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Antisocial Personality Disorder Essay

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An antisocial personality disorder is a highly misunderstood personality disorder that is often surrounded by many negative stereotypes.

An antisocial personality disorder is often triggered by a traumatic past. Children who develop this personality disorder often face some sort of abuse, and or childhood trauma. In Australia, an evaluation was done on over 400 subjects aged 18-65 by Annette Krastins. People were questioned whether or not they experienced maltreatment and neglect as a child. To summarize she and her colleagues found that childhood maltreatment issues were sometimes a factor involved with symptoms of ASPD in adulthood. This included physical neglect, verbal abuse, and teasing. This study proved that antisocial personality …show more content…

Parenting is another contributing factor to whether one develops ASPD. If a parent lacks an emotional relationship with their child, this could lead to antisocial behavior. Understanding the relationship between child abuse and anti-social behavior is extremely important when analyzing adults with this disorder. Even if antisocial and violent behavior develops due to certain biological factors, the combination of this with a difficult home environment can further promote the behavior. If mistreatment of a child is identified early on, the child could be placed in another family where they will not experience abuse. Doing this could possibly help the child to avoid the development of the disorder completely. Child Protective agencies have investigated three million reports on the mistreatment of four million children in 1999. Because most of the victims were too young, they were too afraid to speak out. If any of these …show more content…

Many people think the only person affected is the victim though this is not true. Though the victim is the one who is affected by it the most, the people around them also suffer. People who suffer from Antisocial personality disorder are likely to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. These can often be characterized as illegal behavior, repeated lying, deception, impulsivity, aggressiveness, and total disregard for the safety of self and others. They are likely to lack remorse for committing these acts for which others would be remorseful. Through basic analysis, it is easy to see how an individual with Antisocial personality disorder affects those around them. In comparison, it is important to know that not every person with ASPD will hurt other people or engage in violent acts. It’s possible for people who have ASPD to avoid actions that could harm others. AntiSocial Personality Disorder can be hard to understand for those who do not have it. Sociopaths are highly misunderstood in our society. The typical sociopath is described as feeling close to no emotions, being smart, do not care, and are “violent, and impulsive.” Even if this is true we should not generalize everybody with antisocial personality disorder as violent murderers who enjoy committing crimes. The truth is completely opposite to this. The typical person with an anti-social personality disorder is usually a fully

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During the McCoy murder case he was formally diagnosed with an antisocial personality disorder. Antisocial personality disorder, also can be called sociopathy, is a mental condition in which a person constantly shows that they have no regard for right and wrong and ignore the rights and feelings of others. People with antisocial personality disorder tend to antagonize, manipulate or treat others harshly or with callous indifference. They show no guilt or remorse for their behavior. Gacy said that after his first killing

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According to the DSM-5, antisocial personality disorder is “a lack of anxiety or fear and by a bold interpersonal style that may mask maladaptive behaviors.” (DIAGNOSTIC AND (5TH ED)2013) Furthermore, Major depressive disorder is described as a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest…it affects how you feel, thinks, and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. (Depression (Major Depressive Disorder) - Symptoms and Causes - Mayo Clinic, 2022). Antisocial personality disorder can develop in childhood around the age of 8.

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When you have ASPD you won’t always end up being a serial killer, but in Gacy’s case he did. When you have ASPD you might be manipulative, deceitful and reckless, and most likely won’t care about other peoples feelings. People, like Gacy, might end up getting ASPD because of difficult family circumstances. There parents having misused alcohol, been abusive to their family, or said very hurtful things to them during their childhood. When you have these difficulties during your childhood you will end up having behavioral problems during adolescence and

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Those who suffer with ASPD will often behave violently and impulsively, and they often violate the law, therefore they are most likely to become involved in criminal behaviour due to the traits that they have. John Wayne Gacy’s case provides a convincing example of how anti-social personality disorder can have a major influence and contribution to criminal behaviour, particularly in the context of serial murder (Hatchett, 2015). Anti-social behaviour is characterised by an extensive pattern, where they don’t consider morals and the rights of others, other traits include impulsivity, irresponsibility, and lack of empathetic emotions (McEvoy, 2023). Gacy’s actions and crimes, looking at his repeated sexual assaults and murders, show a key alignment with these features of the ASPD. He used his ability to manipulate and coerce his victims and had no thought for their well-being as he raped and murdered them.

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Growing up in a society full of social disorder, individuals tend to develop abnormal fear and dysfunctional behaviors.

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However, a serial killer suffering from psychopathy cannot control his or her impulses, identify with others and feel empathy, and cannot conform his or her behavior to social norms. Thus, proving he or she cannot possibly be completely competent and responsible for their actions, no matter how heinous” (Gay). However, there is a difference between someone diagnosed with psychopathy and someone with anti-social personality disorder. “Unlike serial killers with psychopathy, those with anti-social personality disorder should not be allowed to plead guilty by reason of insanity. They lack empathy but otherwise understand what they are doing.

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“Special Report: Antisocial Personality Disorder—the Patient in Need ...” Psychiatric News, 23 Nov. 2022, https://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.12.12.20. Black, Donald W. “The Antisocial Murderer: Gacy and Others.” OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 1 Dec. 2021, https://academic.oup.com/book/37208/chapter-abstract/327500176?redirectedFrom=fulltext. Black DW.

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Sociopaths are known to have emotions, but they are shallow and fleeting, they can establish some close attachments, and are constantly lying (Ruhl). Psychopaths pretend to

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Reviewing Tony’s case study and double checking with the information provided in the text and the DSM-5, Tony does meet the criteria for his initial diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (301.7 (F60.2)). His continuous issues with illegal activity, substance usage, and violation of other people’s safety and concerns are just a few of the things that make him eligible for ASPD. Of the cluster B personality disorders, Antisocial Personality Disorder represents a true danger to the people who interact with the person. First, for criteria A, Tony must have had issues since he was at least fifteen (the case study states difficulties with social norms since he was at least in seventh grade.) He must also meet at least three or more of the

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For example, if a hardened criminal (that is in prison for armed robbery) stole money in order to provide for his family (a sense of responsibility), then that criminal does not possess antisocial personality disorder. Furthermore, those that do have antisocial personality disorder may begin to show symptoms during childhood; however, the disorder cannot be diagnosed until

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Psychopath and sociopath are two terms classified as antisocial personality disorders in the world of psychology. Although many people have heard of these two terms, quite often people do not know what sets them apart from one another. A sociopath is defined as a person with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behavior and a lack of conscience. The definition of psychopath is similar in being a person suffering from chronic mental disorder with abnormal or violent social behavior. By looking at the definitions, these personality disorders appear very similar; however, there are specific attributes that are more specific to one of the two.

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Antisocial Personality Disorder, also known as Sociopathy, is characterized by medical experts as a “lack of empathy towards others that is coupled with display of abnormal moral conduct and inability to conform to the norms of the society.” (Trent). Many times individuals tend to confuse sociopathy with psychopathy. The difference is psychopaths can have normal relationship whereas sociopaths and incapable of forming a bond. Sociopathy tends to develop during childhood, usually triggered by some sort of trauma or abuse, and if left untreated, it can continue into adulthood.

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Often times when a child is abused by their parents or someone else, they grow up to be an abuser. They grow up with it, so they do not know any different. Sometimes they feel as if they have been out of control and abused so much, so becoming the abuser makes them feel as if they have gained some control back (Dasarband, 2017). Other times someone might be abusive if they have an issue such as anger management, intermittent explosive disorder, or bipolar disorder (Dasarband, 2017). Even when someone has a drinking or drug problem they could lash out when they are under the influence (Dasarband, 2017).

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The individual may engage in behaviors which skirt the edges of the law, or manipulate others (American Psychiatric Association 2013). Usually Those who are diagnosed with Antisocial personality disorder have also been diagnosed with Conduct disorder at a young age. When having this disorder, people tend to act on impulse instead of thinking things through which may cause them to make bad decisions. People tend to be irresponsible, which has been shown throughout the defendant’s

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Antisocial personality disorder is described to be the tendencies to disregard and violate the rights of others around them. (Psychologytoday.com, 2017) There are many symptoms to look at for the mental illness. The DSM-5 lists many traits that people carry with them when having the illness much like Randle McMurphy. Randle was arrested and sent to work on the work farms for statutory rape.

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