Sociopaths are especially dangerous because they often go to great efforts to hide their true personality and appear likable, adds Turner. Narcissist: Experts Explain the Difference. Sociopath vs. By Ashley Mateo Updated April 23, Save Pin FB More. All rights reserved. They think they are superior, unique, or special. Their overestimation of their own worth and achievements often implies an underestimation of the worth and achievements of others.
These patients are preoccupied with fantasies of great achievements—of being admired for their overwhelming intelligence or beauty, of having prestige and influence, or of experiencing a great love. They feel they should associate only with others as special and talented as themselves, not ordinary people.
This association with extraordinary people is used to support and enhance their self-esteem. Because patients with narcissistic disorder need to be admired, their self-esteem depends on the positive regard of others and is thus usually very fragile.
People with this disorder are often watching to see what others think of them and evaluating how well they are doing. They are sensitive to and bothered by the criticism of others and by failure, which makes them feel humiliated and defeated.
They may respond with rage or contempt, or they may viciously counterattack. Or they may withdraw or outwardly accept the situation in an effort to protect their sense of self-importance grandiosity. They may avoid situations in which they can fail. Preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited achievements, influence, power, intelligence, beauty, or perfect love.
Belief that they are special and unique and should associate only with people of the highest caliber. Bipolar disorder Bipolar Disorders Bipolar disorders are characterized by episodes of mania and depression, which may alternate, although many patients have a predominance of one or the other. Exact cause is unknown, but heredity Such patients may have depression Depressive Disorders Depressive disorders are characterized by sadness severe enough or persistent enough to interfere with function and often by decreased interest or pleasure in activities.
Also, in narcissistic personality disorder, changes in mood are triggered by insults to self-esteem. Antisocial personality disorder Antisocial Personality Disorder ASPD Antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of disregard for consequences and for the rights of others. Treatment may include cognitive-behavioral However, the motives are different.
Patients with antisocial personality disorder exploit others for material gain; those with narcissistic personality disorder exploit others to maintain their self-esteem. Histrionic personality disorder Histrionic Personality Disorder HPD Histrionic personality disorder is characterized by a pervasive pattern of excessive emotionality and attention seeking.
But patients with narcissistic personality disorder, unlike those with histrionic personality disorder, disdain doing anything cute and silly to get attention; they wish to be admired. General treatment Treatment Personality disorders in general are pervasive, enduring patterns of thinking, perceiving, reacting, and relating that cause significant distress or functional impairment. Whatever the cause, a person displaying the following traits may be said to have a narcissistic personality:.
One of the first things to know about a sociopath is that they feel very little remorse for their actions, no matter how they affect others. A sociopath will manipulate their way into a friendship or relationship purely for their own gain or amusement.
These bonds may be painstakingly formed and then promptly neglected, whether or not they may cause harm to the other person. Sociopaths are easily identified by frequent run-ins with the law. They also have very few hang-ups about exploiting people purely for their own gain and have been known to have dramatic or volatile interactions when dealing with people.
A sociopath is more likely to have difficulty holding a job and may be unable to form stable relationships. A sociopath typically begins to symptoms of the disorder before the age of This includes behaviors like:. Like narcissism, this personality disorder may be the product of genes.
It has also been linked to poor childhood experiences where sexual or physical abuse was present. It may also be the result of early neglect. Environmental conditions like family relations and how well associations with peers are handled may also be responsible.
In distinguishing between a narcissist and a sociopath, the motive behind their actions is usually an important place to look. For the narcissist—scheming, showering compliments, forging friendships, and otherwise manipulating others, are ultimately geared towards the ego and the expansion of self-importance.
The narcissist is self-centered and carries out actions using tunnel vision focused solely on their own importance. On the other hand, a sociopath will manipulate, harm, rob, and otherwise violate another person merely for the fun of it. A sociopath is not concerned with propping up their image, and will engage in games if it suits a larger objective being pursued.
A sociopath feels no remorse or empathy for anyone wronged by their actions and might even derive pleasure from doing so. This differs from the narcissist whose aim isn't directly to cause harm, but to appear as a grand personality.
Because of the nature of their personality, a sociopath will find it difficult to maintain a job and will likely get in trouble with the authorities. This is in contrast to a narcissist who always wants to appear on top of their game, and will maintain a role that keeps them looking successful. Both personalities may be calculating, but a sociopath may rank higher.
They will act without regard to how anyone may view them, while narcissists ultimately need admiration and are very interested in the impression they leave on others. In some cases, the lines may be blurred when attempting to distinguish between a narcissist and a sociopath. Both personalities have a noticeable lack of empathy when dealing with others. They are severely lacking in morality, and have no qualms about scheming against and controlling others to suit their agendas.
To achieve their objectives, a sociopath or a narcissist can turn on the charm. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Neither a narcissist nor a sociopath is likely to seek treatment for their personality.
This may change where they exhibit traits of a mental illness like depression, anxiety etc.
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