Could You Have Antisocial Personality Disorder?
If you find it difficult to motivate yourself to spend time with people, hang out with friends, or keep up a conversation, you may label yourself “anti-social.” As a result, you might even wonder if you have what is known as antisocial personality disorder, but that name is a bit misleading because it doesn’t describe a disorder whose symptoms align with our cultural understanding of antisociality. Let’s take a look at what the symptoms really are, how they present, and what they mean for those who have them.
You may simply conclude that you are a bit of an introvert, but even that descriptor is often misunderstood .
What is Antisocial Personality Disorder?
Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) is sometimes used interchangeably with sociopathy, although they are not exactly the same. Sociopathy itself is a type of APD that is distinct from psychopathy, which is also an antisocial personality disorder. As Healthline explains , people with high-functioning APD are usually able to do typical “daily” activities, like working or saving a marriage. Although the DSM-5 does not use the terms “high” or “low” to describe people with antisocial personality disorder, people with low functioning APD are not as perfect or polite when they mask manipulation. the key to frustration. Here are the symptoms of APD, according to the Mayo Clinic :
- Disregard for right and wrong
- Constantly lying or deceiving in order to exploit other people
- Callousness, cynicism and disrespect
- Charming or using wit to manipulate others, whether for profit or pleasure
- Arrogance, a sense of superiority and an overconfident personality
- Recurring problems with the law, which may include criminal behavior
- Violation of the rights of others
- Impulsiveness
- Hostility, irritability, agitation, aggression or violence
- Lack of empathy or remorse for hurting others
- Unreasonable risk without regard to safety, whether it be to yourself or others
- Bad or abusive relationships
- Failure to consider or learn from negative consequences
- Constant irresponsibility
Dr. Tony Ferretti , a psychologist who specializes in APD, explained that the disorder can develop as early as age 11, but conduct disorder usually first develops during childhood (usually before age 15) before progressing to APD. Although this is usually a lifelong condition, some symptoms of APD may decrease over time, although it remains unclear whether this is the result of aging or increased awareness of the consequences.
If you have these symptoms, can you have APD?
You may have been associated with some of the symptoms listed above, whether it was due to a bad reputation with the law, bad relationships, or a general disregard for other people’s feelings. This does not automatically mean that you have APD.
“People can have the traits or characteristics of APD without having a full blown disorder,” Ferretti said. “It becomes a disorder when their thoughts, emotions and behavior become a sustainable pattern that deviates from the culture. Their long-term pattern will interfere with their professional, social and interpersonal functioning, cause distress and persist over time.”
He added that people with this disorder can be charming, witty and funny, but they are manipulative and have the end game in mind, as well as blaming others and avoiding responsibility for their own actions. If you’re really concerned that you might have APD, look at the patterns in your life, especially your relationships. People with the disorder experience difficulty in interpersonal relationships because they do not attach to or connect with others in a superficial way.
A bad relationship or a mean act alone doesn’t lead to a full blown breakdown, so don’t worry if you remember treating someone with disdain a few times. Also note that according to Mayo, people who do have APD are unlikely to seek help on their own. If you’re concerned that you might have it and want to go to the doctor to find out, this could be a clue that you don’t have it.
However, if you’re concerned about antisocial behavior—whether it fits more with our cultural definition of shyness or introversion, or more with the clinical definition here—it’s worth talking to a professional. Here’s how to find a therapist if you don’t have insurance, and here’s what to look for when looking.