• Question: what category would sociopath fall into ? do you help with sociopaths and pschopaths?

    Asked by random :) to Psychiatry Ward Team, Neel - Psychiatrist, Home Treatment Team, Early Intervention Team, Ed - Mental Health Nurse, Arts Therapy Team on 30 Jan 2019.
    • Photo: Arts Therapy Team

      Arts Therapy Team answered on 30 Jan 2019:

      Richard: We would class sociopaths as having personality difficulties, there are specific forms of treatment for people with anti-social personality disorder, but it is important that that an individual wants to change. I have worked with individuals with this disorder and it is well known that people with this order can function and do well in society (until that is they break the law and/or harm someone else) Often then can develop a mental illness like psychosis and then they might get into trouble with the police, they will then be treated by a specialist mental health Forensic service.

    • Photo: Sheffield Psychiatry Ward Team

      Sheffield Psychiatry Ward Team answered on 30 Jan 2019:

      Emma here 🙂

      As Richard says, we see all kinds of people in mental health, including those with anti-social personality disorder (also known as sociopathy). People with this personality disorder can be impulsive, irresponsible, manipulative and more likely to commit crimes or be violent. Psychopathy is similar but more extreme, and actually quite rare despite the portrayal you see on telly and in the papers!

      I worked in a secure mental health unit for a year before my current job (where patients who have committed crimes are looked after). To be completely honest I had a lot of preconceptions about those with antisocial personality disorder and thought they would all be mean, violent and dangerous. I was quite nervous and scared before I started!

      They are in fact all just human beings, but with backgrounds different to mine and different (more negative) ways of coping/reacting. Usually there is a background of trauma in childhood (abuse, serious events, losses etc) and sometimes drug or alcohol misuse, so it’s important to remember the human being underneath it all. The patients I looked after more often than not wanted to change and engaged in therapy and their treatment.

      There are things we can do to help. Therapy is usually most useful in these patients as medications aren’t likely to work (unless they develop conditions such as depression or schizophrenia etc). For example, work around anger management could be useful so that people are less likely to be violent when angry. If they use substances then work to stop this is good too, as lots of substances lower inhibitions and make people more likely to be impulsive and reckless anyway.

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