Antisocial personality disorder explains people who have the tendency to ignore and violate the rights of others around them. So, is antisocial personality disorder a mental illness? Answer is ‘yes’.
Definition
Antisocial personality disorder is best understood within the context of the more comprehensive category of personality disorders.
A personality disorder is a long-lasting pattern of personal experience and behavior that deviates significantly from the expectations of the person’s culture, is prevalent and inflexible, has a start in teenage years or early the adult years, is stable in time, and causes individual distress or problems.
Antisocial personality disorder is identified by a pattern of disregard for and offense of the rights of others. The medical diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder is not offered to people under the age of 18 but is given only if there is a history of some symptoms of conduct disorder prior to age 15.
The symptoms of antisocial personality disorder can differ in seriousness. The more egregious, damaging, or dangerous behavior patterns are described as sociopathic or psychopathic. There has been much dispute as to the difference between these descriptions. Sociopathy is chiefly defined as something badly wrong with one’s conscience; psychopathy is identified as a complete lack of conscience relating to others. Some professionals explain people with this constellation of symptoms as “stone cold” to the rights of others. Complications of this disorder include imprisonment, substance abuse, and alcohol addiction.
People with this health problem might appear charming on the surface area, but they are most likely to be irritable and aggressive along with irresponsible. They might have various somatic grievances and maybe attempt suicide. Due to their manipulative propensities, it is tough to inform whether they are lying or telling the truth.
Antisocial personality disorder is far more common in males than in women. The greatest occurrence of antisocial personality disorder is discovered among males who abuse alcohol or drugs or who are in jails or other forensic settings.
Symptoms of Antisocial Personality Disorders
- Disregard for society’s laws
- Offense of the physical or emotional rights of others
- Lack of stability in job and home life
- Irritability and aggressiveness
- Lack of regret
- Constant irresponsibility
- Recklessness, impulsivity
- Deceitfulness
- A youth medical diagnosis (or symptoms constant with) conduct disorder
Antisocial personality is verified by a psychological assessment. Other disorders ought to be eliminated first, as this is a severe diagnosis.
The alcohol and substance abuse typical amongst people with antisocial personality disorder can worsen symptoms of the disorder. When drug abuse and antisocial personality disorder exist side-by-side, treatment is more complicated for both.
Causes
While the exact causes of this disorder are unidentified, both ecological and genetic elements have been implicated. Hereditary factors are thought since the incidence of antisocial behavior is greater in people with an antisocial biological parent. Ecological aspects might also be blamed, however, as a person whose good example had antisocial propensities is most likely to establish them.
About three percent of men and about one percent of women have antisocial personality disorder. Much greater portions exist among the jail population.
Antisocial Personality Disorders Treatment
Antisocial personality disorder is one of the most challenging personality conditions to treat. Individuals hardly ever seek treatment on their own and might start therapy only when mandated to do so by a court.
There is no clearly indicated treatment for antisocial personality disorder. Just recently, an antipsychotic medication called clozapine has shown appealing results in enhancing symptoms among men with antisocial personality disorder.
