When the world shut down during the pandemic, there were many mental health issues of students, couples, and individuals that became more known. However, one mental health issue that is not discussed enough is psychopathy. Too often people have a misconception about the definition of a psychopath.
Learn more about psychopathy, the causes behind the disorder, and its most common symptoms. Also, find out which treatment options offer the most help!
Table of Contents
What Is Psychopathy?
One research publication describes this mental health concern as so:
“Psychopathy is a neuropsychiatric disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioral controls, commonly resulting in persistent antisocial deviance and criminal behavior.”
In other words, psychopathy is often defined as someone’s inability to properly produce and manage emotions. This can cause someone to appear apathetic and antisocial towards other people. Because these traits, often lead to bad decisions and behavior.
Many beneficial mental health resources can help you understand more about psychopathy and how it manifests in a person’s life.
What is the Cause of Psychopathy?
Similar to other mental health disorders, many factors can contribute to someone’s diagnosis. Firstly, look at a person’s genetics and childhood. If a person has someone in their family that lives with a serious mental health disorder, they are more likely to develop one as well.
If a child grows up in a home of abuse, neglect, or lack of empathy, this can also lead to psychopathy. Researchers are still studying the cause of psychopathy to see if there is a more straightforward reason behind their behavioral issues.
Signs and Symptoms of Psychopathy
Their actions often focus on stimulation and the thrill of life. This can cause individuals to make poor decisions regarding their well-being.
With the inability to feel remorseful, psychopaths can rarely tell the difference between right and wrong. This will often lead to improper behavior that is not accepted by society. For example, psychopathy may cause someone to impulsively steal.
They may also regularly have a distaste for safety and proper judgment. You may notice this as a person drives with little care for road laws, their passengers, or their own safety. With this, they also show signs of anger regularly throughout their day.
Another sign of psychopathy is a person’s need to manipulate a person or situation. They could easily and frequently lie to their boss about work or their life. This will often get a psychopath into trouble because they do not feel guilty, nor do they recognize that they are in the wrong.
Treatment Options for Psychopathy
According to Psychopathyis, treating psychopathy is a combination of treatment approaches. With therapy, at-home training, and medication, someone can learn how to best manage their psychopathy symptoms.
Therapy
Therapy is one of the best ways to treat psychopathy because it allows the individual the opportunity to learn more bout their mental health disorder while also granting them a space to speak freely about their thoughts. Most people who are not diagnosed with psychopathy may have a hard time understanding a psychopath. Nevertheless, a therapist is well-equipped to listen and guide someone without judgment. With help from a therapist, an individual can learn how to better manage their symptoms and behaviors.
Medication
Medication is also sometimes necessary for treating psychopathy. With medication, there is often a trial and error period where your therapist will help you find the medication that does the best work. Your therapist and doctor will look at your past medications, diagnosis, and environment to determine which medication is right for you. A regular prescription can help you regulate your emotions, such as rage, impulsiveness, and restlessness.
