Antisocial personality disorder is a type of personality disorder in which an individual disregards social rules and ignores the rights and feelings of others. The behavior of individuals with antisocial personality disorder is impulsive, aggressive and manipulative. This type of disorder can manifest itself as rebellious and aggressive behavior during childhood and adolescence. Psychotherapy techniques and some medications are used in its treatment.
Personality disorders affect the way an individual thinks and behaves. Antisocial personality disorder affects people's behavior, causing them to fail to adapt to social norms.
What are the symptoms of antisocial personality disorder?
Adults with antisocial personality disorder usually show signs of behavioral disorder before the age of 15. The following behaviors can be observed in people with antisocial personality disorder:
- Ignoring right and wrong,
- Lying to take advantage of others,
- Not being sensitive and respectful to others,
- Using charm or intelligence for personal gain, pleasure or to manipulate others,
- Having a sense of superiority and being extremely stubborn,
- Having problems with the law, including criminal behavior,
- Being aggressive or threatening towards others.
- Not feeling guilty about harming others,
- Doing dangerous things with disregard for the safety of yourself or others,
- Being irresponsible and not fulfilling work or financial responsibilities.
What Causes Antisocial Personality Disorder?
Althoughthe cause of antisocial personality disorder is not known exactly, research on this subject shows that some factors are effective. Risk factors thought to cause this type of disorder may include genetic factors, hormonal disorders, environmental factors and trauma.
How is Antisocial Personality Disorder Diagnosed?
There is no blood test or imaging method that candiagnose antisocial personality disorder . This condition is determined by an expert psychologist or psychiatrist. The specialist listens to the health history of the person, performs a physical examination and makes a diagnosis by examining the symptoms. Some behavioral characteristics can give experts an idea about antisocial personality disorder. Some of these behavioral patterns are as follows:
- Tendency to break social rules,
- A tendency to lie often and deceive people,
- Not regretting one's actions,
- Irresponsible behavior,
- Changing moods,
- Frequent feelings of anger and jealousy,
- Not caring about the safety of those around them and their own safety,
- Not regretting the harm he/she has caused to himself/herself and his/her environment.
The fact that the individual is over the age of 18 and realizes at least 3 of the above attitudes can give experts an idea about whether there is antisocial personality disorder.
Antisocial Personality Disorder Treatment
Antisocial personality disorder treatment is planned by specialists depending on the level of symptoms observed in the individual. The participation and support of the patient's relatives during the treatment is important for the positive progress of the results. The main treatment methods applied are as follows:
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, is a common treatment method for people with antisocial personality disorder. During psychotherapy, the specialist aims to learn about the patient's behaviors, negative habits and the events they have experienced, and to help them manage these negativities.
Medication Therapy
Although there is no approved drug treatment for this type of disorder, these experts may recommend some medication to prevent psychological problems such as depression and anxiety that can occur with the disorder.
Various studies are being conducted to control the symptoms of antisocial personality disorder, for which there is no definitive cure. In order for the treatment to be more efficient and to achieve positive results, the patient and family members should attend therapy sessions without interruption.
