Antisocial Personality Disorder

What is Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Quick Summary:

A common misconception is that antisocial personality disorder refers to people who have poor social skills. The opposite is often the case. Instead, antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of conscience. People with this disorder are prone to criminal behavior, believing that their victims are weak and deserving of being taken advantage of. Antisocials tend to lie and steal. Often, they are careless with money and take action without thinking about consequences. They are often agressive and are much more concerned with their own needs than the needs of others.

Symptoms of Antisocial Personality Disorder:

• Disregard for the feelings of others
• Impulsive and irresponsible decision-making
• Lack of remorse for harm done to others
• Lying, stealing, other criminal behaviors
• Disregard for the safety of self and others

Additional Information:

A majority of criminals in prison have some degree of antisocial personality disorder. Treatment is highly difficult, although the symptoms often diminish with age.

Talk about this disorder on our antisocial forum.

Books on Antisocial Personality Disorder

The Sociopath Next Door: The Ruthless Versus the Rest of Us
"The author offers three examples of such people, including Skip, the handsome, brilliant, superrich boy who enjoyed stabbing bullfrogs near his family's summer home, and Doreen, who lied to get work at a psychiatric institute, manipulated her colleagues and, most cruelly, a patient."

Antisocial Behavior: Personality Disorders from Hostility to Homicide
"this title by a leading psychologist discusses the trends, incidence and treatment of sociopathic antisocial attitudes"

Where to Get More Help and Information

• MedlinePlus: Antisocial personality disorder
• pTypes - Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Dual Diagnosis and the Antisocial Personality Disorder