> Psychopaths are among us. Here are the tips how to recognize them. Unfortunately this article does not say how to fight them, but LL rules expect you to report them to moderators. Few psychology terms stir up confusion like the word psychopath. Even though it’s commonly used to describe someone who has a mental illness, psychopath is not an official diagnosis. The true definition of a psychopath in psychiatry is antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), explains Dr. Prakash Masand, a psychiatrist and the founder of the Centers of Psychiatric Excellence. ASPD describes an individual who shows patterns of manipulation and violation to others. Thing that can be confusing about ASPD are the words “anti-social.” “Most people might assume this describes someone who is reserved, a loner, keeps to himself, etc. However, this is not the case in ASPD.” “When we say anti-social in ASPD, it means someone who goes against society, rules, and other behaviors that are more commonplace.”

Since the term psychopath is not an official diagnosis, experts refer to the signs described under ASPD. According to Masand, some of the more common signs to be aware of include:

• socially irresponsible behavior
• disregarding or violating the rights of others
• inability to distinguish between right and wrong
• difficulty with showing remorse or empathy
• tendency to lie often
• manipulating and hurting others
• recurring problems with the law
• general disregard towards safety and responsibility

Other behaviors that may be signs of ASPD include a tendency to take risks, reckless behavior, and being deceitful with frequent lying. Masand says someone exhibiting this behavior may also lack deep emotional connections, have a superficial charm about them, be very aggressive, and get very angry sometimes. Additionally, people with ASPD don’t care if they have hurt someone, are impulsive and abusive, and lack remorse. In the case of ASPD, abusive doesn’t necessarily mean violent. In addition to the signs and behaviors, Masand says there are certain traits associated with ASPD:

• More men than women have this diagnosis.
• Technically, to receive an ASPD diagnosis, you have to be 18 years of age. But some people will show signs of conduct disorder, which may be an early indicator of ASPD, as early as age 11.
• It’s a chronic condition that seems to improve with age.
• Mortality rates are higher in people with ASPD because of their behavior

Note: Quoted from Timothy J. Legg.