You Probably Know One…

Although psychopaths have existed among us since the beginning of mankind, the cases of psychopathy seem to be on the rise. Close family, friends, and relatives are becoming victims of this personality disorder. Psychopathy is basically an antisocial behavior where an individual has little guilt, shame, or remorse on something he/she has done. The individual lacks the mental capacity or personal character to fully appreciate his actions. Other than lacking remorse, a person will also portray poor behavioral control as well as having fearless dominance.

Causes of Psychopathy

Although a lot of research has been done and is still ongoing, a conclusive paper is yet to be drafted on what actually causes this personal trait. Scientists and counselors always place a number of reasons as the main contributors. This will depend on the extent and also the symptoms portrayed. But generally the causes are categorized under the following groups:

• Social aspects: – The nature of society will influence a person to becoming a psychopath. A community which is highly unstable or disorderly usually has a higher number of psychos compared to an orderly society.
• Environmental factors: – The environment surrounding a person may also determine if a person will become a psycho. Regions affected by wars, political instability, or civil unrest can influence psychopathy.
• Biological or genetic contributors: – The personal disorder is also believed to be hereditary or passed through genes. This explains the reason why some families are known to be full of psychos.

Negative Aspects of the Disorder

Psychopaths will always leave a trail of destruction in their path. This will range from emotional, social, as well as financial. A psychopath will always get into relationships and get out without prior warning. This will not only hurt the immediate person, but also other people close to the victim. For instance, a person having intimate relationship with a psychopath is more likely to suffer a broken heart as compared to a person going out with a normal person. The lack of sympathy or empathy also makes the person feel unaccountable for any wrongdoing. Hence may go ahead and inflict physical pain in the spur of the moment and will never apologize. He may also affect you financially without feeling any remorse.

Dealing with Psychopathy

As nature would have it, these individuals’ needs to coexist with us for the society to function. It is just like wet and dry, day or night, or good and bad. Coping with psychos entails observing an individual for a considerable period of time. This is usually carried out by people close to him. It is not very easy to monitor since just like any other behavior it will keep on changing based on the environment as well as other triggers. Treating this condition is like feeding a lion hoping to turn it into a vegetarian. Helping the victims contain the situations is the best way-out. However, when the mannerism is too severe, detachment is also used to bring back order. Medical psychology is also becoming a popular way of addressing this personal character.

Do Psychopaths Offer Any Benefits?

Don’t laugh…Although psychopathy is generally regarded as a negative mannerism, there are some instances that it may come in handy. Situations that involve a lot of emotions and danger will be better addressed by a psychopath. Take the case of military engagement, a psycho will go out to war and perform his duty with little remorse or fear. An ordinary person may hold back despite the training hence failing in his duty. Due to their lack of fear, psychopaths are better suited to carry out certain tasks that seem too perilous or emotional for an ordinary person.

The term sociopath is always being used alongside or instead of psychopathy. This is due to the close relationship between the personal character and the social order. Although the disorder is personal, it will always have negative impacts on the people around the psychopath. More often than not, he will be contravening the social norms or order hence causing anomie or social disorder. This has been one of the main reasons that have lead to medics and therapists to seeking a solution to the negative impacts that crop up from the behavior portrayed by psychopaths. A positive outcome will ensure there is orderliness in the environment or society.

• Category: Culture