What Is The Difference Between A Sociopath And A Narcissistic Sociopath?
Personality disorders are sometimes hard to diagnose, as they often have different symptomology. However, three similar personality disorders are narcissistic personality disorder, sociopath, and psychopath. Those with labels sociopath and psychopath are challenging people to determine which category they fall into, as some of the behaviors coincide. However, there are similarities, differences, and types of narcissists, sociopaths,s and psychopath criteria and behaviors that are important to note.
What Is Narcissistic Personality Disorder?
A narcissistic personality disorder is a mental condition where people have low self-esteem yet an inflated sense of their own importance. Narcissistic people don’t have empathy for others and have attention-seeking behaviors and a need for deep admiration. Narcissistic people don’t have an easy time in their relationships, school, or work because of their extreme range of needs.
Being In A Relationship With A Narcissist
Narcissistic people who don’t drive everyone away with their controlling, narcissistic behaviors tend to set limits with difficult benchmarks to reach. Dating a narcissist is hard because they are never completely satisfied or capable of having their expectations fulfilled.
Here is a checklist of narcissistic behavior:
- Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance
- Have a sense of entitlement and require constant admiration
- Please expect to be recognized as superior even when it is not warranted.
- Tend to exaggerate achievements and talents
- Tend to be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, intelligence, perfect looks, or need the perfect mate. Narcissistic relationships are more about them than their partner.
- Believe they are better than others and may only try to associate with those of equal status. It is often noted that there is a need for a narcissist to raise their self-worth.
- They are challenging people to make and keep happy.
- Narcissists are more interested in monopolizing conversations, belittles others, and look down on those they perceive as inferior.
- Expect special favors.
- Please take advantage of others to get what they want in life.
- Have an inability or don’t care to recognize the needs and feelings of others
- Think that everyone is envious of them
Dealing with a narcissist can be hard because of their inferiority complex, as well. Those with narcissistic personality disorder sometimes:
- Get very angry when they are not recognized as important.
- Have significant interpersonal problems
- Easily feel slighted
- React with rage or contempt
- Have a challenging time controlling themselves, their actions, and their feelings
- Secretly feel insecure, vulnerable, and humiliated.
While this checklist of narcissistic behaviors is not complete, it shares many of the same symptoms as narcissistic personality disorder NPD.
Also, a narcissistic personality disorder is hard to treat.
What Is A Psychopath?
A psychopath is a person who has a chronic mental disorder. They have abnormal or violent social behaviors. Psychopaths do things for their own selfish purposes, without care for others. They tend to be pathological liars, have an inability to feel guilt, are overly sexual and irresponsible, and are deceitful.
What Is A Sociopath?
Often the term used for a psychopath and a sociopath is used to define the same individual. Sociopaths are unable to understand the feelings of others. They tend to be rule breakers and have impulse control issues. Sociopaths don’t feel guilt or remorse for the harm they cause. A sociopath qualifies as such because they are typically not as violent in nature. However, a sociopath is more calculating in some ways than a psychopath.
Doctors label sociopaths as having an antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). Sociopaths qualify as such by their excessive patterns. Extreme symptomology is the singular difference between a psychopath and a sociopath. However, the differences are irrelevant in most cases.
How Are Narcissists Similar To Sociopaths?
Sometimes it is hard to differentiate between being a sociopath or a narcissist. Sociopathic tendencies may have limits with difficult self-control, truth-telling, and empathy, narcissists who aren’t psychopaths, may have a singular diagnosis. This is not always the case.
Sociopaths and narcissists are similar because they can both be smart and successful. Narcissists and sociopaths also share the commonalities of being abusive, dishonest, selfish, controlling, and unreliable. Sociopaths also share symptoms along with narcissistic behavior, including a lack of empathy and appropriate emotional responses. Sociopaths qualify as narcissists because they lack insight but are at the same time charismatic.
However, narcissists can improve with proper help, where sociopaths typically get worse over time when not treated properly. Sociopaths qualify for psychotherapy and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) since these are considered the best course of treatment.
The main difference between a narcissist and a sociopath is how victimized you become when associated with a sociopath. A secondary difference between a narcissist and a sociopath is that a narcissist can make you feel good about yourself.
Is It Possible To Have A Dual Diagnosis?
Since there are few differences between a narcissist and a sociopath, it is possible to have a dual diagnose. This is more common when you get diagnosed separately or by two different doctors who disagree. The differences are few, and it is not always easy to determine which mental illness a patient may be experiencing.
The most important people to have help with diagnosing are those closest to the patient. At times, a couple may seek marriage or family counseling. The partner of a narcissist can discuss with a therapist the other symptoms.
For example:
A man and his wife attend counseling because they are having marital trouble. If it is suspected that the wife is dealing with a narcissistic spouse, the counselor can ask critical questions to see if violence is a part of their relationship. While not all partners will be upfront about spousal abuse, a well-trained therapist can pick up on the body language of each party.
If a wife is trying to share her dealing with her husband, he may tense up or start when control is mentioned. However, if the question “has he ever been physical with you?” is asked, and neither party changes their disposition, the counselor may be more inclined to diagnose the husband as being a narcissist.
How Many Types Of Narcissism Are There?
There are seven types of narcissists ranging from the closet narcissist to the exhibitionist narcissist. The different types of narcissists are:
- toxic narcissist
- psychopathic narcissist
- closet narcissist
- exhibitionist narcissist
- bullying narcissist
- seducer narcissist
- malignant narcissists
The distinctive qualities of narcissists ranging from toxic to those considered malignant narcissists are minor, compared to the exhibitionist and bullying narcissists. However, all seven types end with difficult people who refuse to be controlled. Narcissists who cannot control someone do not want to waste their time associating with them; they would assume to move onto someone they can victimize.
Narcissistic abuse does exist, albeit much of it is mental abuse. This, again, is found in both sociopaths and narcissists. Narcissists learn how they can gain the response they want from their victims. They are calculative and spend time finding people they can manipulate the most; a sociopath who might leave may take longer to depart because they are less likely to have an emotional reaction or empathy. What drives them differs slightly, with social cues being a significant factor in a sociopath’s perception of the relationship.
How Can I Find Out What Is Wrong With My Partner?
If you are suspicious that you may be in a relationship with someone who has a mental disorder, it is best to learn more about each type. The subtle variations among mental disorders make them challenging to treat because there is no single test that can help diagnose a patient.
With the knowledge you gain, you can decide if you have more of a narcissist spouse than a sociopath. From there, you can decide how you want to proceed. Some will choose to stay with their partner because they feel there is true love there. Others will leave because they recognize their relationship is based more on control than true passion. Narcissists, not all narcissists, however, are typically capable of true love, but you need to be able to decipher if your partner loves to control you or truly loves you.
Leave A Narcissist 8 Steps To Freedom
If you want to get out of a mentally abusive relationship, there are eight recommended steps to take to get out quickly. They are:
- Do not tell your partner that you are planning on leaving.
- Make a well-thought-out plan.
- Set aside cash to take with you so that credit cards cannot be traced.
- Check your bank records to see if you have a digital trail or a noticeable spending pattern.
- When you leave, do not go back.
- Maintain a no-contact policy from the instant you leave.
- Don’t go back or take your ex back.
- Give yourself plenty of time to heal from the abusive relationship.
Yes, the behavior costs narcissists’ friendships and relationships. It doesn’t always have to be that way, however. If you find that you are with a narcissist and sociopath, it is best to sever ties as soon as possible. These relationships are not good for anyone to be in, and you should avoid them if possible.
FAQs
What is the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths?
There’s a big difference between a psychopath and a sociopath, although those differences aren’t always easy to spot. Usually, it takes a licensed therapist to diagnose with sociopathy or psychopathy because they’re both such intense yet mysterious mental health disorders. However, the clearest distinction between the two is that psychopaths are born while sociopaths are made. So, what’s the difference in behavior that makes them so unique?
In general, people with sociopathy and psychopathy are described as “cold-hearted” or indifferent. Meanwhile, a sociopath is a term used to describe someone who is “hot-headed” and temperamental. Asking what’s the difference is common, though, mostly because psychopaths and sociopaths both have little remorse for their behaviors. They both also act without careful consideration, especially of how their actions affect others.
Moreover, psychopaths and sociopaths have many brain differences as well. For example, someone diagnosed with sociopathy or psychopathy might show activity and/or inactivity in certain parts of the front cortex unique to the condition. A sociopath and a psychopath may have much in common, but a sociopath can feel slight empathy while a psychopath can only assimilate into societal norms to suit their agenda. However, the terms sociopath and psychopath are still frequently confused by the general public. So, ask a licensed therapist what’s the difference for more information.
Are you born a psychopath or sociopath?
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, there are more than a few brain differences between sociopaths and psychopaths. However, the terms psychopath and sociopath are commonly interchanged because of the many similarities. Still, the most glaring difference is that psychopaths are born while sociopaths are made.
Behavioral genetics research has identified numerous genetic and non-genetic anomalies inside the brains of psychopaths and sociopaths. They’ve also been able to establish a clear distinction between the two. As such, a sociopath is a term used to describe learned behaviors, habits, and perceptions that lead to cold-heartedness and a lack of empathy. However, sociopaths and psychopaths are not the same because psychopaths have a hereditary predisposition while sociopaths do not.
Simultaneously, a sociopath and a psychopath both exhibit diagnosable behaviors due to childhood anti-social influences and/or trauma such as guilt, bullying, aggression, or abuse. Thus, they’re both closely related to narcissistic personality disorder or NPD. On the bright side, all three mental health conditions can be treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) through a licensed mental health professional.
What are 3 differences between sociopaths and psychopaths?
Many people want to know the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath, but understanding the distinctions can be tough if you’re not a licensed psychologist. A sociopath and a psychopath are very different in terms of brain chemistry and causation. However, both behavioral disorders can result in lacking empathy and manipulation. Thus, it’s important to know the difference, even if that means looking closer at certain behaviors, personality traits, habits, and opinions.
The terms psychopath and sociopath are often confused. There are main distinctions, but there are the three main differences to watch out for:
- Psychopaths can be extremely charming and lead a relatively normal life.
- Sociopaths are usually more erratic in their habits, behaviors, and reactions.
- Psychopaths are born with a genetic predisposition toward the disorder, while sociopaths are not.
To find out if you or someone you know is a psychopath or sociopath, don’t diagnose them independently. Instead, seek the wisdom of a licensed counselor for more information. Counselors have experience with sociopathy and psychopathy, and they can usually prescribe treatments and/or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help.
Do psychopaths always commit crimes?
People with psychopathy aren’t inherently criminals, nor do they always commit crimes or offend others. In fact, the terms sociopath and psychopath are commonly confused, so many people believe psychopathic individuals are prone to violence. Nothing could be further from the truth, and as science learns more about psychopath or sociopath behaviors, we also begin understanding that psychopaths use charm instead of fear for manipulation.
Thus, crimes aren’t always committed just because someone is diagnosed with psychopathy. More often than not, psychopaths lure others in by building trust instead of breaking it. They’re more cold-hearted and calculating than a sociopath, medically reviewed as genetically predisposed, and more likely to live a normal life than someone with knee-jerk reactions and hostile emotions. Therefore, psychopaths are generally considered more dangerous than those with sociopathy or even narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD.
If you or someone you know is suspected of being a psychopath, don’t diagnose yourself or try to self-medicate. This is a very rare but extremely serious mental health disorder that requires intense therapies over the long term. Therapists know more about what causes someone to become a sociopath, medically reviewed the best treatments available, and can offer you help to live a more normal life without the urge to commit a crime.
What are the signs of a psychopath?
The signs of a psychopath aren’t always easy to spot. That’s because psychopathic people often build trust to manipulate thoughts, feelings, and/or actions. Then, a psychopath will use denial and guilt to make the accuser question their assumptions. However, those are not the only signs to beware of. In fact, most psychopaths come across as charming or can assimilate into everyday society to achieve their agendas. Thus, it’s important to work with a licensed professional to diagnose the disorder.
In general, psychopathy is characterized as lacking compassion, empathy, or regret for behaviors or actions that affect others. It can be described as callousness or detachment, wherein the psychopath only feigns those emotions to gain valuable strongholds over someone else. In truth, they have little to no conscience and thus cannot self-correct. Therefore, many (but not all) psychopaths become criminals to some degree.
Interestingly, studies have shown that psychopathy is an inherited trait. Signs can be seen in early childhood, and treatments have been developed to help stop the progression of psychopathic behaviors. Here are the 20 most common signs that get targeted the hardest:
- Superficiality
- Glibness
- Delusions of grandeur
- Pathological lying
- Easily bored
- Cunningness
- Shallow emotional responses
- Lacking self-control
- Promiscuity
- Parasitic tendencies
- Missing long-term goals
- No guilt or remorse
- Impulsive behaviors
- Irresponsibility
- Blaming others for actions
- Failure to maintain relationships
- Criminal versatility
- Childhood behavioral issues
- Juvenile delinquency
- Repetitive dangerous behaviors
If you or someone you know may be suffering from psychopathy, seek help immediately from a licensed mental health practitioner.
