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Signs of psychopathy, sneakiness and general evil traits?

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    #62
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 13,712 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Mad_maxx wrote: »
    One of my sisters is bi polar , she is in her thirties yet acts like a child when challenged about anything, she has obvious mental illness but is not violent and certainly not a psychopath


    I've only ever met one person who I felt was a psychopath, they expressed a desire to see people hurt and claimed it would make them laugh
    I think we'll really know we've made progress with mental-health stigma when people with schizophrenia, bipolar and active addiction are given the same genuine encouragement as those living with anxiety or depression.

    Huge progress seems to have been made on the latter two, but I would imagine people like your sister still perceive a sense of alienation from society. Part of the problem is that we don't know how to speak to someone who is having a manic episode, for example, or is experiencing a paranoid delusion. I don't even mean help them, I wouldn't even know what to say.

    Getting back to psychopaths, I think someday we will probably accept them as suffering from a mental illness too, not of their making. But that's a long way off. It's still unremarkable to observe that you wouldn't want someone with a personality disorder in your life, and I'm not even claiming moral high ground – I wouldn't either.

    It's hard to reconcile that aversion with the knowledge that they are most likely victims of a biological accident.


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    #63
    bb1234567
    Registered Users Posts: 5,494 ✭✭✭bb1234567


    People who can't take even a minor joke thrown at them. Any piss taken out of them met with indignance, defensiveness or outright anger, no matter how harmless the joke. Very odd and really rubs me the wrong way, sure sign of awful narcissism.


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    #64
    Jequ0n
    Registered Users Posts: 6,034 ✭✭✭Jequ0n


    A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »
    I think we'll really know we've made progress with mental-health stigma when people with schizophrenia, bipolar and active addiction are given the same genuine encouragement as those living with anxiety or depression.

    Huge progress seems to have been made on the latter two, but I would imagine people like your sister still perceive a sense of alienation from society. Part of the problem is that we don't know how to speak to someone who is having a manic episode, for example, or is experiencing a paranoid delusion. I don't even mean help them, I wouldn't even know what to say.

    Getting back to psychopaths, I think someday we will probably accept them as suffering from a mental illness too, not of their making. But that's a long way off. It's still unremarkable to observe that you wouldn't want someone with a personality disorder in your life, and I'm not even claiming moral high ground – I wouldn't either.

    It's hard to reconcile that aversion with the knowledge that they are most likely victims of a biological accident.

    I agree that many conditions which were formerly met with complete judgement and stigma are now regarded differently, which is probably a good thing.
    However: It’s notable how it is still acceptable to call/ label people as “psychos” or “sociopaths” while any mentioning of “retard” or the likes will see you getting publicly executed.

    The other thing that is absolutely fascinating is how many people think that they can spot, identify and diagnose conditions like aspd or, even more popular, narcissism.

    Everyone is a narcissist these days, particularly if they broke up with you. Every psychopath tortures animals and they have absolutely no feelings at all. Great one heard in work was how an employee “turns bi-polar” every few weeks when she is on the rag. (Was said by said person’s female manager before anyone freaks out at me now)

    Absolutely fascinating how many subject experts are out there.


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    #65
    Mango Joe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,179 ✭✭✭Mango Joe


    A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »
    Not sure how serious an answer you're looking for on the psychopathy thing, OP, but I would say psychopathy (or anti social personality disorder) doesn't need any hints.

    Psychopathy is one of those overused words like "depressed" or "OCD" which we usually use outside of its psychological meaning, but it's an immediately obvious disorder. God love them, like, because it's probably deserving of being described as a mental illness instead of a personality disorder.

    * Partially quoted this - The whole post is here.

    Just curious as to what do people think of the above? Is this an accurate assessment?

    If you met a true Psychopath is it going to be this immediately obvious? Perhaps it might be in some cases but I don't think this is a safe assertion to make universally.

    I personally think that a person of above average intelligence who has been living with their own Psychopathy for a lifetime may well be practiced enough in their approach as to be able to act in an engaging and charismatic manner long enough work their way into your life with their true nature being discovered later.

    Take Ted Bundy for example - He was far too intelligent and slick to bumble around candidly and clumsily advertising a Psychopathic nature to anyone who ran into him to observe.

    He'd charm you, compliment you, make you laugh - invoke your sympathies and empathetic responses in order to shape outcomes to suit his motives and desired outcomes.... You probably wouldn't have a notion until it was far too late.


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    #66
    .anon.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,094 ✭✭✭.anon.


    Holding opinions that aren't the same as mine.


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    #67
    Fakediamond
    Registered Users Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭Fakediamond


    Domestic violence abusers, being cruel to children or animals, including pets/farm animals/wildlife, some policiticans, CEO’s.

    It’s just that ruthless, callous, cold attitude towards others that gives them away.


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    #68
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm not sure if I see psychopathy and it's friend sociopathy as personality disorders. Certainly they are outside the 'normal' bounds of personality but does that mean they are disorders? I don't know.
    Experts may disagree with me but I always see people in broader terms than a diagnosis.

    As a previous poster said they are over used terms that are often given to people. Narcissist is another one. If I had a euro for the amount of times I hear or read "they are a narcissist" or "my mum/dad is a narcissist". That last one is an increasingly popular statement to make.
    It makes me wonder.

    All of these narcissists and psychopaths popping up in peoples lives. Is it a way for them to avoid personal responsibility and instead view the other as having the issue?

    What causes a person to become a psychopath isn't straightforward. There are genetic, biological and environmental factors at play. It's not one or the other. It never is when it comes to the mind.


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    #69
    stuboy01
    Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭stuboy01


    Constant self promotion in a shameless way (lying basterdy types)
    e.g.
    New MD was appointed to a company I worked for a few years back.
    spent most of his time telling us (management) that he was 'Millers' and didn't need the job, how brilliant he was in his recent roles etc.
    how he would rescue the business profit line and that cutting people was not the way to do it.
    well, he cut about 30 people and hired a load of lackey yes men types he knew and he ended up getting the heave ho after a year.

    not the most Psychopathic person I've worked for though.


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    #70
    ThewhiteJesus
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,714 ✭✭✭ThewhiteJesus


    anyone who wears fake tan or gets trout pout lips


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    #71
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    BrianD3 wrote: »
    "Travelling" conmen targeting the elderly with cognitive issues - not for aggravated burglary (although they do that too) but rather to convince them to get home maintenance done for exorbitant prices. Done by turning on the charm and paying fake compliments while lying through their teeth.

    Came home from work one day and there were two lads up on ladders outside one of the elderly neighbours' house. Tracksuit bottoms and leather slip on shoes = Alarm bells. Called over to see how he was and he said the two boys were in the neighbourhood and were cleaning out gutters, asked if he wanted his done while they were in the area. A classic "foot in the door" type scam.

    I told him that I'd do it for him and called up to the two boyos, told them the story. They weren't happy, obviously. After a bit of back and forth, one of them said "Sure, we're nearly finished boss.....we'll need to be paid for the work already done".

    I asked him to show me what had been done. "If you're nearly finished, show me what you've taken out of the gutters so far.....where's all the muck and silt and weeds?....Where have you been throwing the stuff you've cleaned out of the gutters cos I can''t see anything?"................Silence.

    They started coming down the ladders, giving out and grumbling about money so I just said, "fair enough, we'll get the guards up here and sort it out......my brother's a guard actually (he's not), I'll give him a ring"..............."ah, now, no need to be involving the law now boss, we're on the way".

    As they finished up packing their crap, one of them turns to the old man and hands him two slates/shingles from the roof. "These were loose, I thought I'd take them down for safety, so they don't blow onto your car or hit your grandkids......If you want, I can get a lad up to fix it for ya" :mad:

    I lifted them out of it, told them to feck off and waited til they were gone before I went and got my own ladders out. When I got up on the roof, there weren't even any missing slates, your man had brought them with him.

    There's a special place in hell reserved for people who prey on the weak and vulnerable. I remeber reading a story about some junkie who'd been cught stealing from the wards of kids with terminal illnesses in St James' hospital. I mean, lifting stuff from kids with cancer and leukemia......that's lower than a snake's ballbag.


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    #72
    redoctober
    Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭redoctober


    Mango Joe wrote: »
    * Partially quoted this - The whole post is here.

    Just curious as to what do people think of the above? Is this an accurate assessment?

    If you met a true Psychopath is it going to be this immediately obvious? Perhaps it might be in some cases but I don't think this is a safe assertion to make universally.

    I personally think that a person of above average intelligence who has been living with their own Psychopathy for a lifetime may well be practiced enough in their approach as to be able to act in an engaging and charismatic manner long enough work their way into your life with their true nature being discovered later.

    Take Ted Bundy for example - He was far too intelligent and slick to bumble around candidly and clumsily advertising a Psychopathic nature to anyone who ran into him to observe.

    He'd charm you, compliment you, make you laugh - invoke your sympathies and empathetic responses in order to shape outcomes to suit his motives and desired outcomes.... You probably wouldn't have a notion until it was far too late.

    Yes and many psychopaths were only discovered after many years of damage were done. So their traits can't be that obvious.


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    #73
    redoctober
    Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭redoctober


    stuboy01 wrote: »
    Constant self promotion in a shameless way (lying basterdy types)
    e.g.
    New MD was appointed to a company I worked for a few years back.
    spent most of his time telling us (management) that he was 'Millers' and didn't need the job, how brilliant he was in his recent roles etc.
    how he would rescue the business profit line and that cutting people was not the way to do it.
    well, he cut about 30 people and hired a load of lackey yes men types he knew and he ended up getting the heave ho after a year.

    not the most Psychopathic person I've worked for though.

    Yes. There are people leaning toward the narcissist side. Similar boss in our place. Had a story for every occasion. If you said your wife stubbed her toe, he would have a bigger better (read idiotic and unrealistic) story about how one of "his mates" had to have all their toes amputated!

    One story sticks out where he said his friend came home drunk and sat on the flat top stove and burnt his a*se cheeks! And we all sat there trying to find a neutral space on the wall to stare at....

    What kind of insecurity must someone have to make up nonsense stories which are obvious bull in order to impress people who cna clearly see right through them? Or is that they think they're so clever and other people are so dumb they'll never spot it?


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    #74
    Jequ0n
    Registered Users Posts: 6,034 ✭✭✭Jequ0n


    It would be a good starting point to stop equating people diagnosed with aspd with notorious serial killers etc. As mentioned earlier I believe that the entertainment industry has to a lot to answer for with regards to having created a very one sided and generic picture of the condition, which is very much based on fantasy and shock factors. It is tiresome and frustrating at times, but I guess the same applies to many other common misrepresentations.

    While there is still a lot of uncertainty about the causes (genetic vs environmental factors) there have also been huge advances, so it is possible to find a lot of information on it should one be genuinely interested.

    And no: there are no "safe" tell-tale signs as we're talking about people here and everyone will be different to some extend. There seem to be some common behavioural patterns that come up, though these are not uniformly linked to aspd only and can also be associated with other beautiful labels people like to assign. As with all people: the better adapted the person the less likely it is that they stand out and are "identifiable"


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    #75
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Mango Joe wrote:
    Personally if you have turned off read receipts in WhatsApp then I won't ever trust you and I do not like the way you're living your life.......

    Boards is virtually the only social media source I've used, I'm the real deal evil one!


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    #76
    begbysback
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,910 ✭✭✭begbysback


    Placing utensils head down in the dishwasher, be careful people, this has yet to fail unveiling true psychopaths


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    #77
    Mimon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,474 ✭✭✭Mimon


    It can be hard to pick up on these type of people. Had a lad at work who when
    I was having the craic with people in the office/talking would start singing the song " The lies that you told me".

    It took a good few incidences of this to realise for whatever reason it was when I was talking he would start up with it. No one else seemed to notice, thinking probably that it was a song yer man liked.

    Once I was sure that it was some sort of sneaky dig at me I took him aside and warned him that his head would be removed from his shoulders if I heard that song from him again. I stopped interacting with him after that.


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    #78
    Mimon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,474 ✭✭✭Mimon


    begbysback wrote: »
    Placing utensils head down in the dishwasher, be careful people, this has yet to fail unveiling true psychopaths

    Whoever empties the dishwasher must love you :D

    Should-you-air-a-cut-or-cover-it.jpg


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    #79
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    redoctober wrote:
    What kind of insecurity must someone have to make up nonsense stories which are obvious bull in order to impress people who cna clearly see right through them? Or is that they think they're so clever and other people are so dumb they'll never spot it?

    Many disorders manifest as forms of narcissism, including my own, autism, hard to know exactly why, but the cluster b's are extremely complex, childhood trauma certainly seems to be common


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    #80
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Mimon wrote:
    Once I was sure that it was some sort of sneaky dig at me I took him aside and warned him that his head would be removed from his shoulders if I heard that song from him again. I stopped interacting with him after that.

    Would ignoring him be a better option, rather than threatening a co worker?


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    #81
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,277 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Came home from work one day and there were two lads up on ladders outside one of the elderly neighbours' house. Tracksuit bottoms and leather slip on shoes = Alarm bells. Called over to see how he was and he said the two boys were in the neighbourhood and were cleaning out gutters, asked if he wanted his done while they were in the area. A classic "foot in the door" type scam.

    I told him that I'd do it for him and called up to the two boyos, told them the story. They weren't happy, obviously. After a bit of back and forth, one of them said "Sure, we're nearly finished boss.....we'll need to be paid for the work already done".

    I asked him to show me what had been done. "If you're nearly finished, show me what you've taken out of the gutters so far.....where's all the muck and silt and weeds?....Where have you been throwing the stuff you've cleaned out of the gutters cos I can''t see anything?"................Silence.

    They started coming down the ladders, giving out and grumbling about money so I just said, "fair enough, we'll get the guards up here and sort it out......my brother's a guard actually (he's not), I'll give him a ring"..............."ah, now, no need to be involving the law now boss, we're on the way".

    As they finished up packing their crap, one of them turns to the old man and hands him two slates/shingles from the roof. "These were loose, I thought I'd take them down for safety, so they don't blow onto your car or hit your grandkids......If you want, I can get a lad up to fix it for ya" :mad:

    I lifted them out of it, told them to feck off and waited til they were gone before I went and got my own ladders out. When I got up on the roof, there weren't even any missing slates, your man had brought them with him.

    There's a special place in hell reserved for people who prey on the weak and vulnerable. I remeber reading a story about some junkie who'd been cught stealing from the wards of kids with terminal illnesses in St James' hospital. I mean, lifting stuff from kids with cancer and leukemia......that's lower than a snake's ballbag.
    Yes, this all sounds very familiar along with handing out flyers with
    • landline numbers that don't exist
    • business premises addresses that don't exist
    • logos of the SEAi and tradesmen's guilds which were copied off a website
    • claims to be "fully insured"
    By the way they backed down when you challenged them, they must have been wary of or even intimidated by you. The only thing they understand is power and force. Although it is quite comical the way he produced the slates, even after being caught out he couldn't let it go.

    In general, no shame, morals or empathy whatsoever. They will have gone away looking for the next elderly person without giving it a second thought, never thinking "would I like it if someone did that to my parent". You'd have to wonder is this genetic or environmental, a combination of both, "culture "etc..


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    #82
    stuboy01
    Registered Users Posts: 130 ✭✭stuboy01


    on a more serious note, My friend has worked in early years for 20 odd years. Over the years she has come across a very few kids that she would be genuinely worried about in the future.
    Lack of empathy, attempts to seriously harm other kids, joy in killing any bugs/animals they can find, obvious lying to cover behaviour etc.
    small tells accompanied by other more obvious ones.
    one in particular she said was a truly terrifying child.


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    #83
    redoctober
    Registered Users Posts: 137 ✭✭redoctober


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    Many disorders manifest as forms of narcissism, including my own, autism, hard to know exactly why, but the cluster b's are extremely complex, childhood trauma certainly seems to be common

    I've met a lot of people with autism but I haven't seen this trait. Do you think it would be common for someone to make up stories that were so obviously untrue? I would have said people with autism would be the opposite - stating the absolute truth of something and calling out bull. No?

    I remember a guy in college who used to do this too and would make up elaborate stories about all his "mates" who clearly were figments of his imagination. In his case he was clearly a bit of a loner desperate to impress. The boss mentioned above is more of the narcissitic hard man type out to prove that he's got more "cool" stories than anyone else ever so there! :-)


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    #84
    YellowLead
    Registered Users Posts: 7,661 ✭✭✭YellowLead


    Extreme defensiveness. Blaming ‘society’ for their problems...


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    #85
    Mimon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,474 ✭✭✭Mimon


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    Would ignoring him be a better option, rather than threatening a co worker?

    It was bullying and psycological abuse he was inflicting on me. Only one way to deal with bullies in my experience. Nicely, nicely does not work with these type of people, they will prey on you even more.


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    #86
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,277 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    The Walter Mitty/Two Sh*ts lads - I don't think they would tend to be on the dark triad spectrum. I haven't come across any who have done very well for themselves in their careers or harmed anyone.

    They can be a source of entertainment, what outlandish claim is he going to make next. They aren't corrected because people want to hear more of it.

    IME the claims often revolve around martial arts, feats of strength and athleticism, guns and explosives.

    I witnessed an uncomfortable scene when a Walter who had been spouting sh*te for years was challenged by another lad who was a bit of a asshole/smartarse. Took him apart in front of a few people. The Walter lad tried to respond, his voice getting higher and higher as he did so. Then he started to cry.


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    #87
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    redoctober wrote: »
    I've met a lot of people with autism but I haven't seen this trait. Do you think it would be common for someone to make up stories that were so obviously untrue? I would have said people with autism would be the opposite - stating the absolute truth of something and calling out bull. No?

    I remember a guy in college who used to do this too and would make up elaborate stories about all his "mates" who clearly were figments of his imagination. In his case he was clearly a bit of a loner desperate to impress. The boss mentioned above is more of the narcissitic hard man type out to prove that he's got more "cool" stories than anyone else ever so there! :-)

    apologies, i meant narcissism is relatively common with autism, but to be fair to those of us on the spectrum, we have a tendency to hyper focus on specialised topics, add in poor communication skills, and a poor understanding of social norms and cues, and you ll have a problem fairly quickly, all of this can come across as narcissism. yes its true, we struggle to lie, and tend to be extremely honest, even when inappropriate


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    #88
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    YellowLead wrote: »
    Extreme defensiveness. Blaming ‘society’ for their problems...

    people sometimes just need validation or acceptance of their situation from others, it can sometimes be a sign of someone just needing help and support with their needs. if this does not occur, this can sometimes result in maladaptive coping mechanisms to just survive, including communicating these issues, poorly
    Mimon wrote: »
    It was bullying and psycological abuse he was inflicting on me. Only one way to deal with bullies in my experience. Nicely, nicely does not work with these type of people, they will prey on you even more.

    so threatening them is the mature way to deal with this?


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    #89
    Feisar
    Registered Users Posts: 6,597 ✭✭✭Feisar


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    so threatening them is the mature way to deal with this?

    To be fair he did give him a chance

    First they came for the socialists...



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    #90
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,805 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Feisar wrote: »
    To be fair he did give him a chance

    true, but maybe ignoring is a better option, there will always be arseholes in society


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    #91
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    And remember that everyone on Boards has reached the pinnacle of self actualisation and are always mature and stable in everything they do.


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