Have you met or know a psychopath/sociopath?

[Scota_Parisi]

Interesting topic. Would have to say yes to that question. And the internet hasn't helped people stay safe either. But, I did find an interesting article on the net.

Really, pay attention the warning signs. The last one kinda caught me when I was at a serious low point, eventually I saw those flags.

http://www.drjoecarver.com/clients/4...ingLosers.html


The part that speaks volumes is here:

"The Loser" may have two distinct reputations - a group of individuals who will give you glowing reports and a group that will warn you that they are serious trouble. If you ask ten people about a new restaurant - five say it's wonderful and five say it's a hog pit - you clearly understand that there's some risk involved in eating there. "The Loser" may actually brag about their reputation as a "butt kicker", "womanizer", "hot temper" or "being crazy". They may tell you stories where other's have called them crazy or suggested that they receive professional help. Pay attention to the reputation. Reputation is the public perception of an individual's behavior. If the reputation has two sides, good and bad, your risk is high. You will be dealing with the bad side once the honeymoon is over in the relationship. With severe behavior problems, "The Loser" will be found to have almost no friends, just acquaintances. Emotionally healthy and moral individuals will not tolerate friendships with losers that treat others so badly. If you find yourself disliking the friends of "The Loser", it's because they operate the same way he or she does and you can see it in them.

[J. Mason]

Oh yeah I know of a few.

[NJFemmie]

Originally Posted by Scota_Parisi

If the reputation has two sides, good and bad, your risk is high. You will be dealing with the bad side once the honeymoon is over in the relationship. With severe behavior problems, "The Loser" will be found to have almost no friends, just acquaintances. Emotionally healthy and moral individuals will not tolerate friendships with losers that treat others so badly. If you find yourself disliking the friends of "The Loser", it's because they operate the same way he or she does and you can see it in them.

One comment I'd like to make here is that it is not always possible to determine what type of relationship this "loser" has with other people right off the bat. Take for instance, the long distance relationship - where not being around this person makes it very easy for them to camouflage.

Most, if not all, "buy" their relationships in one form or another - and to the outside world - that is difficult to see until you are actually in it to see it. Those on the receiving end of this "buying" will claim that this person is "too nice" to be anything other than exemplary. Granted, they have a different investment in knowing this person than "you" (the sincere) would - which makes determining the healthy and moral individuals that surround them another hard call to make. They could be just as bad. "Birds of a feather...." It takes time to get to know them as well - and by then it's usually too late.

[Quintease]

Originally Posted by Scota_Parisi

"The Loser" may have two distinct reputations - a group of individuals who will give you glowing reports and a group that will warn you that they are serious trouble. If you ask ten people about a new restaurant - five say it's wonderful and five say it's a hog pit - you clearly understand that there's some risk involved in eating there. "The Loser" may actually brag about their reputation as a "butt kicker", "womanizer", "hot temper" or "being crazy". They may tell you stories where other's have called them crazy or suggested that they receive professional help. Pay attention to the reputation. Reputation is the public perception of an individual's behavior. If the reputation has two sides, good and bad, your risk is high. You will be dealing with the bad side once the honeymoon is over in the relationship. With severe behavior problems, "The Loser" will be found to have almost no friends, just acquaintances. Emotionally healthy and moral individuals will not tolerate friendships with losers that treat others so badly. If you find yourself disliking the friends of "The Loser", it's because they operate the same way he or she does and you can see it in them.

I nearly choked on my coffee when I read this. Someone actually pointed this out to me when I first started dating my loser, only I ignored it. It did all seem very weird, so weird that I ignored it thinking there must be a perfectly rational explanation for it... which there WAS as it turned out

[Tawse]

You know... I didn't realize until I read this whole thread that I'd been involved with a psychopath...

I figured my closest run in was with the narcissistic mother - but nope. I've been duped by a psychopath as well... *shakes head. Thank god she's in the past.

[Reader]

The thing about most sociopaths, those with personality disorders or character disorders and the like is that they either do not know they are ill, or they know but are excellent liars without a conscience. They lie even to themselves.

As someone dear to me used to say "Crazy people don't know they're crazy. It's up to you to avoid them."

[Dominique]

Every time I see this thread pop up, I think Scott Peterson.

[Reader]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

Every time I see this thread pop up, I think Scott Peterson.

Yeah, and I think of OJ.

[Nat]

Originally Posted by Yellow band

Every time I see this thread pop up, I think Scott Peterson.

Is he a sociopath or a narcissist? Can you be both?

[Reader]

Originally Posted by Nat

Is he a sociopath or a narcissist? Can you be both?

...it sure seems like it, sadly.

[Tawse]

Originally Posted by Hunter Green

The thing about most sociopaths, those with personality disorders or character disorders and the like is that they either do not know they are ill, or they know but are excellent liars without a conscience. They lie even to themselves.

As someone dear to me used to say "Crazy people don't know they're crazy. It's up to you to avoid them."

Couple of things - God I hope you don't include BiPolars in your category of Personality / Character Disorders (don't believe you do, but you never know! lol)


And I would argue every person who lives and breathes is innately skilled at lying to themselves...

[Quintease]

This is a really well written book actually.

<-- picked it up today

[Reader]

Originally Posted by Tawse

Couple of things - God I hope you don't include BiPolars in your category of Personality / Character Disorders (don't believe you do, but you never know! lol)


And I would argue every person who lives and breathes is innately skilled at lying to themselves...

Hi Tawse, no, I do not believe that Bi-Polar is a Personality or Character Disorder. But, I'm not a diagnostic clinician and I don't feel like looking it up. But, I'm fairly sure it isn't.

You are 100% correct that 'every person who lives and breathes is innately skilled at lying to themselves.'

You are correct.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Hunter Green

Hi Tawse, no, I do not believe that Bi-Polar is a Personality or Character Disorder. But, I'm not a diagnostic clinician and I don't feel like looking it up. But, I'm fairly sure it isn't.

You are 100% correct that 'every person who lives and breathes is innately skilled at lying to themselves.'

You are correct.

As someone who has run mental health residential facilities, I can say with 100 percent certainty that bipolar illness is a chemical imbalance in the brain..nothing more nothing less.

[MsTinkerbelly]

Originally Posted by Hunter Green

The thing about most sociopaths, those with personality disorders or character disorders and the like is that they either do not know they are ill, or they know but are excellent liars without a conscience. They lie even to themselves.

As someone dear to me used to say "Crazy people don't know they're crazy. It's up to you to avoid them."

I think that unless this is your field of specialty you should be very careful making generalizations. You are coming across as extremely offensive to someone who struggles daily with BPD, is not without a conscience, and is not a liar. I do see that you say "most"; was that an attempt to to not be called out on this tripe?