Psychopath

Good doctors of all kinds learn to find ways to remain empathetic while also maintaining some distance, or they would go nuts.

But in the medical community, surgeons are known to very typically have certain personality traits. One is a kind of supreme confidence - cutting into a persons body, sawing through bone, etc, when it's not some minor procedure, is something many people couldn't do well. They would be paralyzed by the possibility of making things worse. Especially when you are talking about more experimental surgeries or situations where decisions have to be made very quickly.

My suspicion is that it is the lack of anxiety about risk that is really important in these scenarios. Of course you don't want someone who is a cowboy, but it can be a fine line.

Surgeons are also well known for not being the best at being able to understand the wider patients goals, where often the patient isn't quite sure what questions to ask or how to understand the implications of surgery. Surgeons often tend to be so focused on the surgery they forget to ask themselves if it will really serve the patients needs.

That's all a generalization of course. Some people have none of those traits but are still able to do that kind of work under pressure. They just compartmentalize well.

@Namechange50008 The one in my case, that is a guess too, but narcissist, also yawned and expressed most things the same.

The dead eye look that I saw was more along the lines of, they looked different from what they were an hour before. Similar to someone's eyes expressing anger but without the anger or anything else associated, just the eyes but talking and acting normally. So to me I can see they look different, even around the eyes but to strangers they may not notice something off because they have no reference from before, if that makes sense.

Genuine question. Why do you think a surgeon would be emotionally invested anyway? Surely to any surgeon in this scenario you are just another patient/ number?

I will absolutely read all of this thread but haven't yet.

The Hare test is still the gold standard but it needs to be used in conjunction with as much of a person's background as possible. The diagnostic score is 30+ so don't worry if you're getting 25 😁

The psychopath has a different brain as seen in fMRI. The entire limbic system is compromised. The frontal lobe is missing grey matter (see Phineas Gage re: frontal lobe deficits) the amygdala is smaller (the fear centre) which is why they take more risks and tend not to fear consequences. The hypothalamus which is the reward centre of the brain is bigger so they partake in reward seeking behaviour, even if the reward involves hurting a person.

Obviously the higher the score, the more pronounced these deficits are. There are more of them but I'd be here all day.

One diagnosis I will argue the toss about is Ian Brady. He doesn't fit the criteria for the generally accepted psychopath diagnosis. He was a nihilistic sadist.

This isn't just hot air (well, it might be!) I've written a thesis on personality disorders and psychopathy and essays almost dissertation long on Brady.

I'd happily have a psychopath as a surgeon. I think it's really a really helpful scenario in which to have someone who is not too emotionally involved because it allows them to get on with the job at hand methodically and precisely.

Depends. It sounds dismissive at first but sometimes that's exactly what people want to hear before a procedure.

When he described my major surgery as mere carpentry I had a good idea that he was suitably emotionally removed from the reality/risk 💪🏻

He could well be, or else he just learned how to compartmentalise for different means.
No, thank you. I understand where the stigma stems from but it can be so irritating.

You are not brainless monsters. I guess certain portrayals and perceptions must be exhausting. There is good and bad in all of us, and we have all done things that we are not proud of.

I am pretty sure my surgeon in London is a psychopath, I kind of recognise them too after my experience, and he is an amazing man, world class and saved my life. I was one of many hundreds/thousands that he saved. Precision, clarity and lack of emotion can be invaluable. I don’t suppose you care about my opinion much, but for balance i thought it was important.

I've never met a psychopath (as far as I know) but I've met a fantasist / Walter Mitty type at work and he was an utterly bizarre character. When anybody gave him 5 seconds of time - in the lift, at the coffee machine, on the way to the toilet - he'd launch into the most staggering, unbelievable stories, which mounted up on each other until people were practically laughing out loud and he was just oblivious.

For example, on Monday he might see you at the coffee machine and say something plausible like "I used to be in the Armed Forces" and you'd listen to that story. Then he might catch you in the lift on Tuesday and say that he'd been shot twice by gangsters. Ok. Wednesday, he once got married in Las Vegas, and the bride's ex-H turned up and ran his car off the road, and he ended up throwing the guy from the top floor of a hotel. It just went on and on like a Liam Neeson movie, he couldn't stop himself. It was an absolute compulsion. On one occasion he was talking to one of our colleagues who has a physical disability and - mortifyingly - he started saying that his knees were screwed together with steel plates and that he had a limp, too. And then he limped for days. He didn't even try to be convincing, I mean a child could make up those stories. I've never met anyone else like that.

I know one definite psychopath, and possibly one other. The first one was a friend at uni, she nearly ruined my life. I studied psychopathy at uni, so I was good at spotting it, but not till after the events.

It probaby depends but I like animals and have loved some of them and mourned them.

Your contributions were fine and constructive.
But look at the thread and the amount of jokes and misconceptions (the yawning bit for example). It's not like anyone chose to have ASPD and wants to be marked as inherently evil. I can't speak for everyone as it differs by person but everyone, ASPD or not, has the ability to make choices.

I have done some awful stuff (who hasn't) and while I don't feel guilty I also know that I don't want to repeat some of it. Likewise I have made certain life choices because I believe them to be the best option to avoid hurt to others.
It's tiring. We're not brainless monsters

Question for anyone with psychopathy here: Do you ever feel guilt over something and can you love animals?

What has annoyed you about the thread? You feel it’s too stereotypical or pp experiences, including mine?

I don’t think anyone intended to offend.

@ConcreteUnderpants Yeah I'm only interested in a diagnosis for them because they have taken my children and I'll go down an assessment route in court if I have to because it's not right and I know it will start up again, if it hasn't already. I have no idea whether they are safe or not, I am blind and have been for months.

Interesting view, though and I can relate to some. I was always different from a child, always on the outside looking in and observing. I had no interests that aligned with others, I didn't feel the need to join in I was content on my own. I don't hate people but at the same time I don't really see the need in being around them. I am lonely but I don't have the urge to have friends because it's hard work and I struggle socially and I've never met anyone who is like me. I can easily stay at home indefinitely, lockdown wasn't a challenge, in that sense.

I feel love but not so much joy, I've always had a constant state of existence almost. I can't relate to others that get animated either joy or anger but I like making people happy, even though I don't understand it. Sadness I can because I experience that and I don't like seeing others sad but it's not like I deeply care about them, they just shouldn't be feeling what I have felt and it's cause is wrong. I often feel like I shouldn't be here, nothing makes sense from how the world is in general, people, their lives and things like TV shows or material things.

As I said previously everything is more logical to me rather than emotional. I see patterns in things, I read people very well, their behavior, what they say and how they talk. I also see long term outcomes, I am not at my first court hearing yet but my mind is at the last I've already ran through the scenarios, discussion, counters and outcomes. I am also impartial and fair. I cannot be swayed or influenced in any way to do or agree to what I don't want to do or agree with.

The only thing I do seem to need is a partner one person I can connect with and that person I will do anything for, treat them well better than I am treated. That's likely why I am in this mess my one chink that others cannot get through my one blind spot which ended up abusive.

Along with a partner the only true bond I have experienced is my children but they are on a deeper level. I will be there for them, teach them everything they need to know, protect and care for them. With them and them only I can be myself, I can sing and dance, for example, something nobody else has ever seen me do which I only do when I am alone. I perhaps mask majority of the time in that case.

There is no way I am going to leave them there alone with someone like that. I will not stop until I know they are safe and I will not be cut out from the only bond I have ever had. I am not angry at all I'm still my one state of existence but a line has been crossed in my head and I will fight in court for as long as it takes, because it's right.

That may be autism like it's been suggested as the children are autistic...but interesting to hear others views that for once I do relate in a way.

@Namechange50008 We can tell when someone is studying others the same way we do, but I would not necessarily put a label on them.
You need to mask in order to "survive" because otherwise you won't fit in and you will be alienated which is something that nobody wants. It's nothing but copying and mirroring that you pick up from people around you.

The bit about shafting you for a job and not caring, is because I know I am not meant to.

I could, and not feel bad about it of course. But that would give the game up and I am very conscious that I don’t. And I probably wouldn’t have to, as I’d be better at it than you! Yes, I have a very high opinion of myself too! 😉
I know if I put my mind to it, I could get whatever job I wanted in my field. I somehow know what to say and have the ability to find people’s weaknesses or vulnerabilities. Maybe because I have no empathy and you are so insignificant to me that I don’t care what you think or might say. Hence the tiredness of keeping up the facade.

I can usually spot other psychopaths maybe a bit like CSA survivors have feelings about perpetrators. Other psychopaths are the only threat to me in the food chain I suppose.

Anything else?

@JibbaJab I can’t say diagnosis has benefited me especially. It’s not something I tell people in real life, although it did make me feel a bit better about some of my ‘quirks’.

Life as a psychopath is boring and dull. Nothing like in the movies! Sorry to disappoint @Namechange50008!

As I said I spend most of the time flat and mentally exhausted from remembering social etiquette.

I love my children, perhaps in a different way to you all, but I don’t know. It is the closest thing I can ever feel to love that is for sure. Other people, including the rest of family, not so much. I am not even sure I care about them tbh.

I get very little joy from things. I smile and laugh, I hug my kids like I am meant to, but for their benefit. I get nothing from it. Apart from the hope that they think their mom is ‘normal’. I don’t do Instagram or anything to overcompensate. I just try and be like I see on TV dramas.

Obviously I can only talk about myself, but
I am an introvert, well-educated and like I said, nothing like the stereotypes paraded on here from people watching too much Netflix or reading crime books. You really wouldn’t know. If you thought I was anything, you perhaps would think mildly autistic, but even that I doubt as I mask so well. I am in my mid 40’s now, so a lot of experience. At first people just thought I was weird. The odd quiet child. Like Wednesday Addams, watching but not speaking I guess. Lots of tests, lots of questionnaires and here I am. I was mis-diagnosed with depression for a lot of years. Then bipolar. Then ASD. Then finally someone new saw it and here I am.

I don’t like people. I have no empathy. I don’t care about you. I will chat but inside I just want to get away as you are wasting my time. I wouldn’t shaft you to get a job or anything like that, but would I be upset about if my siblings and mother died? No. Would I care about if you hurt me? No. Would I plot some sadistic revenge? No. You just don’t matter to me.
I have no friends. Work acquaintances yes, but no one close. I see no point. I don’t like to share.

I pretty much just exist. I don’t care and am empty. It sucks really!

@ConcreteUnderpants

A lot of them are likely violent arseholes or just straight up abusive being tainted as a psychopath or a Narcissist.

But I dunno, what I have and am going through is ticking way too many NPD boxes to me. However, I'm fully aware I can't diagnose that and may be mistaken but it was fairly consistent throughout and what has happened since is also confirming my suspicions.

Same here, only reason I signed up after a friend told me about the thread. Don't have kids so maybe don't send yours over

The narcissist guy I know has had more women then I have had hot dinners. On the surface he is very confidentm charismatic and fun. He loves bombs! telling them how deeply he loves them, how he wishes they had met sooner etc and he is also very rich so can afford to go all out to spoil them. The woman then feels very lucky to have him and I imagine, let's a lot go. He ends up cheating and then the cycle starts up again.