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Suggest Treatment For Personality Disorder

Posted on Thu, 9 Oct 2014

Question: Okay, so this is a little awkward for me, but I'm nearly 100% sure that I have a Sociopathy/Anti-Social Personality Disorder.

So, I took a few pseudo-tests online on Sociopathy/ASPD because I had been suspicious for quite some time that I did indeed have a disorder, and as I read the traits of a sociopath, it shocked me at how creepily accurate the descriptions were. I think the first time it really hit me that I had a disorder is when my dad passed away last March, and I should have cried and mourned, but I felt nothing. I just... didn't care, as terrible as that sounds. I found myself crying not because I wanted to, but because I had to in order to fool everyone around me and make it look sincere. I find myself always lying effortlessly and without guilt or remorse for hurting other people in the process. I almost find a sort of amusement in it. I always pretend to be someone I'm not so people don't see through me. It's the oddest thing but I find it pleasurable to befriend people and watch them begin to trust me and get attached to me even though I don't feel the same way. Toying with someones emotions and manipulating them for my own personal gain has been something I've always done, ever since I was a small child.

I honestly don't think anything needs to be done about as it isn't interfering with my integration as a member of society, and it's not really affecting anyone other than myself, but it would be nice to have the diagnosis so I can be 100% sure of what I'm dealing with here.

Answered by Dr. Ravi Soni (55 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
personality disorders are difficult to diagnose

Detailed Answer:
Hi..shwlly..thanks for writing...i have understood your query....

here I would like to ask a few questions
1. These traits you are describing are present for how long?
2. Is it started before the age of 18? From the begining of your adolescence?
3. Whether somebody tried to make you realize about it previously..?

Usually people with antisocial personality disorder do not have any insight...so it is somewhat opposite factor in your case...and they also dont want to change themselves..

so...i feel that I would better answer with answers to above questions...
best luck..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Ravi Soni (1 hour later)

Alright,

1. These traits have been around since I was a small child. Or at least as long as I can remember.
2. Yes, definitely.
3. No, but I took psychology in high school and reading about it and studying it made me open my eyes.

Answered by Dr. Ravi Soni (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Possibility of ASPD is there..

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for writing again..

So, for a diagnosis of ASPD, the person must have conduct disorder while s/he was a child. There are features given for the diagnosis of ASPD, like there are 9 possible criterias and for diagnosis 5/9 or more should be present..

The symptoms you have described do not completely confirm the diagnosis of ASPD, but the most important thing here is lack of remorse or guilt, that is present in you..

The ASPD is classified as a part of cluster B of personality disorder, which includes borderline PD, histrionic PD, narcissistic PD..so some of your symptoms also refer to other PD of same cluster..

Instead of saying ASPD, I would rather say that you have antisocial personality traits

With comorbid diagnosis can be there depending upon your mental status and thinking..

I feel if you have this much insight in you..you can consult a therapist or counselor and can undergo psychotherapy..you will be able to control your behavior and thinking..

I hope this advice will be helpful to you..
If you have further queries, feel free to ask..
Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari