You Might Be A Psychopath If…

Hi, my name is Dr. Thomas Nguyen, and I am a board-certified addiction physician. In the next couple of videos I would like to talk about the distinctions between psychopaths and sociopaths. This is a common misunderstanding among the population. I frequently see these individuals in my practice because the prevalence of substance use disorders is high among those who are psychopaths as well as sociopaths.

Firstly, it's important to emphasize that psychopathy and sociopathy are not diagnoses within the DSM-5. Instead, they are collections of certain behaviors, traits, and characteristics that distinctly separate psychopathic individuals from sociopathic ones.

Let's begin by discussing psychopathy. Psychopathy is found in about 1% of the general population. However, in the forensic population (the criminal justice system), it's about 10 to 15%—a bit higher for men and slightly lower for women.

Psychopaths have an inherent genetic manifestation of specific behaviors and traits that characterize psychopathy. There is a strong genetic predisposition. These individuals are born with psychopathic traits and behaviors, and it is extremely difficult for them to change or deviate from these behaviors.

Now, let's explore the factors associated with psychopathy. Factor One Psychopathy involves individuals who display superficial charm, are grandiose, are compulsive liars, are manipulative, lack empathy, and often are callous towards others. The main characteristic of psychopaths is their complete lack of remorse or guilt.

Moving on to Factor Two Psychopathy, which is most commonly associated with the term sociopath, these individuals have a high need for new experiences. They tend to have an inability to maintain focus on any goal, which results in their incapacity to hold a job or complete an education. Consequently, they lead a parasitic existence, living off the means of others. They are highly impulsive and irresponsible when it comes to fulfilling any financial or occupational obligations, often not achieving great success in their endeavors.

In terms of their employment and long-term goals, there is a high association with criminality and a disregard for societal values, norms, and laws. In the forensic population, sociopaths constitute about 80% of prisoners.

I hope this information has been informative for you. Next time, we will discuss more about sociopaths.