Antisocial Personality Disorder (Sociopathy)

Overview

This is a mental health disorder. With it, you ignore the rights and feelings of others. You have no concern for "right" and "wrong." You may break laws. You may manipulate and hurt other people. And when you do this, you don't feel sorry. This can cause serious problems in your life.

Causes

We don't understand the exact cause of antisocial personality disorder. It may be linked to your genes and to factors in your environment. It's more common in men. It's more common in people who have a family history of mental illness. It's also more common in people who experienced neglect, chaos or abuse in childhood. People who have this disorder often have serious behavioral problems as a child.

Symptoms

If you have this disorder, you don't care about the feelings of others. You may lie and cheat people. You may be aggressive. You may try to intimidate others to get your way or to amuse yourself. Other people may describe you as impulsive, arrogant, dishonest and irresponsible. Antisocial personality disorder leads to poor relationships. It can lead to risk-taking, rule-breaking and destructive behavior. This can result in legal problems.

Treatment

Antisocial personality disorder can be treated with talk therapy. If you have other problems like depression and alcoholism, it’s important to get care for those, too. Talk to a doctor about your problem. Your primary care physician or a mental health professional will find the right treatment for you.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.