Antisocial Personality Disorder – Long Standing Pattern of Disregard

Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a long standing pattern of disregard or violation for people’s rights, often overstepping the limits and violating those rights, which begins in childhood or as a teen and continues through adulthood. It is the disorder defined in the diagnostic and Statistical Manual – DSM.

Dissocial personality disorder is the name of a concept defined in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problem wherein the diagnosis may include antisocial personality disorder.It is not known why some of the people develop this disorder but both genetics as well as traumatic childhood experiences could be responsible for this disorder.

Some with this antisocial personality disorder may have an antisocial or alcoholic parent and could have grown up with harsh and inconsistent parenting. It is often referred to, as sociopathy or psychopathy though neither of them are recognized professional labels for diagnosis.

Lack Empathy

The person suffering from Antisocial Personality Disorder lacks empathy and tends to be cynical, contemptuous or callous on the feelings, rights and suffering of other people and may have and arrogant self-appraisal which may be excessively self-assured or opinionated.

They may also tend to display superficial charm and be quite voluble and verbally impressive to someone who may not be familiar with the topic.

This disorder is diagnosed when a person’s pattern of antisocial behaviour takes place from 15 years of age which may consist some of the following symptoms: Failure to conform to social norms with regards to lawful behaviour with repeatedly performing acts which would give reasons for arrest.

 Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead, reckless disregard for safety of self and others, deceitfulness by repeatedly lying or conning others for own selfish motives, irritability and aggressiveness by repeated physical fights or assaults, lack of remorse by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt or mistreated consistent irresponsibility by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behaviour or in honouring financial obligations.

Requires Trained Mental Health Professional

Since personality disorders have a long standing and enduring pattern of behaviour, they are often diagnosed in adulthood.

It is often difficult to diagnose them in childhood or adolescence since the child or teen is constantly in the development process, personality changes and maturation and according to the DSM-5, antisocial personality disorder cannot be diagnosed in people below the age of 18 years old.

This disorder is 70 percent more prevalent in males than females andis diagnosed by a trained mental health professional like a psychologist or psychiatrist though family physicians or general practitioners are not generally trained or even well equipped to make a psychological diagnosis.

Treatment – Long term Psychotherapy

Very often people with antisocial personality disorder ignore the symptoms and avoid seeking treatment. They do not seek out treatment until the disorder tends to significantly interfere or create an impact on the person’s life, resulting in stretching the person’s coping resources to reach to its limits ending in stress to self as well as to others.

The diagnosis for antisocial personality disorder is made by a mental health professional while comparing symptoms and life history, making a determination whether the symptoms meet the criteria necessary for a personality disorder diagnosis.

 Treatment for this disorder involves long term psychotherapy with an experienced therapist in treating this kind of personality disorder together with medication to help with specific symptoms.