Antisocial personality: symptoms, cause, couple

Definition: what is an antisocial personality?

According to the definition of the DSM-5, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, “the essential feature of Antisocial Personality Personality Disorder is a general pattern of disregard for and transgression of the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood“. This is’a repeated and persistent pattern of behavior where the fundamental rights of others and the main social rules are flouted. Psychiatrist Emanuel Loeb reports “an inability for the individual to conform to social norms and a tendency to harm people with a lack of remorse“

What are the symptoms and characteristics of an antisocial personality?

The specific behaviors characteristic of conduct disorder can be of four types:

► attacks on people or animals,

► the destruction of property,

► fraud or theft

► serious breaches of regulations.

Individuals with an antisocial personality, “ont an inability to conform to social norms lead them to commit acts of repeated delinquency, they have more aggressive behavior than the average and a tendency to put themselves in danger, provided their responsibility is full and complete“, reports the psychiatrist. We find in antisocial personalities, “a lack of empathy, a tendency to disregard the suffering of others, even to have fun“An antisocial personality experiences great instability,”with difficulty staying in a job, honoring commitments and maintaining relationships“.

What is the cause of an antisocial personality?

“Like most psychiatric disorders, we do not know, reports the psychiatrist, however, there are social, environmental and educational factors. Thus the risk that a conduct disorder evolves into an antisocial personality “is increased in a child who has been abused or neglectedunstable or erratic parenting or inconsistent exercise of authority“, reports the DSM-5. The manual states that “antisocial personality is more common in first-degree relatives of patients who present with this disorder than in the general population”. Among social factors, “prevalence is higher in samples suffering from adverse socioeconomic (i.e. poverty) or sociocultural (i.e. poverty) or sociocultural (i.e. poverty) factors. .i.e. migration)“, explains the DSM-5

What are the consequences for relationships?

“relationships with others are complicated for people with antisocial personality disorder, explains the psychiatrist, because of his tendencies not to respect the rules, he will put himself in difficulty compared to the group and a fortiorihe will end up being rejected“This behavior causes permanent instability,”with difficulty maintaining romantic, friendly or professional relationships“.

The diagnosis of an antisocial personality occurs whenone or more consultations with a psychiatrist or psychologist. This is a clinical examination, “a clinical reading is made with regard to the classifications” explains Emanuel Loeb. The DSM-5 specifies that “this diagnosis can only be made if the patient is 18 years or older and has already presented before the age of 15 at least some symptoms of conduct disorder“.

What is the treatment for an antisocial personality?

“There is no treatment, strictly speaking, to treat an antisocial personality, reports the psychiatrist, these are the associated disorders and comorbidities that can be treated“. In the case of an antisocial personality, behavioral and cognitive therapy can allow work on aggressiveness and impulsiveness. In some cases related to mood disorders, medication may be prescribed for mood stabilization or “sedative anti-psychotic to limit acting out“, explains the psychiatrist. According to Emanuel Loeb, “a dial environmentA child who presents with oppositional disorder with or without defiance should be monitored to limit the risk that the conduct disorder will develop into an antisocial personality disorder.

Thanks to doctor Emanuel Loeb, psychiatrist in Paris