How to Identify a Sociopath

In our modern world where fear of terrorism runs rampant, people are profiling everyone now as suspicious, abnormal, or deviant in trying to determine if they may need to fear for their lives around them. Terrorists have been around for a long time and they are taking heat of someone more dangerous who may be hiding just behind the walls next door-the sociopath.

Sociopaths, by and large, appear as your regular run-of-the-mill citizen. For the most part they look just like you and I. But what lies beneath the surface is a seriously disturbed individual who may be conducting his or her own brand of personal terrorism on those they live or work with.

The sociopath is more correctly a person suffering from antisocial personality disorder. They are characterized as those who do not respect social, moral, and legal standards. They do not like to play by the rules. Sociopaths have certain goals and traits that have been recognized by H. Cleckley and R. Hare. These are: holding contempt for those who seek to understand them, does not see what is wrong with them, authoritarian, secretive, paranoid, rarely at odds with the police or law, conventional appearance, seek to enslave their victims, love to exercise control over people, justifies their crimes with victim's affirmations, seeks to create a willing victim, incapable of human attachment, unable to feel guilt, and narcissistic.

Knowing about these traits of the sociopath, we can use them to identify just who may be one. Some traits to look for in recognizing the sociopath are:

1. They have a superficial charm. They are smooth and engaging-never shy nor self-conscious.

2. They have a super-inflated view of their own self-worth. They are arrogant.

3. They are prone to boredom and have an excessive need for stimulation.

4. They are pathological liars. They are clever and deceitful in their lies.

5. They are manipulative and will defraud and cheat others for their own benefit.

6. They cannot always control their behavior. They will sometimes slip and express brief moments of annoyance, anger, or abuse.

7. They are sexually promiscuous and seek multiple sexual partners.

8. They have no realistic, long-term goals. They lack direction.

9. They are impulsive and unpredictable.

10. They do not accept responsibility for their actions. There is always an excuse.

By using these simple identifiers, you can now point your finger at half the people you know as sociopaths and ne'er do wells. Beware them all as you never know what they are thinking or will do if you are alone with them. Lock your doors or run if ever faced with someone displaying these traits. Your life may depend on it.