The sociopath thread.

[Avatar]

Wait, what happened there?

--A

[aliantha]

Posting personal stuff on a public forum is always a potential risk - I have some pretty severe trust issues (unsurprising), but on the other hand, it can be cathartic to talk about things that have had a lasting effect on you - which, I think, was the main purpose of this thread.

Exactly.

Rune, I'm not sure what set you off, or what you think you read, but internet trolling was the furthest thing from my mind.

We've been pretty lucky here at the Watch to have avoided a lot of the crazy stuff that happens elsewhere on the intarwebz -- and the admins have been very good about shutting down any troublemakers. I think that's part of the reason why the Watch still exists, when the average shelf life of a website is two years or so. (Somebody said that recently here somewhere, right? That message boards/fan sites usually last only a couple of years?)

[Hashi Lebwohl]

What on earth are the other Mods thinking about. Are they here just for a laugh!

I can tell you quite plainly where my thoughts are at this moment: I am trying to figure out to what you are referring. Not only do your accusations, presented entirely without context or evidence, fail to address the topic of the thread, they also highlight an ironic situation--the only person I have seen trolling anyone here lately is you, just now, in this thread. I admit that I am curious, though--into which group do I fall, "virtual rapist gangbanger" or "limp-wristed nipplehead"?

[JIkj fjds j]

What on earth are the other into which group do I fall, "virtual rapist gangbanger" or "limp-wristed nipplehead"?[/color]

That's entirely up to you.

Of course malicious cross-chatter is indicative of mental imbalance. Difficult to pin down to a tee, unless you have qualifications at reading this sort of codeing. However that may be, either I wear a skull cap made from tin foil or I chip. The later is the sane choice, wouldn't you agree!

[wayfriend]

Rune, I'm not sure what set you off, or what you think you read, but internet trolling was the furthest thing from my mind.

It came to my mind immediately. But I'm experienced enough to know that pointing it out is just asking for the kind of pain that is now raining on him. And, now, me.

[Wosbald]

+JMJ+

Rune, I'm not sure what set you off, or what you think you read, but internet trolling was the furthest thing from my mind.

It came to my mind immediately. But I'm experienced enough to know that pointing it out is just asking for the kind of pain that is now raining on him. And, now, me.

FWIW, I didn't notice it.

But no, nobody's gonna rain down pain on you, my friend, ere they incur the wrath of the Wizard of Wos.

[deer of the dawn]

I went out of my way to choose narcissists for partners. I guess my own sense of self was so frail I needed someone who appeared to believe so strongly in themselves that their ego could support two... The list of "techniques" was a laundry list of what I went through for years. I was the perfect patsy for a narcissist-- low self-image, willing to work hard for approval, intelligent but dumber than a box of rocks when it came to men.

If I am honest, my husband uses some of these occasionally but I would say he is controlling, not sociopathic. And he knows and freely admits he is controlling and tries hard to make things equal between us. I have my own issues and one of them is being afraid to make decisions because I was terrified of taking responsibility and perhaps being guilty of something. I have come a long way. Now I know that every breath brings the toxicity of guilt because that is part of being human, and I can live with it (because of God's grace). It was my husband who told me for years, "Make a decision and live with the consequences."

I'm done with being a victim.

[Avatar]

Yeah, I don't like to be responsible for stuff either.

--A

[Linna Heartbooger]

Yup, thirded!

I have my own issues and one of them is being afraid to make decisions because I was terrified of taking responsibility and perhaps being guilty of something.

Reading these words is like looking into a mirror.

I went out of my way to choose narcissists for partners. I guess my own sense of self was so frail I needed someone who appeared to believe so strongly in themselves that their ego could support two... The list of "techniques" was a laundry list of what I went through for years. I was the perfect patsy for a narcissist-- low self-image, willing to work hard for approval, intelligent but dumber than a box of rocks when it came to men.

The thing that's frightening in this is that...
...the choices we make are based on our present view of other people...
...but then they often give us experiences that re-ify what we already believed about humans.

So in making the transition to close friendships with healthy people... sometimes when they confront us, we'll panic and back away.
And so the good things they try to give us can't go in.
(I often wonder, "How can I help broken friends to make that transition?" Maybe some never will.)

[sgt.null]

Aliantha - evil exists. Richard Brooks was at my last unit. I recognized him one day, but couldn't place him. turns out it was from a newspaper I had recently read.

[aliantha]

I don't know who Richard Brooks is, Sarge. And Google is showing me hits for some actor by that name. Sorry.

[sgt.null]

I don't know who Richard Brooks is, Sarge. And Google is showing me hits for some actor by that name. Sorry.

sorry, conflated two different inmates. David Brooks...

crime.about.com/od/serial/p/dean_corll.htm

I had read he was reviewed for parole, but I found him on a different unit.

[Mighara Sovmadhi]

Not that it's totally the same thing, but I've pondered for some time now: if there are people who are pathologically dishonest, are there pathologically honest folk too? Like, they just have this urge to say things for no other reason than that the things are (or are believed by them to be) true, regardless of the seeming appropriateness of the time for saying it, etc.

Now as for sociopaths, I believe I might've met one, but I'm not too sure. I'm gonna be hella honest and say that it crossed my mind that he might be possessed by a demon, and I mean that half-literally, but then I go through phases were my incidence of attributing-maliciousness-to-possession increases. But so anyway, OTOH, I think there was one time where I saw him crying, in a legitimate context--and, it seemed, for the right reason. I mean the level of personal-tic/gesture/w/e deception he'd have to have been engaged in would have been very high, I think, if he wasn't sincerely crying. So I'm not sure. However, his mom was definitely crying for a sincere reason one time, and we were trying to convince him to stop doing methamphetamine, but he just kinda eerily smiled as he listened to his mom practically screaming with worry and sadness. (Then, later, when I tried to use police leverage to thwart him, since he was staying at my apartment off the lease, he accused me of not just being under a demon's influence, but of being an actual demon myself because "you always wear red clothes.")

[lorin]

I don't know exactly what happened - I was preparing to go out a front window at the time, and didn't find out why he stopped until the next day. I don't think 'playing it cool' was involved - he got a two-week involuntary psychiatric hold, and a five-year ban on owning firearms. Guessing he threatened the neighbor and/or the police.

Looking back - I knew even at the time that he wasn't actually going to shoot me - he got off on fear. I wonder sometimes what my life would be like if I had killed him in self defense - technically I could have if he was on my side of the door. I don't think I would have lost any sleep - if anything, I would have slept better knowing he wasn't still out there. But then I picture a jury full of people who thought he was a Nice Guy, and I think it probably wouldn't have been worth the consequences.

If it happened to me today, I don't know. I'm done with being a victim.

Sorus, this is scary stuff. It's a damn Lifetime movie!

I've dealt with numerous narcissists and sociopaths in my life and one psychopath. IMO all psychopaths are narcissists and sociopaths by default.

My father is a clinically diagnosed narcissist. The world revolves around him. Everything must eventually end with him. They are disgusting to deal with. He was horribly neglectful as a parent. Yet the 'world' sees him as a great guy. A fun guy. An amazing guy......until they get to know him and they back away. He is extremely manipulative to his own ends. I guess all narcissists are manipulative.

I am/was manipulative but I'm not a narcissist (I was tested, my doctor says so...a salute to The Big Bang Theory) What I learned was that I was manipulating people to get my childhood needs met. I kept asking my doctor if that, in fact, made me a narcissist because isn't that basically what they do.....manipulate. Apparently what differentiates me is my ability to see and control my behavior. As I recognized each attempt at manipulation I worked through it. I believe, for the most part, I have conquered it. Another behavior of a narcissist is their inability to truly listen to the other person, to be present during a conversation. Again this is something I am just learning. Having a parent that is a full blown narcissist is the only motivation I need to drive any tendencies out of me. They are horrible to be around and evoke a primal anger in me.

[Mighara Sovmadhi]

IMO all psychopaths are narcissists and sociopaths by default.

Aren't schizophrenics psychopaths, in the sense that the condition is a form of psychosis that is pathological? Then again, a schizophrenic could obviously present as extremely introverted or self-absorbed after a fashion, let's say if they had one of those stereotypical post-it-note boards with strings and arrows connecting photographs and obscure sentence fragments...