How to Spot a Psychopath
By GRETCHEN RUBIN
I love finding–or inventing–ways to categorize people. I agree with philosopher Isaiah Berlin, who observed, “Every classification throws light on something.”
I’ve devised several of these, and of the ones I’ve come up with myself, my favorites are the Abstainer/Moderator distinction and the four Rubin Tendencies.
Because of this interest, I was intrigued to come across the Psychopathic Personality Inventory, a personality test for traits associated with psychopathy (link to actual quiz below).
I think that we can all agree that one thing that does not contribute to a happy life is a relationship with a psychopath. But what traits are associated with psychopaths?
more
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/12/06/how-to-spot-a-psychopath/
Simpler method: attend or watch any gathering of Republicans. Look at who is on stage.
Or watch the republicans on Meet the Press...
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Took me YEARS to discover the reasons behind her unusual behavior.
From your link:
The test seeks to measure:
Social influence — a tendency to seem charming, persuasive
Fearlessness — a tendency to embrace risk without fear or anxiety
Stress immunity — stays cool in difficult circumstances
Machiavellian egocentricity — a tendency to consider only personal needs
Rebellious nonconformity — a tendency to neglect of social conventions and regulations
Blame externalization — a tendency to assign blame for problems or obstacles to other people
Carefree lack of planning — limited willingness to make future plans
Cold-heartedness — no guilt or remorse
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She's got them all - and more, although it took me a while to define them.
I read, no - actually I STUDIED books and articles related to this personality disorder,
only after getting deeply entrapped in her life.
(I'm out now - well almost - she stalks me online - whatever for I'll never know)
Other habits that confused me, but later defined by my studies included:
Pathological lying: - she lies when the truth would suffice with no harm!
Stealing: - stole stuff off me right in front of my eyes! - claim "I gave it to her" - "She paid for it" and so on -
her BEST ONE?? - "Well - YOU weren't using it anyways"
Of my studies, the best, most comprehensive book I found that was written so a layman could comprehend:
http://www.amazon.com/Sociopath-Next-Door-Martha-Stout/dp/0767915828
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I think it is almost impossible to stay out of the clutches of a sociopath/psychopath unless one knows what the symptoms are.
Only reason I became knowledgeable was because I was already entrapped, desperate to get out.
Even with the knowledge, took me another 4 years to get "free" - like I said above - almost.
She's been like this her whole life, so - sadly, I don't expect to be totally free
until one of us dies.
(sigh)
CC
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Another one was
http://www.amazon.ca/Snakes-In-Suits-When-Psychopaths/dp/0061147893/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b
And - if you check the link at Amazon on any of those 3 books, the other 2 are listed below as well.
hmmm
CC
ps: once bit . . . . I don't think you'll get "caught" again - one never forgets "them" - never . . . (sigh)
Last edited Sun Dec 8, 2013, 10:49 AM - Edit history (1)
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Most people, including many in this thread take YEARS to discover their own "entrapment" of illusion of the psycho.
And then, YEARS to unravel and rebuild their life, sometimes never recovering.
My mother was a psycho - I didn't realize it until my late 50's;
Her "charm" had her (and my) friends convinced she was a wise, kind person - while when left alone with us kids she would browbeat, and physically beat us when neither our respective friends nor my father were present.
We were so terrified of her none of us EVER told our father what happened when he was not home, not even after we were out of the "nest", and he died at the age of 95 - never knowing.
Not until I was 15 did even ONE of my friends consider my "stories" had any validity, and that was only because he heard her go into a tirade over the phone I had set down to adk mother permission to go visit him. She did NOT know the phone was still off the hook, she thought I had hung up - which SHE promptly did (hung up the phone) - and of course, refused me permission to go out, giving me extra chores as her excuse.
Seeing as I was not aware of what I didn't know about socio/psychopaths until my working career was over, I considered many of my bosses to be assholes, jerks, unreasonable, mean, etc., and now realize many of them fit the psycho profile.
And they advanced quite quickly.
Psychos are mostly above average intelligence, and are survivors.
I've had ailments where one or more physicians failed to cure some of my ailments as they practiced their "expertise"; so a "professional" opinion don't mean much to me. (especially when I cured them myself by educating myself on my particular problem at the time.) Let me give you an elongated "ailment" I cured (not mine) in a mtter of weeks - while "doctors' had failed FOR 15 YEARS.
(On edit -continuing - hit post instead of preview)
Now this was back in the mid-80's before Google and all that, so this required a few library visits.
Problem - My girlfriend at the time suffered a regular suffrage from cold sores which led to strep throat, antibiotics were prescribed, strep throat gone, yeast infection followed - not a handy thing for sexually active people as we were then. She went through this "regimen" every year FOR 15 YEARS.
Long story short - in reading books, the main one that clued me in the right direction was called "The Yeast Connection". Probiotics to the rescue - specifically Acidophilus( a "friendly" bacteria - one already in the body, but not enough in many cases).
3 weeks later, all gone - and remained gone for the rest of our relationship - about 2 years.
Had occasion to bump into her 8 years later - still no return of her previous conditions. She did not take the "acid" (I nicknamed it for short) on a regular basis, but as soon as she felt a cold sore start (cold sore was the beginning of her previous "cycles"
she would commence the acid - and the cycle was broken. No more strep, no more yeast infection.
I've achieved the same when my own doctors failed me - did it myself with research.
I've dealt with a psycho cop recently (happens to be a friend of "my" psycho girl - go figure) - and spent thousands of dollars to beat conspired charges - in fact, the Crown Attorney WITHDREW the charges - court never heard any of the so-called "evidence"; that cost me over $2500 - money I didn't have at the time of the made-up charges.
Without a timely unexpected inheritance, I was doomed to lose, but fortune smiled on me and I was able to hire one of the best criminal lawyers available. Still, it was a year of misery - never knowing . . . .
So "professional" does not impress me one little bit, in fact, it makes me leery when they postulate their "knowledge".
Psychos are out there, and they want YOU, your belongings, your friends - and your soul if they can manage it.
Beware the person that smiles all the time . . .
CC
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They don't CARE!
And some just relish battling with shrinks - psychos are usually above average intelligence.
Most just love seeing how many people they can mess around with - sometimes for personal/social gain,
and/or just for the hell of it.
Whether or not a shrink would actually use the terminology of psychopath or sociopath to them I do not know.
But psychos are dangerous that's for sure.
"Mine" - no longer nearby nor in my "real" life, still messes around with my friends, both where I live and online.
(We used to live on the same property(not the same dwelling), now I'm miles away, but in the same town)
She's a nasty piece of work - well, they all are.
Ya know what REALLY ticks them off?
The ones that get away. . . . > > dat's me! - 
CC
Response to n2doc (Original post)
So very familiar with the subject.
Advice to anyone encountering a psychopath: RUN AS FAR AS YOU CAN!! You can't change or heal them!!!
My father, my brother and a sister fit into that classification and I was hoodwinked into dating a couple as well. As soon as you encounter one and they make you do the first double take about something rude they have said or done, it's time to locate the door and start heading for it. Never look back.
Response to 90-percent (Reply #43)
Response to n2doc (Original post)