Have any of you met a true 'psychopath'

[Hearnoevilspeaknoevil]

Just wondering.
I watched Des last week and found it chilling. The utter ordinariness of Dennis Nielsen and the normalising his awful crimes.
I was thinking how terms like psycho are so overused and often used to describe overly angry or irrational behaviour.
I believe it's more about a very controlling person who operates outside any 'normal' behaviour boundaries.
I've only met one person who I would say is a psycho. Some with narcissistic traits, plenty of angry people but that cold dead reasoning and complete lack of empathy or even humanity, is much rarer.
Interested to see what others think. Or have experienced.

[IHateCoronavirus]

I believe I used to teach one. I often wonder what became of him. A very chilling and troubled child.

[BuffaloCauliflower]

Yes, the then husband of a family friend. Truly nasty, cold man. Drowned his child’s hamster in front of them as a punishment.

[woodlandwalker]

I used to have a boss like that.

[gamerchick]

Yes, he was 10 or 11 at the time. One seriously deeply disturbing kid. Totally souless. I hope I never see him again apart from when he's being locked up. God help the reason he's locked up though.

[Hearnoevilspeaknoevil]

@ihatecoronvirus.
How chilling. How long ago if you dunt mind me asking?
Mine was an ex colleague. No empathy, cold eyes and gave many a feeling off something 'off'.
He had a darkness. Whilst we worked together another colleagues young son had an awful accident whilst under the care of grandparents. A totally freak accident. Involving a runaway car with handbreak failure.
He stated that it was the grandfather's fault for choosing that particular picnic spot and then made 'jokes' about the incident, including to child's dad shrugging off the outrage he caused. He left abruptly not long after. You van imagine the rumours.
I was reminded of this when watching Des. Like Nielsen, am unremarkable looking man too. No hint.

[SpeedofaSloth]

After reading Snakes in Suits I thought I recognised some behaviours at work, definitely. Not the same as a diagnosis, of course.

[CMOTDibbler]

Yes, with a diagnosis. Very personable

[Cherry678]

Quite probably. I have my suspicions I've met one or two. They usually end up in certain roles and especially gravitate towards centres of commerce like London etc. I watched a panorama or horizon once and they said statistically the number of psychopaths rises significantly once you get to the the M25 and continue further in towards London.

[IHateCoronavirus]

[quote Hearnoevilspeaknoevil]@ihatecoronvirus.
How chilling. How long ago if you dunt mind me asking?
Mine was an ex colleague. No empathy, cold eyes and gave many a feeling off something 'off'.
He had a darkness. Whilst we worked together another colleagues young son had an awful accident whilst under the care of grandparents. A totally freak accident. Involving a runaway car with handbreak failure.
He stated that it was the grandfather's fault for choosing that particular picnic spot and then made 'jokes' about the incident, including to child's dad shrugging off the outrage he caused. He left abruptly not long after. You van imagine the rumours.
I was reminded of this when watching Des. Like Nielsen, am unremarkable looking man too. No hint.[/quote]
In the early 2000s he would have been a young teen.
Chilling, as in very calm, charismatic yet took pleasure in torturing objects/wildlife etc. Drew very disturbing images in his books would speak openly about torture.

[Techway]

I believe an Ex manager was, everyone knew that he was devoid of empathy and utterly ruthless.

I also believe my Ex H was similar, maybe a sociopath as after a long marriage I learnt stuff about him that he had kept hidden.

They say sociopaths are made, psychopaths are born.

[DeliasDinner]

Psychopaths are often extremely charming. Not easy to spot.

[Dillo10]

Not personally but my ex H was a psychiatrist at Broadmoor prison and some of his stories were truly chilling

[daisychain1620]

I remember watching a program which said that psychopaths tend to be high achievers and can be very top boss of large companies or in a really good career. They are less caring of who or what they need to trample on to get to their goal. Not all psychopaths are monstrous killers, just lack empathy so can attain their goals without annoying a conscious

[Howmanysleepsnow]

Yes. I work in mental health, but have met a couple of others. They were both very successful.

[Blackberrycream]

Yes.
I taught a boy when I was working in specialist provision who was very personable but would discuss very disturbing fantasies. He was 10/ 11 at the time and I was pregnant. Smiling, he would ask how I would feel if.. insert horrible scenario. Once he discussed cutting my stomach open and slitting my babies throat. I know that by mid teens, he was being held in a secure unit. It still chills me because in many ways he was very likeable and charming.

[IHateCoronavirus]

@Blackberrycream

Yes.
I taught a boy when I was working in specialist provision who was very personable but would discuss very disturbing fantasies. He was 10/ 11 at the time and I was pregnant. Smiling, he would ask how I would feel if.. insert horrible scenario. Once he discussed cutting my stomach open and slitting my babies throat. I know that by mid teens, he was being held in a secure unit. It still chills me because in many ways he was very likeable and charming.

Sounds very similar to my boy. Let’s hope they were the same one and that there are not two of them!

[Stella8686]

I worked in a small basement kitchen. A male pot wash was hired. He was 50 ish and from Bulgaria, he smelt a bit and there were rumours he had a drink problem.

Anyway the management had hired him without checking references. He was due in court for sexual assault on an old lady in a care home...

We was convicted

Thanks to my shocking employers for making me and other team members work with him alone in a basement

Nothing ever happened and he was innocent until proven guilty but they were the worst people I ever worked for have ever met

[BrowncoatWaffles]

I was internet acquaintances (met twice) to a man who it turned out murdered his wife. Just thinking about it makes me feel sick. He seemed like such a good guy.

[MyNameForToday1980]

Kinda... ExBf in my 20's was diagnosed with anti social behavioural disorder (ASBD). He was charming, sociable, popular, charismatic, successful, but entirely empty, there was no genuine happiness in him, at all.

He wasn't abusive, or at least not in the standard ways, but it's fair to say that I left that relationship a different person than I went into it.

[Blackberrycream]

IHateCoronavirus
They do sound similar. I guess there are lots of early classic signs. The boy I knew wasn’t into drawing though.

[MyNameForToday1980]

ASPD, for the love of God.

Personality, not behavioural... It's been 20 years.

[Frownette]

@BuffaloCauliflower

Yes, the then husband of a family friend. Truly nasty, cold man. Drowned his child’s hamster in front of them as a punishment.

Poor kids and hamster

The kids will never forget that. I'd run a mile from anyone showing deliberate cruelty to animals.

[BillywilliamV]

Someone once told me that the personality tests that Tesco puts its buyers through before hiring means that they are basically choosing psychopaths!