Difference Between Sociopath and Psychopath

Imagine a scenario where one is manipulating someone else so one will feel better about a horrific event that has taken place. However, their demeanor seems off as if there is some fundamental part of being human that is missing. They are a black hole, an emotionless void, even when they appear to show emotion it is rehearsed and disingenuous. Their sly words and forced attitudes are enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. We could possibly be looking into the eyes of a Sociopath.

Like any personality disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, or APD, is a disorder that impairs a person’s personality both personally and interpersonally and causes extreme antisocial behaviors and attitude changes Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th, 2013. (Herrin, 2018). People suffering from APD tend to show a tremendous lack of empathy; meaning they could not care less about another person’s needs or feelings and feel no remorse when hurting or mistreating individuals. They have a difficult time having true intimate relationships.

They are controlling, egocentric or narcissistic, and will do anything to personally feel better no matter what the cost to another human being. By using charm or seduction they easily manipulate others for their own personal gain Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th, 2013. (Herrin, 2018).

People diagnosed with Sociopathy usually have a high IQ, which is not surprising since they use it in planning their manipulations of others Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th, 2013. (Herrin, 2018). EEG, electroencephalogram, scans of sociopathic brains show different electrical impulses than a normal brain, which may be the cause of their antisocial behavior.

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Sociopaths are liars and exceptionally deceitful, which can lead them to become angry and hostile towards other people. Because of this, APD sufferers are commonly described as wearing a mask or hiding their true intentions Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th, 2013. (Herrin, 2018). One reason might be because they did not receive enough parental affection as a baby, which could later develop into sociopathic tendencies (Statistics., (n.d.). The symptoms in women with APD are similar to the symptoms in men including lying, their opinions are the only ones that matter, no empathy or remorse, not caring about children (even if they are their own), and will use their children to meet their own needs. Women with this disorder usually have a high sex drive to manipulate men into getting something they want by using fake emotions and constantly seeking admiration (Herrin, 2018).

Personality disorders, like Sociopathy, are not uncommon. In fact, it is estimated that nine percent of Americans have at least one personality disorder, and it is possible they can have more than just one (Lenzenweger, Lane, Loranger, and Kessler, 2007). It is more common than many other disorders including Manic-Depressive Disorder and Bipolar. In addition, people with APD in alcohol and drug abuse treatment programs have a higher risk of alcohol or drug abuse than among those in the general population (Moeller and Dougherty, 2001). On average, one out of four percent of adults can be a Sociopath, and surprisingly, more men than women have this disorder, since one percent is females, and three percent are males. Among the general population, three to five percent are Sociopaths in America. One in twenty-five Americans is considered a Sociopath, which is quite frightening (Herrin, 2018). Approximately seventy percent of people with Sociopathy come from a fatherless home, and thirty percent are born out of wedlock, meaning their parents were not married at the time of their birth. There are as many as fifteen to twenty-five percent of inmates in prisons that show signs of being a Sociopath (Statistics., (n.d.). Another study confirmed that having antisocial personality disorder can affect brain matter, especially the frontal lobe; therefore, ten to fifteen percent of the neurons in this region were lower than average with men that have APD (Antisocial Personality–Part II., 2001).

Many people think APD and Sociopathy are the same, and others believe they are different. Both disorders have similar symptoms, although APD is in the DSM, and Sociopathy is not. Sociopathy is a blanket term used to generally describe APD. APD is grouped as a Cluster B category, meaning it is defined as an erratic, dramatic and emotional behavior, which explains why they have a difficult time relating to others. Other disorders that may be included in this group have little to nothing to do with Sociopathy itself. For example, Borderline Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and Histrionic Personality Disorder are all disorders that can also be clustered with APD (Lenzenweger, Lane, Loranger, and Kessler, 2007; Villines, 2017). Sociopathy deals with the environmental, genetic and biological makeup of a person, which includes this disorder in the nature vs. nurture debate. The nature of a person includes all the genetic factors, like chemical imbalances; while nurture is about family dynamics, upbringing, social behaviors and even traumatic experiences which may have happened to an individual. A hypothesis about people with APD is there is a chemical imbalance that negatively impairs the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is supposed to send signals to conduct and control inappropriate behavior. In childhood, antisocial signs of a Sociopath are typically called Conduct Disorder; though, APD is not diagnosed until the age of eighteen (Herrin, 2018).

Narcissists can also be Sociopathic; however, the differences between a Sociopath and a Narcissistic Sociopath are surprising, but they can also be the same (The Difference between a Sociopath and Narcissistic Sociopath? (n.d.). In the same way as a Sociopath, Narcissistic Sociopaths are more likely men than women and are often young people rather than older. Narcissistic Sociopathy is also found more in Hispanics, and black men and women. People with this disorder probably have been widowed, divorced, never married, or even separated. Apart from Sociopathics, Narcissistic Sociopaths do not usually commit crimes or harm others. The number of Sociopaths and Narcissistics in prisons can also differentiate the two, considering the fact that a Sociopath could not care less about the laws. On the other hand, a Narcissistic Sociopath can become dangerous, or aggressive, if they feel psychologically attacked. Over pampering a child can cause a Narcissistic Sociopath, whereas, with Sociopaths, they have little to no attention from their parents. Narcissistic Sociopaths are mostly unaware of their actions, while on the other hand, Sociopaths are keenly aware because they plan out how they will manipulate someone else. There are medications for Narcissistic Sociopaths, such as antipsychotics and antidepressants that could help treat this disorder, and going to Psychotherapy could help treat their disorder also (The Difference between a Sociopath and Narcissistic Sociopath? (n.d.).

For people with APD, seeking treatment can be difficult and embarrassing. That’s why most people do not seek treatment or are not properly diagnosed with this disorder; though, they might get treatment if is court ordered or possibly if there is a loss in a serious relationship. Psychotherapy is a treatment used to help treat patients with APD. It achieves results by helping a person regulate their disruptive thoughts, understand their behavior, and also assists them in relating to others. A therapist will also work with the patient to facilitate them in controlling their anger and understanding other people’s emotions. They aid toward a better understanding of how manipulation and aggression can hurt or harm another person. Since there is no cure for APD, there is no medication available for this disorder; though, some treatment may be used in order to help someone control their symptoms. For example, symptoms of APD (including anxiety, depression, or even substance abuse) that people experience can be reduced by medications, which can also make therapy more effective. Having a caring therapist and making a commitment to actively change their behavior increases their success during treatment. Since APD is still being researched and it is not fully understood, people believe they are violent (or even serial killers) when in reality many do not hurt anyone else (Villines, 2017).

Another issue is many people do not understand the tremendous difference between a Sociopath and a Psychopath; therefore, this creates a misconception so they use the terms interchangeably when they are actually two different disorders. A study showed that just because someone might reach the criteria for APD, it does not mean they have met the criteria for Psychopathy (Loomans, Tulen, Rijke, and Marle, 2016). The definition of a Psychopath is someone with a mental disorder that causes abnormal social and violent behaviors. An example of this is their brain does not allow them to detect fear in other people’s faces and their tolerance is high for things that would normally be considered disgusting to an average person. The difference between the two is that sociopaths tend to act more rashly and psychopaths are usually calm while acting manipulatively. Psychopaths do not care about the consequences as long as their personal needs are met; while compared to Sociopaths who might feel bad about what they did if it is someone close to them, even if they tend to lack empathy (Herrin, 2018).

Substance use disorder, or SUD, among people with Antisocial Personality Disorder is not rare. In fact, a study proved there were cocaine and marijuana users within 241 occupants; with 111 people who are dependent on cocaine and 130 people reliant on marijuana. Their hypothesis was people who were more reliant on cocaine, have a higher rate of antisocial behaviors than those who depended on marijuana (Mariani, Horey, Bisaga, Aharonovich, Raby, Cheng, … Levin, 2008). Another drug that has an impact on people with APD is alcohol, which led to a study that stated people with APD have more alcohol-related problems and issues than compared to people who do not have APD. The study also stated the connection between alcohol-aggression and people with APD is most likely caused by biological factors similar to impairments with brain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin. A survey called the, “Epidemiologic Catchment Area Survey,” showed that 20,291 people in five sites across the U.S., who met the criteria in the DSM for APD, were twenty-one times more likely to start developing an alcohol abuse addiction, rather than those who did not have APD (Moeller and Dougherty, 2001).

APD is a mental disorder that affects many people. It is a lot more common than people believe it is and is even confused with other disorders such as Psychopathy. Even though there is no cure, there are ways people can find treatment and help to manage this disorder. By gaining more knowledge and doing more research, Psychologists may help people better understand those who have been diagnosed, and assist them in working through their treatments. It is always a possibility we may be looking into the eyes of a Sociopath, so beware be aware that not everyone is whom they say they are, and everything is not always what it seems.