Psychopathy is a personality disorder, translated as “suffering soul”, “suffering of the soul” or “disease of the soul”. The typical idea of psychopaths as people without conscience, responsibility, not inclined to empathy - refers only to one type of psychopathy.
A psychopathic personality is a person who has a personality disorder... There are about a dozen of these disorders. What is psychopathy, and who can be called a psychopath?
History and manifestations
Behavior that deviates significantly from the norm was described by the ancient Greeks. Theofast identified 29 types of character. Everywhere there were descriptions of people who, in their makeup, were very different from the idea of \ u200b \ u200bthe "norm."
Koch in 1891 speaks of psychopathic inferiority - a congenital disorder that causes permanent changes in behavior without any intellectual disabilities. It was Koch who first coined the term "psychopath."
Personality disorders are defined by behavior that differs from the social norm. People with this diagnosis may experience difficulties in the cognitive, emotional sphere, establishing contacts, and controlling behavior. in 1933 he publishes the book "Manifestations of Psychopathies", in which he gives a detailed typology of psychopathies or, in the Western manner, personality disorders.
For a specific diagnosis, it is necessary to establish the characterological traits of behavior. And general personality disorder is diagnosed according to the following criteria:
- Disharmony of reactions and behavior (excessive emotionality, excitability, etc.).
- Abnormal behavior is not only observed during an exacerbation of mental illness or in stressful circumstances.
- Abnormal patterns of behavior inherent in a person are manifested in all areas of his life.
- Behavioral deviations were observed already in childhood or adolescence.
- Conduct disorder leads to a drop in the quality of life.
Prerequisites
The psychopathic syndrome can manifest itself both in aggressive behavior, impulsivity, insensibility, and in extreme passivity, irresponsibility, dependence. It is not known exactly what causes the psychopathic personality type to form.
For example, in a study of 793 families, children who were yelled at, threatened to quit, said they were not liked, and were three times more likely to have paranoid personality disorder in adulthood. The relationship between assault and the development of antisocial and impulsive behavior was revealed.
Three types of psychopathies can be distinguished for the following reasons:
- Constitutional psychopathy (genetic factors).
- Organic psychopathy (early cerebral-organic failure).
- Regional psychopathies (unfavorable conditions of development).
What are people
1. Asthenic. In ICD-10 - F60.7 - Dependent personality disorder. This type of psychopathy is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Passive behavior, waiting for decisions on all life issues from other people.
- Fear of loneliness.
- Feeling of lack of opportunities to solve the problem on their own.
- Passive behavior, complete submission to other people's desires.
- Unwillingness to take responsibility for anything.
Asthenic psychopathy, as a rule, is associated with the inability to endure stress, both emotional and intellectual. Asthenics often feel tired and powerless, although there is no reason for this.
2. Anxious and suspicious type. ICD-10 - F60.6 - Anxiety disorder. Main features:
- Discomfort from anticipating troubles.
- Pessimism.
- Constant worry.
- Feelings of inadequacy.
- Striving to be pleasant to other people.
- Overreactions to refusals, criticism.
People of this type are closed until they know the person well, they are afraid of condemnation and criticism. Because of this, they have a rather narrow circle of attachments. They prefer to confine their lives to a framework to gain a sense of security.
3. Psychasthenic. According to ICD-10 - F60.5 - anankastic disorder. Psychasthenic psychopathy is associated with the following traits:
- Self-doubt.
- Closedness.
- Excessive attention to detail.
- Willfulness.
- Uncompromising.
- Caution.
- Persistent thoughts and actions.
Psychasthenics are distinguished by excessive indecision, fears, constant doubts, a desire for support in everything, it is difficult for them to start something, they are afraid of it. They anticipate failures on any occasion, want to foresee everything, subject others to their own rules, are very scrupulous. Impatient and categorical when a decision is made.
4. Schizoid. According to ICD-10 - F60.1 - schizoid disorder. It is characterized by the following features:
- Weakness of attachments.
- Rare contacts, emotional coldness.
- Addiction to fantasy.
- Limited expression of feelings.
Schizoid psychopathy, as a rule, is associated with difficulties in understanding the norms, rules of society and other people, in this regard, schizoids often commit eccentric acts. They live in their own world, separated from others, even closed.
They have unusual interests, are passionate about them, therefore they often succeed in areas related to their special interests. Outwardly cold, but within them passions are raging.
5. Unstable. According to ICD-10 - F60.2 - dissocial or psychopathic disorder. The characteristic features are:
- Absence .
- Ignoring social rules.
- Corrective work often has no effect.
- A sharp reaction to failure.
- They get annoyed easily.
This is the type of classic psychopaths. Psychopaths make up about 1% of the population, but in prisons they make up 15 to 35%. Each of us may from time to time show traits characteristic of a psychopath. On average, a criminal has 5 times more pronounced psychopathic traits than a person who has not committed crimes.
6. Hysterical. According to ICD-10 - F60.4 - hysterical disorder. Hysterical psychopathy is characterized by the following features:
- Dramatization.
- Demonstration of vivid emotions.
- Excitability.
- Suggestibility.
- Self-indulgence.
- Greed for attention, desire for admiration.
7. Explosive and epileptoid psychopathy. Another name is excitable psychopathy. According to ICD-10 - F60.3 - emotionally unstable disorder.
- Impulsiveness.
- Unpredictability and capriciousness.
- Weak control.
- Grumpiness and conflict.
Explosive psychopaths are very easily irritated, provoke people around them to conflict, while not paying attention to the circumstances. They keep relatives at bay, they can use physical force. Concentrate easily, but not for long.
In epileptoids, self-harm is often observed, which brings pleasure. Pedantry, excessive accuracy and commitment can lead to cruelty towards others if they deviate from the rules of the epileptoid. Epileptoids are characterized by sweetness, flattery, and imperiousness.
8. Paranoid. According to ICD-10 - F60.0 - paranoid disorder. Specific traits:
- Overly sensitive to failure.
- Are vindictive.
- Interpreting the actions of others in a negative, hostile way.
- Heightened self-esteem.
Paranoid psychopathy leads a person to confidence in their worth, in their superiority. What he is doing or what he has done before, seems to him especially important and should be so in the eyes of others. When they are not recognized, people of the paranoid type begin to see enemies around them and try to take revenge.
9. Mosaic (or undifferentiated). Mosaic psychopathy is characterized by the manifestation of various traits from the disorders already described. The diagnosis is made when it becomes difficult to identify the leading features.
Prevalence
Psychopathies, as well as, in fact, are characterized by a greater severity of some personality traits in comparison with others. Although accentuations are very similar to the types of psychopathies, according to Gannushkin, psychopathies have mandatory signs that are absent in accentuations:
- Totality.
- Stability.
- Social maladjustment.
The prevalence of personality disorders is estimated to be between 6% and 10%. It makes no sense to talk about personality disorder in general, since the majority has deviations from the "norm", the severity of the symptoms is another matter.
Psychopathy in children is not diagnosed because many of the behaviors associated with personality disorders are normal for a particular age. On the other hand, problem behavior often leads to the formation of a disorder in the future. Author: Ekaterina Volkova
A psychopath is an individual characterized by an antisocial model of behavior, an inability to empathize and remorse in harming others, self-centeredness, deceit, and lack of depth of emotional reactions. Such an individual does not feel guilty about his own behavior. In addition, psychopathic personalities are incapable of establishing adequate relationships with other human subjects. Subjects psychopaths do not respond well to corrective action, but sometimes their state of "inadequacy" improves somewhat as they get older.
Characteristics and signs of a psychopath
Explicit antisocial personality disorder that forms serious barriers to adjustment in society. Often, such a character deviation is not acquired and finally it is fixed at the pubertal stage, after which it does not persist throughout life.
The described disorder often begins to develop in the pre-pubertal period. Its first manifestations include heartlessness, scarcity of emotions.
According to research, one to two in 100 human subjects are psychopaths. Along with this, in the criminal environment, their prevalence reaches 15-25 criminals per 100. In addition, approximately 10% of the adult population, not being clinical psychopaths, exhibit psychopathic traits, harming the surrounding individuals.
The origin of the psychopath, in addition to social conditioning, is also characterized by a connection with neurobiological dysfunction, due to which the individual suffering from the disorder under consideration lacks the ability to deeply experience emotions (attachment, joy). However, despite this, such a subject may appear "charming" due to the expressed ability to plausibly mimic emotions.
There is a theory of "happy" psychopathy, which claims that there is a category of subclinical psychopaths that formally abide by the law. Such individuals reach professional heights due to the presence of psychopathic character traits, which are mistaken by others for leadership traits. However, in the long term, this often harms the team. 
The results of large-scale studies conducted in the previous century in the states, psychopathic traits were found in 1% of feminines and 5% of the strong half. The prevalence of men among psychopathic personalities is also evidenced by data from studies of behavioral criminals. At the same time, an excellent hypothesis is also widespread among scientists: the scope of female psychopathy is underestimated. It's just that beautiful feminines have a different manifestation of psychopathic traits, for example, they are often less pronounced and are found in psychological violence, not physical.
Not all psychopathic personalities are predisposed to coercion, pressure, violence, but all the same, such subjects are dangerous for society, especially individuals with a criminal past behind them. Their deeds are destructive, more in relation to human nature. The psychopathic personality shows exaggerated demands on the surrounding society. Such individuals are characterized by conflict, falling into a rage for no apparent reason and are often capable of murder.
Psychopaths can be thought of as social predators. This is expressed:
- in the absence of empathy (they feel the pain of other individuals, but do not reciprocate);
- in attempts to manipulate the social environment (they are professional manipulators, nosy and cunning);
- in laziness;
Often many people confuse psychopaths with sociopaths, because these terms mean dissocial personality disorders, and they also have similar manifestations, such as:
- irresponsibility and deceit;
- manipulation of people, their feelings;
- lack of empathy and remorse;
- ignoring the safety of others;
- disregard for social foundations and laws.
The difference between the two deviations under consideration is the complete absence of pangs of conscience in psychopathic individuals, while maintaining the ability to plan. Sociopathic personalities are no longer restrained, impulsive, and therefore cannot "get stuck" in one role for a long time.
Psychopaths are often sociable, charming or calculating, but they are more prone to aggressive reactions, they are characterized by insolence, they often fall into a rage, and they are also more inhuman and can experience much more emotional outbursts.
Psychopaths often have no emotional experience at all. They do not understand why the people around them are upset, happy, or feel a whole palette of emotions. Psychopathic individuals often have a good education and a permanent place of work. They may develop family ties or enter into romantic relationships. At the same time, the environment will not even suspect that their “neighbor” has psychopathic inclinations. In individuals living, so to speak, a "normal" life, the symptomatology of a psychopath can be rather vague and most noticeable only among the immediate environment.
If a psychopath decides to commit an atrocity, then carefully thinks over all the details of the process. He will carefully think over and plan everything in advance. He will carry out his plans calmly and slowly. If a psychopath becomes a criminal, then all his offenses are organized "qualitatively". That is why, due to calmness, pedantry and innate charm, excellent swindlers are obtained from the described category of persons.
While psychopaths are neat, pedantic, and more particular-oriented, sociopathic personalities are characterized by carelessness and inconsistency. They often do not think at all about the results and reactions to them.
Usually sociopaths tend to often change the place of work, they do not have special knowledge and education, it is easier to find them among the marginal layers of society. A sociopathic person can decide in a second to rob a bank and commit robbery without any plan.
How to recognize a psychopath?
Psychopathic disorder is considered a rather complex personality disorder, as psychopaths often appear “normal”, even charmingb. Because of the mystery and complexity of psychopathy, it is often difficult to recognize a psychopath.
However, there is still a universal set of behavioral patterns exhibited by psychopaths. A psychopathic personality is, first of all, characterized by a lack of impulse control, which, together with any semblance of manifestation of emotional consciousness, leads to acts of hostility. Psychopaths may not always physically harm someone, but they are almost always verbally abusive and emotional.
Psychopaths are in a relentless search for thrills. They choose actions that stimulate their insatiable appetite for danger. And they do not care whether such acts will harm their own person or other individuals. They also care little about the legality of their actions. The described category of persons is prone to. They are skillful "jugglers" of human emotions, actions, deeds. They are also experienced deceivers. Often they manipulate individuals or deceive them solely for the purpose of somehow having fun.
Basically, most psychopaths suffer too much. This category of persons considers themselves to be much wiser and more influential than they really are. They like to “snuggle up” to successful individuals, to people in power, as this increases their personal status. They are convinced that they deserve better treatment than other human subjects. Their overwhelming sense of personal importance often leads to a crack in the "mask of normality." When psychopaths feel that people are not giving their "important" status, the status of proper attention, they tend to deliberately hurt.
Psychopathic personalities are impulsive and irresponsible. Both of these qualities are indicative of the disorder in question. Individuals psychopaths in their own behavior, as well as in the way of existence, do not notice anything worthy of blame. They are characterized by a pronounced desire to avoid responsibility for their own decisions or for the consequences of decisions made.
The considered category of persons is, therefore, their actions are conditioned by whims, current mood, desires. They can deceive, steal, offend only because they want so much at the moment. Their intimate relationships are often characterized by variability and constant change of partners.
Psychopaths have a lack of personal ethics. As a rule, they do not adhere to solid moral standards. They only act in the way that is beneficial to them at a particular moment. They are of little interest in the fact that others may suffer from their actions.
In addition to the listed signs, a psychopath is characterized by:
- rancor;
- short sleep;
- lack of gratitude;
- inconsistency;
- a lot of unfinished business;
- in case of minor conflicts, accusing the enemy of vices and lies;
- lack of long-term love relationships;
- extreme hobbies;
- groundless jealousy;
- sexual perversion;
- thinking outside the box.
In the sons of Adam, the violation in question manifests itself in the form of a well-thought-out strategy of behavior in society, masking of real facts, success in the professional field, and high activity.
In feminines, this disorder is found in emotional imbalance and incontinence, depressive moods. They are characterized by soullessness and ignorance of the feelings of loved ones. Since female psychopaths are dominated by cold calculation based on personal aspirations, over other emotions, there is no understanding and feeling of love, developed, they are of interest to many men.
Classification of psychopathic personalities
The ailment in question is ranked among the borderline states of the psyche. They occupy a position between character accentuations and progressive mental disorders.
Various aspects and approaches can be used to classify psychopaths. Allocate constitutional or nuclear psychopathies, which combine types of disorders caused by hereditary pathology, and marginal psychopathies, caused primarily by improper upbringing.
In the post-Soviet space, the most popular was the classification proposed by P. Gannushkin in 33 years of the previous century.
The constitutionally stupid variety of psychopaths is manifested by limitation, mental deficiency. They study well. This is the difference from oligophrenia. However, after entering the "adult" life, they have difficulties due to the need to use the acquired knowledge base in practice and take the initiative.
How to erase a psychopathic man from your life
Today, psychopathic traits are not uncommon in the sons of Adam. When the symptoms of the disorder in question manifest themselves in family relationships, then the psychopath's wife is not to be envied.
In a relationship, a psychopathic man is often a despot. For him, the norm is to play with the feelings of a partner. It is quite difficult to erase such men from your own life. After all, they always eloquently and repentantly pray for forgiveness, looking sincerely in the eyes, like a skillful actor, or threaten. A gaze at a frightened spouse is a real pleasure for them. You need to understand that in such tense moments one should not shed tears of resentment, make excuses or insult a husband. 
The most sane solution is to end your relationship with your home psychopath. Since the considered category of men achieves what they want only when they emotionally destroy their victim. Therefore, you need to learn how to behave competently with a psychopathic man:
- with any psychological attacks from the faithful, it is necessary to distance ourselves from him, for example, to do something important;
- when breaking up a relationship, you need to be careful, because an unexpected breakup often provokes an outbreak of rage, aggressiveness, because in a relationship a psychopathic man is often prone to violence. Therefore, the ideal option for a break is to report this remotely, via telephone or using the capabilities of the world wide web;
- no need to blame yourself, since this is not only a break in relationships, but also the salvation of your own person and loved ones from real danger;
- the plan for breaking the relationship with the abuser spouse must be kept secret from him, since he will perform all sorts of actions in order to prevent this from happening.
How to recognize a psychopathic woman
The manifestations of the analyzed disorder in the sons of Adam are clearly noticeable. These are threats, aggressiveness, physical violence. Psychopathic women act more subtly, mainly through psychological abuse.
The symptoms of this disorder in feminines are determined by differences in the behavioral model, due to emotional experiences and an unusual idea of society and their own place in it. The main difference between female psychopaths is immersion in their own reality and personal experiences. They are often characterized by inappropriate actions and emotional assessment of events. 
Also, the violation in question in the weak half manifests itself in an asthenic, unstable and excitable type. Feminine psychopathic symptoms determine their behavioral manifestations.
Asthenic women are characterized by weakness, defenselessness. Everything is constantly falling out of their hands, as a result of which they are unsuitable for work. They are easily fatigued from both mental work and physical exertion. The considered category of femins is subject to someone else's influence, they do not have their own opinion. They are often made objects of manipulation.
Excitable psychopath is the opposite of the previous type. Such women are stubborn and uncompromising, scandalous. They can argue endlessly, defending their opinions. At the same time, this category of the weak half is considered good workers, since they are not devoid of creativity and responsibility.
An unstable type is characterized by the desire for adventures, various kinds of adventures, a beautiful life, unusual deeds, shocking. Women of this type prefer men, the connection with whom will be saturated with vivid emotions will be an adventure. At the same time, long-term relationships are not included in their plans. 
Psychopathy is a pronounced antisocial personality disorder that creates serious obstacles to adaptation in society. Usually such an anomaly of character is congenital, but it finally becomes fixed in adolescence, after which it does not change throughout life.
Once confronted with a psychotic disorder, you will never again confuse it with other mental illnesses.
Who are psychopaths?
An example of a psychopathic personality. A still from the movie A Clockwork Orange.
Many psychopaths are by no means ruthless criminals. On the contrary, they can often be successful businessmen, responsible leaders, excellent specialists in their field. Men with psychopathy are famous for their very high intelligence, they are excellent able to make money, are distinguished by excellent manners, which often creates the illusion of normality. Psychopathic women are bright and artistic personalities, enjoying great success with men.
The problem with psychopaths is their absolute lack of higher moral feelings. The psychopath does not know what conscience, shame, or compassion are. He cannot feel a feeling of love, sympathy, affection. Sadly, for psychopaths, there are no such concepts as honesty and remorse.
Psychotic disorders
Psychopathy or psychotic disorder is a personality anomaly (congenital or arising in early childhood), a pathology of character, a defect in higher nervous activity, leading to mental disability. The name of the disease comes from two Greek words: soul and suffering. It is psychopaths who can be called "mentally ill" in the truest sense of the word.
There are no signs of organic brain damage in psychopathies, this indirectly confirms the high development of the intellect of the patient with this disorder. VND anomalies usually manifest themselves in a pronounced imbalance of nervous processes (inhibition and excitation), in their particular mobility, the predominance of any signaling system, or inadequate regulation of the subcortex. The combination of these anomalies in different combinations determines the form of psychopathy.
The behavior of a psychopathic personality is very variable, it changes depending on the form of the disorder. Any psychopathy develops when biologically congenital or acquired in early childhood insufficiency of the nervous system reacts with unfavorable external conditions. The characterological feature of a person diagnosed with psychopathy is the dissonance of the emotional and volitional spheres with intellectual preservation. The psychopathic features of such a person greatly complicate its adaptation in society, and in acute psychotrauma lead to asocial behavior.
Psychopathy is a reversible personality defect. If a psychopath is created favorable conditions for life, then their mental anomalies will be significantly smoothed out. But it must be borne in mind that such people always walk on the brink of normal behavior. In all problem situations, psychopaths necessarily break down, which is a manifestation of behavioral maladjustment. The psychopath is distinguished by an immature psyche, infantilism, suggestibility, a great tendency to exaggeration, and suspiciousness. In addition, psychopaths occupy almost the main place among people prone to violence and crime.
Even if psychopathy is inherent in a completely decent citizen, his tendency to strange and unusual behavior, as well as to sudden unreasonable changes in mood, will always be an integral feature of such a personality. The presence of psychopathy always leaves an imprint on a lifetime.
Causes
A combination of various factors is involved in the emergence of different types of psychopathies, but one of them is always decisive.
Sometimes the leading factor in the onset of psychopathy is innate constitutional features, and sometimes - the psychogenic interaction of society and the environment.
There are three groups of psychopathies according to their leading factors:
- Nuclear or constitutional psychopathy. The main cause of the disease is heredity or constitution (ie biological factors), but situational factors are also significant (eg familial dysfunctions);
- Organic psychopathy. The cause of such psychopathies is mild organic deficiency (MMD) acquired in childhood. External situational factors play a more significant role, the less pronounced the organic anomaly itself. This psychopathy is often called mosaic.
- Regional psychopathy. The role of biological factors is minimal, and the formation of the disorder depends on psychogenic and situational factors.
Symptoms
Psychopathy, regardless of its type, always has common symptoms. This disorder must meet the following criteria:
The diagnosis is made in the presence of three of the above characterological signs.
There are five major types of psychopathies: asthenic, schizoid, hysterical, paranoid and excitable psychopathy. Each of the types of psychopathy has its own symptoms:
Features of the disease
The peculiarity of psychopathy is that its symptoms are manifested in men much more often than in women. But psychopathic disorders in modern children are conditions much more common than people think (the primary signs of the disorder can be noticeable as early as three years of age).
Male psychopaths
An example of a psychopathic personality. A still from the film "The Shining".
What are the most common manifestations of psychopathy in men? Regarding such men, we can say that they are all pretenders and hypocrites. They just portray their feelings, and do not experience in reality. Such men always have a pronounced craving for manipulating people around them. These are cold and immoral people, so there is emotional discord in the personal lives of psychopathic men. Close people, as well as employees, they constantly cause only anxiety and suffering.
Women who are in personal relationships with them especially suffer from these men. As a rule, love relationships with psychopaths lead to severe trauma. A distinctive feature of these men is the constant abuse of trust and humiliation of women, numerous senseless betrayals. Among male psychopaths, there are a lot of bright personalities who have problems with the law. A close relationship with a psychopath puts a woman at risk of sexual and physical abuse.
Psychopathic women
How does psychopathic disorder manifest in women? The features of the manifestations of psychotic disorder in women have been studied less than in men. This is due to the fact that psychopathy is much less common in women. Researchers of female psychopathy argue that the behavior of typical psychopaths has its own characteristics. Thus, female psychopaths are still not as aggressive and violent compared to male psychopaths. In addition, psychopathic women are much less likely than men to commit crimes while in a state of passion.
Psychopathy in women is usually accompanied by kleptomania, alcoholism, dependence on other psychoactive substances, a tendency to vagrancy and sexual promiscuity. Symptoms of antisocial behavior in women with psychopathy are found already at the age of eleven. However, if you do not pay attention to excessive sexual activity, then psychopaths almost do not differ in their characteristics and behavior from men with psychopathy.
Children with psychotic disorders
The first signs of childhood psychopathy may appear as early as 2-3 years, but more often this occurs in adolescents. A psychotic disorder in a young child can be expressed in his inability to sympathize and compassion, in the absence of remorse for unacceptable behavior, but cruelty towards other children, as well as animals, is a particularly clear sign.
Having matured, such children “do not fit” into the standards and norms of society. They like to constantly commit antisocial acts, take drugs or alcohol, break the law (steal, bully). Psychotic disorder in adolescents usually leads to registration in the children's room of the police, since their parents are extremely reluctant to go to doctors.
The main signs of a child with psychopathic traits:
- regular fights, theft or damage to other people's things;
- violation of parental prohibitions, for example, running away from home;
- there is no feeling of guilt for negative actions;
- indifference to the feelings of others;
- indifference about school performance;
- shows vivid emotions when he wants to scare or subjugate the will;
- refuses to take responsibility;
- lack of fear, conscious desire to take risks;
- lack of response to the threat of punishment;
- values personal pleasure most of all.
Psychopathy is often disguised as a “difficult temperament”. A person with psychopathy seeks to manipulate other people, completely disregards their interests. A psychopath does not care about other people's feelings, he absolutely does not repent after his actions, even the most impartial. People with psychotic disorders never draw conclusions from their behavior when problems arise, do not try to change it. Their behavior is very impulsive and deceitful, they ignore any danger, are prone to cruel treatment of people and animals.
Psychopathies are painful personality changes, with disturbances in the emotional sphere, volitional disorders, pathological experiences and bouts of inappropriate behavior. People suffering from these types of impairments can retain intellectual abilities, but they often lose them. The development of psychopathies gradually leads to the fact that patients develop inappropriate behavior in society, the ability to normal social adaptation is lost. Psychopathic manifestations are especially difficult if painful changes begin in childhood.
The representative of the German school of psychiatry K. Schneider argued that the personality of a psychopath exposes himself and the people around him to suffering. Psychopathic manifestations can change dynamically with age and development. Especially clinical symptoms increase in adolescence and in the elderly.
Table of contents:Causes of psychopathies
Note:the provoking factors for the development of pathological changes can be severe diseases of internal organs, severe stressful situations. According to official data, up to 5% of the population suffers from psychopathies.
Despite the prevalence of this pathology, its causal factors have not been adequately studied. Scientists disagree on some issues of classification and on the mechanisms of development of painful changes.
A separate large group of causes of psychopathies includes brain lesions that are caused by:
- environmental pollution;
- severe infectious diseases;
- traumatic head injuries;
- poisoning;
- elevated.
The listed groups of harmful effects lead to painful changes in the brain, nervous system, and as a result, severe changes in the psyche occur.
Also in the development of pathology, social factors are of great importance: the atmosphere in the family, school, work collectives, etc. These conditions especially play a role in childhood.
The hereditary nature of the transmission of psychopathies is of no small importance.
Basic classifications of psychopathies
The problem of psychopathies has been of interest to many world-class scientists. This has led to the creation of many classifications. We will look at the most common, most commonly used in clinical medicine.
The main groups (O. V. Kebrikov) are:
- nuclear psychopathies(depending on the constitutional type of person, in which the main role is assigned to heredity);
- marginal psychopathies(arising from biological and social problems);
- organic psychopathies(caused by organic brain lesions, and manifested at the stage of personality development, at the age of 6-10 years).
An additional role in the development of psychopathic traits is played by:
- separation of a child from parents, family;
- overprotective, developing morbid conceit;
- lack or complete lack of attention to their children;
- “Cinderella” syndrome - pushing the adopted child into the background, or the formation of a complex in children due to parental increased attention paid to one child at the expense of others;
- the phenomenon of an “idol” is a painful perception of caring for other children by a child - the “favorite” of the family society.
Note:existing psychopathic character traits can clearly manifest themselves with defects in upbringing and give painful emotional reactions and pathological behavior.
The main medical classification of psychopathies divides the disease according to the leading psychopathological syndrome.
In practical medicine, psychopathies are distinguished:
- asthenic;
- psychasthenic;
- schizoid "
- hysterical;
- epileptoid;
- paranoid;
- excitable;
- affective;
- heboid;
- with sexual dysfunctions and perversions
Symptoms of the main clinical forms of psychopathies
The main manifestations of psychopathies depend on the developing type of the disease
Symptoms of asthenic psychopathy
This form is characteristic of people of a weak psychophysical type, prone to increased vulnerability, hypersensitivity, quickly depleted with strong nervous and physical stress. They are characterized by excessive anxiety (fearfulness), faint-hearted actions, frequent indecision, if necessary, to take responsibility for themselves.
Deep and long-term experiences lead to a permanently depressed mood. Over time, an excessive tendency to take care of their health appears, they develop. 
An asthenic psychopath is constantly tired, well-being for him is an extreme rarity. Excessive pedantry, acrimony prevail in character traits, there is a certain life algorithm, which is very difficult for the patient to go beyond.
This form is also characteristic of the weak type of the nervous system. The main feature of patients is the predominance of the second signaling system. Inherent in people of the mental type. The behavior of these psychopaths is dominated by corrosiveness and excessive analysis of events and actions, especially their own. The patient is concerned about abstract, unimportant questions. For example, the color of the shirt you need to wear. Arguments about whether it is right now to go in these clothes can lead a person to a dead end, and he will not go to the place he needs at all. Among the main symptoms of psychosthenic psychopathy are painful doubts ("mental chewing gum") that arise for any, the most insignificant reason. Psychasthenics are characterized by pettiness and pedantry, which to an extreme extent reach the level of obsessive states.
Psychasthenics are constantly engaged in self-checking. Obsessive thoughts distract patients from real life. Insufficiency of the first signaling system makes patients emotionally constricted, "flat" and indifferent.
Patients with this form of the disease look withdrawn, shun people and communication, are prone to self-immersion (pronounced introverts) . The thoughts and ideas of the patients are poorly understood by those around them, they are very peculiar. Appearance, hobbies are unusual. There is a separation from the interests of the outside world.
Such people are said to be “out of this world”, eccentric and indifferent to themselves and those around them. They often have developed intellectual abilities. . According to the classification of I.V. Shakhmatova is distinguished by: sthenic a type of schizoid psychopathy (with symptoms of withdrawal, emotional dullness, rigidity and coldness) and asthenic type (noticeable isolation, accompanied by daydreaming, anxiety and combined with strange hobbies - "freaks").
Human typology with a predominance of the first signaling system. It is characteristic of the artistic type of nervous activity. Vivid emotions come to the fore in the life of this category of patients. , who are prone to rapid polar changes . This leads to mood swings, erratic behavior.
Patients suffering from this form are very proud, self-centered, with a characteristic feature of being constantly in the spotlight (demonstrative behavior). These patients are inherent in inventing stories, a tendency to fantasize and embellish the facts, sometimes they “lie” so much that they themselves begin to believe in their writings. Symptoms often develop in this form of psychopathy. .
People suffering from this type of mental disorder have viscous thinking, fixation on details, and extreme pedantry. Their thinking is stiff, it "sways" hard. Among the main symptoms are pettiness, scrupulousness and excessive prudence. .
In behavior, there are abrupt changes in attitudes towards people: from sugary obsequiousness to outbursts of anger and intransigence. One of the features of the type is the inability and unwillingness to forgive. Epileptoid psychopaths can hide anger and resentment all their lives, and, at the slightest opportunity, resort to revenge. Outbursts of anger are strong and lasting. Patients with this form of the disease often exhibit sadistic tendencies.
Patients of this group are prone to one-sided and looped thinking, are prone to the formation of overvalued ideas that can completely take over their volitional and emotional sphere. The most common manifestation of this morbid quality is suspicion.
A paranoid psychopath can find in each of his acquaintances the traits of an intruder watching him. Often, the patients around them attribute envy towards themselves. It seems to the patient that everyone wants to harm him, even the doctors. Painful symptoms of paranoid psychopathy often manifest themselves in ideas of jealousy, fanatical reflections, and constant complaints. It is quite natural that this category of psychopaths have conflicting relationships with other people.
This group of patients is more prone to uncontrolled outbursts of anger, inappropriate actions, attacks of unmotivated and expressed aggression more than others. Psychopaths are too demanding of other people, too touchy and selfish. They are of little interest in the opinion of outsiders.
At the same time, patients with excitable psychopathy may show symptoms of depressive states, despair. The most often excitable type is inherent in alcoholics, drug addicts, socially pathological individuals (thieves, bandits). Among them, the largest percentage of offenders and persons who are examined by forensic medical examinations.
A mental disorder of this type proceeds in the form hyperthymia- a condition in which patients are characterized by a constantly elevated mood with a feeling of carelessness and activity. This type of patients is inclined to take on everything in a row, but not one of them is able to complete it. Lightheadedness, increased talkativeness, importunity and leadership tendencies are observed. Affective psychopaths quickly find a common language with everyone and no less quickly get bored with their "stickiness". They have a tendency to get into difficult, conflict situations.
The second type of disorder is hypothymia, is the opposite of hyperthymia. Patients diagnosed with affective psychopathy are depressed. They tend to see negative sides in everything, express dissatisfaction with themselves and others, they often have hypochondriac symptoms, extreme degrees of pessimism are observed. They are withdrawn and feel a sense of their own guilt in front of everyone, they consider themselves guilty in everything that happens. At the same time, resentment is expressed in hypothymics. Any word can deeply hurt the patient.
The type of this pathological process contains deviations in the sphere of the concepts of duty, honor, conscience. Patients of a cruel disposition, ruthless and selfish, with an atrophied notion of shame. General human norms do not exist for them. This type of psychopathy is always severe. Heboid psychopaths are characterized by sadism and indifference to the suffering of others.
Symptoms of psychopathies with sexual perversion and disorders
The clinic of these disorders occurs in combination with other types of psychopathies. Sexual perversion includes pedophilia, sado-masochism, bestiality, transvestism, and transsexualism. The forms of these deviations are constantly reviewed by specialists in order to determine the line between the symptoms of the disease and the option of behavior within the framework of the mental norm.
Psychopathies are cyclical. Periods of improvement are replaced by exacerbations of the painful process. Psychopathies must be distinguished from personality accentuations (extreme degrees of character manifestation).
Note:accentuations are not a pathology, although their manifestations may resemble psychopathies. Only a qualified psychiatrist can distinguish psychopathy from accentuation.
Treatment of psychopathies
Therapy for psychopathy begins with eliminating the cause that triggered the development of clinical manifestations (infectious diseases, trauma, stress, diseases of internal organs, etc.)
Medical treatment includes:
- fortifying agents: vitamins, antioxidants, immunomodulators;
- sedatives (sedatives for mild forms of pathology);
- tranquilizers (to stabilize the emotional background with constant overexcitation);
- antipsychotics (with affective forms);
- antidepressants (in cases of depressive conditions);
- hypnotics (to stabilize with excitable forms of the disease);
- symptomatic (with problems with the heart, liver, kidneys).
Treatment of psychopathy must necessarily be accompanied by psychotherapy (hypnosis, waking suggestion, rational psychotherapy). Acupuncture, physiotherapy procedures, especially electrosleep, are widely used. 
Prevention of psychopathy
Prevention of this group of diseases is possible only with large-scale measures at the state level, including the solution of socio-economic issues, early detection of abnormal types of behavior in children and the creation of favorable conditions for their development, with gradual adaptation in society.
The task of medicine is to effectively treat somatic diseases.
Educational institutions should instill in children a healthy lifestyle, raise the cultural and educational level.
You will receive more detailed information on the course of psychopathies, methods of their diagnosis and treatment by watching this video review:
Lotin Alexander, medical columnist
When meeting with an unusual, unpleasant or frighteningly strange person, people are surprised or indignant, explaining the behavior of the interlocutor by poor upbringing, bad character, or the whims of an egoist. The impressions from such meetings will be so different that it is impossible to assume something in common in the manifestations of the characters of completely different people. And yet there is a unifying principle for these situations. His name is psychopathy. Talking to someone with this personality disorder is not always unpleasant. Sometimes such people even cause admiration and genuine interest. But a calm and balanced life next to such an individual cannot be called. It is always existence "on the brink". And on the verge of what - depends on the type of psychopathic disorder inherent in a particular problem person.
Biological and social causes of psychopathy
So what is psychopathy? Disease? Caprice? Bad temper or consequences of poor parenting and environmental influences? There is some truth in all assumptions. But about this kind of "illness of the soul" (this is how the term is translated from the Greek language), there is still controversy. There is still no consensus about the causes of this condition and its varieties. Even the term "psychopathy" itself is not entirely unambiguous, which is not very good for trying to give a precise definition of the phenomenon. This expression is often used to denote various mental illnesses. But other sources define psychopathy as a dissocial personality disorder.
Psychopathy can be attributed to the so-called borderline states. It can also be a characterological deviation that interferes with the normal functioning of a person in society, makes a person's behavior sometimes "strange" and sometimes simply unacceptable. But close to this "border" are progressive mental illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease. Although there are no signs of organic brain damage in psychopaths. They are often extremely intelligent.
Maybe it's just the consequences of the negative influence of external circumstances? Or was it an irresponsible and short-sighted upbringing that made a person so? One can partly agree with such statements. An important factor for the development of psychopathy is indeed the negative (psychogenic) influence of the environment in which the individual has developed and is. In addition, there are no irreversible personality defects in people with psychopathy. If the surrounding conditions change to more favorable ones, their mental anomalies are smoothed out.
But there are certain characteristics of the body that make it possible for the development of psychopathy.
There are three reasons for the occurrence of such a pathological condition:
- In the presence of hereditary characteristics (biological factor), the appearance of nuclear or constitutional psychopathy can be assumed.
- Acquired organic deficiency can cause a condition called organic psychopathy (mosaic psychopathy). Life circumstances still play a significant role in this case.
- In the case when biological factors play a very small role in the formation of personality disorder, we can say that there is a regional psychopathy. The onset of psychopathy depends on the characteristics of the general life situation and psychogenic factors.
Is it possible to raise a psychopath
Every 100th child has psychopathy
Signs can be observed in young children that herald the possibility of diagnosing psychopathy:
- Frequent quarrels and fights;
- Theft or damage to things that belong to other people;
- Striving for constant "violation of prohibitions", sometimes running away from home;
- Lack of guilt;
- An indifferent attitude to the feelings and suffering of people;
- Effective demonstration of emotions for the purpose of manipulation;
- Irresponsibility;
- Pathological risk taking;
- Indifference to punishments;
- Extremely active pursuit of pleasure.
It will be difficult for such a child, and subsequently an adult, to adapt in society. And here a lot depends on the upbringing and the conditions surrounding the person. If the circumstances of life injure the growing person, this can lead to antisocial behavior of the person in the future.
A characteristic feature of psychopathy is the imbalance of the emotional and volitional spheres with complete intellectual preservation. If favorable living conditions are created for a person with a similar ailment, then his behavior will be normalized. However, changes in behavior will not be the final "recovery." A person with such a state of mental health is always “on the brink”, as it were. At the slightest destabilizing situation, a breakdown is always possible.
What unites and what distinguishes manifestations of psychopathy
Individuals suffering from a psychopathic disorder, despite very clear differences in behavior and characters, show general symptoms of this condition:
- Disharmonious behavior, which is noticeable in all areas of life and relationships;
- Problems arise in childhood and then take hold;
- Personality disorder is the cause of the deterioration in social and professional productivity;
- Conduct disorder causes severe adjustment disorder and personality distress.
The final classification of the states that are different manifestations of this "illness of the soul" has not yet been established.
Most sources highlight the following main types of psychopathies:
- psychasthenic;
- asthenic;
- excitable (explosive);
- hysterical;
- paranoid;
- schizoid;
- epileptoid.
Psychasthenic psychopathy characterized by a high level of anxiety, fearfulness and self-doubt, sensitivity to traumatic situations.
Asthenic psychopathy manifested by increased shyness, shyness. Such people are extremely impressionable. They experience particular confusion in the face of changing environment, while acutely feeling their own inferiority.
Excitable psychopathy(explosive psychopathy) causes a person to show a very high degree of irritability, powerful outbursts of emotions, uncontrollable anger and rage. The personality is under constant mental stress.
Hysterical psychopathy(hysterical psychopathy) is always an excessive demonstration of significance and superiority over others. Such people are constantly acting, they love external effects. This type of personality disorder sometimes makes a person prone to sexual perversion (sexual psychopathy).
Paranoid psychopathy. The main sign of such a state is the desire to form “overvalued ideas”. Such people have rather narrow interests and thinking. They are self-centered, suspicious and jealous. The passive-aggressive version of this disorder is manifested by a tendency to quarrelsomeness, intensified "struggle for the truth." This is a milder manifestation of paranoid psychopathy: a litigious psychopathy.
Schizoid psychopathy makes people feel very sensitive and vulnerable. This does not prevent them from being emotionally limited by despots, somewhat autistic and very pedantic.
Epileptoid psychopathy. The manifestations of this condition are similar to the characteristics of personality changes in epilepsy. A person is dominated by a melancholy, spiteful mood, explosiveness simultaneously with inertia of thinking. Irritation is constantly present in behavior.
You can read about the treatment of psychopathy and its manifestations in our next article. If you still have questions, ask them in the comments.
Do not be ill!