How to spot a psychopath
telegraph.co.uk
How to spot a psychopath
1–10 of 19 posts
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#2Psychopathic individuals do have boundries. Most want to avoid prison and have friends.
My mother was severely ill with schizophrenia and thought Nazi's lived in our attic and were going to kill us. They talked to her about how they were going to do so.
Living in this situation I find myself different then others. No desire to kill or go to prison though.
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#3I always find these articles interesting, especially the idea that most psychopaths aren't particularly dangerous. If we look at mental illnesses as a whole, I feel like untreated depression and bipolar disorder are FAR more costly for American society.
Also, I think it's somewhat dreadful that the tech industry seems to elevate/celebrate psychopathic traits such as ignoring rules, impulsiveness, and lack of empathy. I'm pretty sure that are people with psychopathic tendencies at the top of the ladder of some of the giants.
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#4Of course to make sure, you have to tie them up and throw them into a pond. If they float, they're a psychopath. If they drown, then they weren't.
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#5"If someone’s brain lacks the moral niceties the rest of us take for granted, they obviously can’t do anything about that, any more than a colour-blind person can start seeing colour."
That might be "obvious", but isn't necessarily true.
Many people these days believe that the brain is the mind, or the mind is an epiphenomenon of the brain, and that psychology and brain function are intimately connected, or even the very same thing. On this view, to the extent anyone has free will and is able to change anything about themselves, they are changing their brain.
One method of change that would be interesting to explore is seeing what effect "empathogenic" drugs like MDMA (or perhaps other psychedelics) have on so-called psychopaths. It might just be possible that they are in fact capable of feeling empathy, but those feelings aren't consciously acknowledged or easily accessible to them -- but some powerful psychoactive substances like MDMA or psychedelics might be able to grant them access to their subconscious and to learn to be aware of emotions they've either been unaware of before or have denied.
Of course, such attempts should be tried only under the supervision of an experienced therapist trained in psychedelic therapy.
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#6"If someone’s brain lacks the moral niceties the rest of us take for granted, they obviously can’t do anything about that, any more than a colour-blind person can start seeing colour." That might be "obvious", but isn't necessarily true. Many people these days believe that the brain is the mind, or the mind is an epiphenomenon of the brain, and that psychology and brain function are intimately connected, or even the…
In case anyone else is wondering, this isn't generally available as an option. Yet.
MAPS has a goal of 2021 for prescription.
>MAPS is undertaking a roughly $25 million plan to make MDMA into a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription medicine by 2021.
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#7"If someone’s brain lacks the moral niceties the rest of us take for granted, they obviously can’t do anything about that, any more than a colour-blind person can start seeing colour." That might be "obvious", but isn't necessarily true. Many people these days believe that the brain is the mind, or the mind is an epiphenomenon of the brain, and that psychology and brain function are intimately connected, or even the…
Here's a very interesting interview with a researcher that works with MDMA:
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#8I'm a diagnosed borderline-psychopath. (Some non-complex emotions, in contexts where strong emotions would be expected).
The article does get caught up in it's continual comparisons to killers.
But for those with no criminal history? I'd still call it a disorder.
I find it exceptionally difficult to interact with the average person on a daily basis. Well, more tiring than overly difficult.
I'm not normally interested in how your day is, so why should I ask?
Fantastic, you had a child. I've accepted that, no need to keep talking, I'm sure you're proud. I feel something akin to pride in my own daughter as she learns to clap and walk. But I don't know why you'd care to listen to me saying that.
To be part of society though, I've developed rules, and they help me fit in. Smiling, laughing, being quiet and sympathetic.
Unfortunately, I also need to regulate some heavy self-control.
I should attempt to convince someone of the right choice. They're a human being, they deserve their independence.
But it's so much simpler to manipulate them into doing what I want.
It can short-circuit days of discussion with clients.
But, the system of rules I made myself don't allow it. I had to include morality in these rules, because if I have worth, then others must, from a rational view.
I'm not free of morality - but it does require active effort to abide by it.
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#9"If someone’s brain lacks the moral niceties the rest of us take for granted, they obviously can’t do anything about that, any more than a colour-blind person can start seeing colour." That might be "obvious", but isn't necessarily true. Many people these days believe that the brain is the mind, or the mind is an epiphenomenon of the brain, and that psychology and brain function are intimately connected, or even the…
In case anyone else is wondering, this isn't generally available as an option. Yet. MAPS has a goal of 2021 for prescription. >MAPS is undertaking a roughly $25 million plan to make MDMA into a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved prescription medicine by 2021. http://www.maps.org/research/mdma
It might not be legal or sanctioned by the mainstream psychological community yet, but it's definitely an option (if you can track down a therapist willing to do it).
Psychedelic therapy has been practiced virtually since psychedelics started to be widely used in the mid-20th century. In the 1950's and 60's, LSD and other psychedelics were used therapeutically. In the 1980's, efore MDMA became known as a party drug, it was used therapeutically. Indigenous people have traditionally used psychedlics in a sacramental context in which goals and results could arguably be seen as therapeutic.
When these drugs were made illegal, the above-ground therapy stopped, but some therapists dared to continue their work despite great risk to themselves. To give just one example, a book called *"The Secret Chief Revealed"[1] chronicles the work of one such underground psychedlic therapist, Leo Zeff, who led hundreds of therapy sessions with MDMA.
Today the practice of psychedelic therapy continues, and there are even university programs that teach it. It's still mostly underground, but is starting to rise aboveground and becoming a real option as research in to psychedelic therapy gets positive results and positive media coverage, as more doctors and patients become aware of it, and as the so-called Psychedlic Renaissance grows.
[1] - https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Chief-Revealed-Myron-Stolaroff...
Re: How to spot a psychopath
#10I'm a diagnosed borderline-psychopath. (Some non-complex emotions, in contexts where strong emotions would be expected). The article does get caught up in it's continual comparisons to killers. But for those with no criminal history? I'd still call it a disorder. I find it exceptionally difficult to interact with the average person on a daily basis. Well, more tiring than overly difficult. I'm not normally interested…
It's funny, I agree 100% on being totally uninterested in those topics (i.e. small talk), yet I think I'm on the other side of the spectrum -- an empath.
I don't care about your child or your day, but if something's bothering you, I'll most probably notice it and.. empathise with it.