Antisocial Personality Disorder
Antisocial personality disorder, sometimes called sociopathy, is a mental health condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to purposely make others angry or upset and manipulate or treat others harshly or with cruel indifference. They lack remorse or do not regret their behavior.
People with antisocial personality disorder often violate the law, becoming criminals. They may lie, behave violently or impulsively, and have problems with drug and alcohol use. They have difficulty consistently meeting responsibilities related to family, work or school. Antisocial personality disorder is considered a lifelong condition. But in some people, certain symptoms ― particularly destructive and criminal behavior ― may decrease over time. It's not clear whether this decrease is a result of the effect aging has on their mind and body, an increased awareness of the impact that antisocial behavior has had on their life, or other factors.
Symptoms
• Ignoring right and wrong.
• Telling lies to take advantage of others.
• Not being sensitive to or respectful of others.
• Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or pleasure.
• Having a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated.
• Having problems with the law, including criminal behavior.
• Being hostile, aggressive, violent or threatening to others.
• Feeling no guilt about harming others.
• Doing dangerous things with no regard for the safety of self or others.
• Being irresponsible and failing to fulfill work or financial responsibilities.
• Adults with antisocial personality disorder usually show symptoms of conduct disorder before the age of 15.
Symptoms of conduct disorder include serious, ongoing behavior problems, such as:
• Aggression toward people and animals.
• Destruction of property.
• Lying and dishonesty.
• Theft.
• Serious violation of rules.
Treatment Options
Antisocial personality disorder is challenging to treat, but for some people, treatment and close follow-up over the long term may help. Look for medical and mental health providers with experience in treating antisocial personality disorder.
Treatment depends on each person's situation, their willingness to participate in treatment and the severity of their symptoms.
Talk therapy, also called psychotherapy, is sometimes used to treat antisocial personality disorder. Therapy may include, for example, anger and violence management, treatment for problems with alcohol or drugs, and treatment for other mental health conditions.
But talk therapy is not always effective, especially if symptoms are severe and the person can't admit that they contribute to serious problems.
Medications:
There are no medicines specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat antisocial personality disorder. Health care providers may prescribe medicines for conditions that sometimes occur along with antisocial personality disorder, such as anxiety or depression, or for symptoms of aggression.