anti-social outlook...that usually leads to violence in some form. Other than that, they are usually normal people with normal brain structure.

              Psychopaths don't usually have violent tendencies to begin with. Although you can be a psychopath and a sociopath...the worst of all worlds.

              With psychopaths, there is no "Right or wrong". To them, rules don't exist, social boundaries don't exist. There are no societal forces molding their behavior. So the smart ones catch on to what gets them good results. And the best results come from being kind to others, and having standards.

              The less bright psychopaths eventually do something so unacceptable that they go to prison, or become a social outcast.

              A good friend I worked with for years once told me that I was the only person he ever met that he thought could kill someone, and never let it show...never confess...never tell anyone. I asked him why he thought that, and he told me that after working with me for years, he could tell that deep down, I wasn't affected by other people's emotions.

              The problem with being a psychopath, no matter how well you learn to fit in, is that if someone is around you long enough, you'll say something, or react in a way that lets them know that you aren't really like them.

              Like an actor breaking character. But with enough practice, and enough time...you just become that character.....and being that way becomes your default setting.
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              • Profile picture of the author discrat
                Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

                Maybe.

                Sociopaths are different from psychopaths.
                I don't know about that Claude. Many medical experts in the field categorize them as one of the same. They are interchangeable and is similar to tomatoe- tomato. Just semantics.
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                • Profile picture of the author Odahh
                  Originally Posted by discrat View Post

                  I don't know about that Claude. Many medical experts in the field categorize them as one of the same. They are interchangeable and is similar to tomatoe- tomato. Just semantics.
                  I'm not honest for any moral reasons I am to lazy to dedicate any memory to keeping track of lies.

                  So you understand it is probably 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 people if you count those two conditions as the same. The risk of getting caught after doing something bad and getting punished is what provideds safety. To everyone else. Not trying to predict who will do bad.

                  If you want the prediction based model of safety. Then give up all expectations of privacy or du process. And be willing to get punished for what the model says you may do
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                • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
                  Originally Posted by discrat View Post

                  I don't know about that Claude. Many medical experts in the field categorize them as one of the same. They are interchangeable and is similar to tomatoe- tomato. Just semantics.
                  They are both categorized as anti-social behavior. And many health care professionals use them interchangeably.

                  But the difference is that psychopaths have a different brain structure, and sociopaths were created.

                  That's why sociopathy means created socially.

                  It's more common now to just use Sociopath to mean having anti-social personality disorder. But people who write books about psychopathy separate the two terms.

                  Here is an article that explains the differences and the reason you often see them used interchangeably.

                  https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is...0their%20needs.

                  Added later;

                  An interesting difference to me is that sociopaths are anti-social. In fact, Being a sociopath means you have anti-social personality disorder.

                  Psychopaths (at least ones named Claude) aren't anti social. I'm non-social. Meaning that social bonds, social structure, business hierarchies, authority positions, celebrity, behavior boundaries, and respect for someone because of age, position, rank, or status...is thought of differently by me.

                  It's why I'm a terrible employee...and not a great employer. I keep forgetting that others expect their position to be respected and understood. At times, it makes me look brave, or confident. At other times, it makes me look cold or distant. I never considered whether my words or actions hurt others...or hurt their feelings. Not because I only thought of myself (a very common interpretation), but it just never occurred to me that others had different reactions than I had.


                  It's why I love being insulted (here and in person). The fact that it's me being insulted doesn't matter. I just look at the structure of the insult...... was it well done, or sloppy?

                  It's why rejection in selling never bothered me. And success in making a sale never excited me.

                  I once told a man that was agitating me "If you knew what I was thinking, you'd be screaming". He took it to mean that what I was thinking would make him angry...or that I was trying to be macho. But what I really meant was that my thoughts were so alien to him, that it would frighten him.
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                  • Profile picture of the author activation4key
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                    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
                      Originally Posted by activation4key View Post

                      That is extremely amazing and intriguing. This should be the subject of a case study. Perhaps this will inspire others with moderate psychopathic inclinations.
                      There was a case study in the book The Psychopath Inside.

                      Moderate psychopaths don't look for treatment. They see nothing wrong with themselves.

                      A weird thing happened in my own life. Once I had taken the HARE test, and it showed I had borderline psychopathy....I asked my Mom about it. At first she tried to laugh it off. And then she told me that she always thought I was cold to family members, and treated them (and my first wife) like "pets".

                      I eventually talked to a couple of cousins, and they told me much the same thing.

                      Then, when I read the book The Psychopath Inside, I realized that the author's experiences were similar to mine, in how I thought of others, and treated them.
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              • Profile picture of the author Jonathan 2.0
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                Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

                Maybe.

                Sociopaths are different from psychopaths.
                Sociopaths have poor impulse control. With poor impulse control and an anti-social outlook...that usually leads to violence in some form. Other than that, they are usually normal people with normal brain structure.

                Psychopaths don't usually have violent tendencies to begin with. Although you can be a psychopath and a sociopath...the worst of all worlds.

                With psychopaths, there is no "Right or wrong". To them, rules don't exist, social boundaries don't exist. There are no societal forces molding their behavior. So the smart ones catch on to what gets them good results. And the best results come from being kind to others, and having standards.

                The less bright psychopaths eventually do something so unacceptable that they go to prison, or become a social outcast.

                A good friend I worked with for years once told me that I was the only person he ever met that he thought could kill someone, and never let it show...never confess...never tell anyone. I asked him why he thought that, and he told me that after working with me for years, he could tell that deep down, I wasn't affected by other people's emotions.

                The problem with being a psychopath, no matter how well you learn to fit in, is that if someone is around you long enough, you'll say something, or react in a way that lets them know that you aren't really like them.

                Like an actor breaking character. But with enough practice, and enough time...you just become that character.....and being that way becomes your default setting.
                Thanks Claude, you are very knowledgeable about this topic/subject. My apologies for the other post.
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  • Profile picture of the author spartan14
    Well in my country a psichopat make 6 crimes and it got jailed per life but after 20 years of prison the comision decided that should be free .Now this man its nice one and its almost an entrepreneur by making videos about prison life ,life lessons etc and he earns money .So if this man gets reabilited then yea a psichopat can be reabilitated
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  • Two psychopaths walk into a bar.

    First says: We heading straight over to the main guy and making small talk about horses or what?

    Second says: Don't even go there, pal. He's clearly a sociopath out for our blood.
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  • The same two psychopaths walk into a bar.

    Your choice as to whethah it is the original bar, or they jus' swankyin' out all casyool.

    "You still here?" says Psycho 1.

    "Guess so," says 2.

    They take their seats next to a guy who looks the least horse-like person evah.

    "Hey," says Psycho 1.

    "Hey," says Psycho 2.

    "Yeah," says the non-horse guy.

    An' they all kinda look at one anothah, an' say "hey", an' drink their beers, an' then go home.

    Ain't it beyond credoolity they would do that, the lame fkrs?

    Most times, you don't expect fireworks, an' then when nuthin' happens, you kinda do.

    So, yeah, moments latah, ten psychopaths walk into a bar

    Is this the original 2, plus sum scene they now gaht gowin'?

    Or 10 totally noo psychopaths?

    Less'n you the horse bar guy anyplace, prolly the choice is yours.

    That is the prahblem with psychopaths.

    When they operatin' alone, you can figure what is gowin' on.

    When they operatin' as a mob, it is chaos.

    Also the scenario where a buncha non-psychopaths walk into a bar run by a psychopath.

    Gotta figure this is why puppies wanna jus' lick evrywan.

    They wanna know what is gowin' on.
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  • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
    Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

    In my center is a small ball of nothing, where most people have something. But over the years, layers and layers of coating have been applied to my nothing...just as layers are applied to everyone else's inner core. These layer are made up of interactions with others, learned behaviors, life lessons. We all go through this.

    Eventually, the layers of coating are so thick, it's impossible to see what's at the core. And those layers became my personality. At first, I would be wearing a mask, faking feelings. But eventually, that just became who I was.
    .
    Sugar coating?

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  • Profile picture of the author Stranded NYer
    I studied Abnormal Psychology and General Psychology in school.

    Psychopathy is definitely a mental illness. The reason why it's one is that it's being mentally and emotionally impaired in a way that prevents someone from understanding and interacting with people and society in normal and healthy ways.

    To use an analogy, eating disorders are mental illnesses because they involve an unhealthy interaction with food. Pedophilia is a mental illness because the person has an abnormal, unhealthy sexuality.

    Same thing with psychopaths and sociopaths. They don't understand people or how to interact with them to such an extent that they don't even recognize boundaries. They see others as an extension of themselves. I know it's only a movie, but The Bad Seed is a spot-on representation of how psychopaths think. In that movie, a girl wanted a classroom award and when another classmate won it instead, decided to get it by any means necessary. The reason is that in a psychopath's mind, it's not that you missed out on getting an award, it's that the award was yours to begin with and that the other person "stole" it from you.
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  • Profile picture of the author Profit Traveler
    Banned
    Is the Wolf of Wall Street now making a legitimate living? Absolutely!


    Would I want my neighbor to be a rehabilitated cannibal? Absolutely Not!
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    • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
      Originally Posted by Profit Traveler View Post

      Is the Wolf of Wall Street now making a legitimate living? Absolutely!

      Would I want my neighbor to be a rehabilitated cannibal? Absolutely Not!
      Why do these threads always revert back to food?
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      • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
        Originally Posted by tagiscom View Post

        Why do these threads always revert back to food?
        Our resident expert on the thread subject has even more expertise and insights on the area we are deviating into. It should be an interesting conversation as "Psycoeaters" have no emotional attachments, hang-ups or qualms about their food intake choices.
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        • Profile picture of the author tagiscom
          Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

          Our resident expert on the thread subject has even more expertise and insights on the area we are deviating into. It should be an interesting conversation as "Psycoeaters" have no emotional attachments, hang-ups or qualms about their food intake choices.
          Agreed, every time l show up for KFC nuggets, at 50 paces, l find him asleep with barbecue sauce on his face and an empty bucket.
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

          Our resident expert on the thread subject has even more expertise and insights on the area we are deviating into. It should be an interesting conversation as "Psycoeaters" have no emotional attachments, hang-ups or qualms about their food intake choices.
          there is actually a bit of truth to that.

          I never think about what I'm wearing. I have about a dozen pullover shirts and 5 pairs of jeans. I just rotate these things For a few decades, I had a dozen white dress shirts and a dozen pairs of black dress slacks. They were identical, and that's what I always wore.

          There are about 10 things I like for dinner. And I don't enjoy Cheryl trying new dishes. (although I would never tell her that directly) I really want to not have to think about what I'm eating. I could eat steak or fish for supper every night and never tire of it.
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          • Profile picture of the author discrat
            Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

            I could eat steak or fish for supper every night and never tire of it.
            Agreed !! Grilled Ribeye for me every night without being tired. And also meat lovers pizza and hot wings i could literally eat every night and not tire as well
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          • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
            Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

            there is actually a bit of truth to that.

            I never think about what I'm wearing. I have about a dozen pullover shirts and 5 pairs of jeans. I just rotate these things For a few decades, I had a dozen white dress shirts and a dozen pairs of black dress slacks. They were identical, and that's what I always wore.

            There are about 10 things I like for dinner. And I don't enjoy Cheryl trying new dishes. (although I would never tell her that directly) I really want to not have to think about what I'm eating. I could eat steak or fish for supper every night and never tire of it.
            I rotate the same make of jeans, having several pairs and wearing Hawaiian shirts which are diverse and quite flamboyant and often get commented on, currently have 10. (link removed)Socks and pants, same make, and colors, 20 of each.

            As for food. To shop every couple of weeks I get pretty much the same selection. And mostly shop online at Amazon wholefoods these days due to their fast delivery. I get pretty much the same things each time. We are creatures of habit and it simplifies our lives.
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  • Profile picture of the author Serene Carmen
    Never knew what a psychopath looked like in real life till I watched Amber Heard on the stand. She's super crazy.
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  • Profile picture of the author KillerVirus
    A quote from my favorite uncle when I was about 12: "You're OK kid, it's the rest of humans who are ****ed up."

    After all these years, I know he was right.
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  • Profile picture of the author jvalentin
    I agree. They may suppress the urge for a little while but the temptation for that urge is strong and they will cave for the desire to quench that thirst.
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  • Profile picture of the author PostingBay
    The funny thing is that those that are considered being a sociopath or psychopaths don't even recognise they have a problem that needs to be treated if a mode of treatment for them even exists.

    I'm not sure if there's any kind of cure for them, otherwise there wouldn't be much cases of people with the personality disorder.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shaktiktilar
    I stand for the position that such people can't be rehabilitated. However, we should take into consideration the severity grade of his disease. If his disease might be cured and the doctors claim that he might be rehabilitated, then why not.
    As a rule, many psychopaths remain with this disease until they days over. At least, according to the statistics they either spend the rest of the days in rehabilitation centers or they'll end up incarcerated. I personally don't know any psychopath who was successfully rehabilitated. Remission is possible but not for a very long time.
    The aggression level which such people acquire can't be controlled and if the particular brain parts are damaged, then it's impossible to recover them.
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