Who is the Pathological Man?

In the field of psychology we use two categories in diagnosis. The first category is Axis I is what people come into the office experiencing such as anxiety or depression. The Axis II is used to to diagnose the enduring, lifelong pattern that influences many aspects of a persons personality. Axis II is broken down into three groups of personality disorders Cluster A which are the odd and eccentric disorders, Cluster B which are Dramatic and Erratic Disorders, and Cluster C which are the Anxious and Fearful Disorders. For the purposes of this blog we will be focusing on the Cluster B personalities.

Cluster B is made up:

1. Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), also known as a Sociopath

2. Psychopathy

3. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

4. Pathological Narcissism (PN)

Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD)

The APD is similar to a psychopath but APD characteristics are more measurable than the psychopaths. The psychopath does more emotional harm where as the APD is often involved in crime and fails to conform to lawful social norms. The DSM-IV list the following symptoms

• Failure to conform to lawful social norms

• Deceitful

• Impulsivity or failure to plan a head or consider consequences

• Irritable and aggressive (physical fights or assaults)

• Reckless disregard for the safety of self and others

• Irresponsible, indicated by failure to sustain consistent employment or honor financial obligations

• Lack of remorse

Psychopaths

Similar to APD but rarely get caught doing criminal activity. Robert Hare comprised a list of psychopathic traits for diagnostic purposes as follows:

• Glib and superficial charm

• grandiose sense of self

• need for stimulation

• pathological lying

• cunning and manipulative

• without remorse or guilt

• shallow affect

• callousness and lack of empathy

• parasitic lifestyle

• poor behavior controls

• sexual promiscuity

• lack of realistic long term goals

• impulsive

• irresponsible

• failure to accept personal responsibility

• many short term marital relationships

• juvenile delinquency

• revocation of conditional release

• criminal versatility

Borderline Personality Disorder

Symptoms as defined in the DSM-IV

• frantic effort to avoid real or imagined abandonment

• intense and unstable relationships that idealize and devalue

• identity disturbance with unstable self image

• impulsivity ( gambling, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving etc)

• suicidal gestures or behaviors and threats of self mutilation

• emotional instability

• chronic feeling of emptiness

• intense anger or difficulty controlling anger

• transient stress related paranoid ideas

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

• A grandiose sense of self-importance

• Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love

• Belief that one is special and can only be understood by or associate with special people or institutions

• A need for excessive admiration

• A sense of entitlement (to special treatment)

• Exploitation of others

• A lack of empathy

• Envy of others or the belief that one is the object of envy

• Arrogant, haughty behavior or attitudes

Being familiar with these symptoms can help a person determine if they are in a relationship with a person who has one of these disorders and can also help detect red flags before you become involved.

If you feel you may be involved with type of person you are at risk of harm or you may be experiencing the destructive affects of this relationship already. I want to and I can help you. Please feel free to contact me.

Best Regards,

Heather