- What are the signs and symptoms
- How the diagnosis is made
- How do you know if a person is antisocial?
- How the treatment is done
- Possible causes
Antisocial personality disorder is a mental disorder, also known as psychopathy, which is characterized by a pattern of behavior of indifference and violation of the rights of other people. Generally, these people are aggressive, insensitive and have great difficulty in adapting to the rules of society, disrespecting and violating them.
The root causes can be hereditary, be related to deficiencies in the person's brain structures or even be influenced by the environment.
What are the signs and symptoms
The antisocial or psychopath is a person with a lack of empathy and insensitive to the feelings of others, violating their rights and being unable to be subject to the rules imposed by society, because they have no ability to perceive the suffering of others, and may even have criminal behaviors, as these people have no remorse for the violent acts committed, which makes this mental disorder so dangerous. Here's how to identify a psychopath.
These people do not seem to understand or care about what society considers right or wrong, behaving inappropriately, without showing any kind of regret for their actions. They have difficulties in following a life plan, constantly changing jobs and not knowing how to manage their expenses.
The first signs of antisocial personality disorder appear in childhood or early adolescence, in which children begin to show inappropriate behavior, violating other people's basic rights and relevant and age-appropriate social rules. If this disorder remains in adulthood, it is very likely that the individual will be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder.
Acts such as theft, theft, destruction of property, disrespect for people, compulsive lies, impulsiveness, aggression and manipulation are still common, and these people are able to do anything to get what they want.
The antisocial personality disorder is a chronic disorder, however it is possible to observe an improvement in the behavior of some people as they get older, however it is common for them to be arrested before that, even at a young age due to crimes committed.
How the diagnosis is made
Antisocial personality disorder is difficult to be diagnosed, as there is a great difficulty in distinguishing it from other mental disorders with some similar symptoms, such as schizophrenia, temporal lobe epilepsy, the presence of brain lesions and tumors, or even the use of psychoactive substances, and therefore, all these factors must be excluded before the diagnosis is confirmed.
An interview is usually carried out, also taking into account the person's entire history, which can be done with the help of reports from the patient and close family members, as well as the collection of information about the family history due to hereditary factors.
How do you know if a person is antisocial?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists the following criteria for the diagnosis of the disorder:
1. Disregard and violation of the rights of other people, which occurs since the age of 15, indicated by 3 or more of the following:
- Difficulty in obeying social norms, having behaviors that are grounds for detention; Tendency to falsity, using repeated lies, false names or having fraudulent behaviors for personal pleasure; Impulsiveness or failure to make plans for the future; Irritability and aggression, resulting in fights and physical aggressions; indifference for one's own safety or that of others; irresponsibility to remain consistent at work or honor financial obligations; no remorse for having hurt, mistreated or stolen other people.
2. The individual is at least 18 years old;
3. Evidence of behavioral disorder that appeared before the age of 15;
4. Antisocial behavior that does not occur exclusively during the course of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
How the treatment is done
Uncovering the origins of the problem is the first step in preventing it. Another factor that contributes to improving the behavior of the person with the disorder is linked to the formation of affective bonds, such as marriage, for example.
The treatment for this disorder is difficult to do and depends on the severity of the symptoms, the person's willingness to be treated and their collaboration in the treatment and can be done with psychotherapy and medication.
There are no specific medications for antisocial personality disorder yet, but the doctor can prescribe drugs that are usually used to treat anxiety and depression, or that control aggressive behaviors, however, care must be taken because some people can do abuse of these drugs.
Possible causes
The causes of this disorder are not yet fully known, but it is thought that antisocial disorder may be hereditary, and the children of people with antisocial disorder are at greater risk of developing it as well. In addition, there may be deficiencies in the brain structures of these people, and the environment also plays an important role in the manifestation of this behavior.
The disorder can also be the result of factors during pregnancy, which can alter the baby's brain development, such as the use of cigarettes, alcoholic beverages or illegal substances by the pregnant woman, which have a negative impact on the fetus, as well as insufficient intake of nutrients like proteins, iron, zinc, omega-3. Learn how to have a healthy pregnancy.
During the child's development, the family environment in which it is inserted also contributes to their emotional development, and it is very important that a good relationship between mother and child is established early on, since separations, mistreatment and neglect at this point in the child's life, they can be reflected later in adulthood, which can make them aggressive and increase the chances of developing antisocial personality disorder.
