Confessions of a Sociopath


Book Description

The memoir of a high-functioning, law-abiding (well, mostly) sociopath and a roadmap—right from the source—for dealing with the sociopath in your life. “[A] gripping and important book . . . revelatory . . . quite the memorable roller coaster ride.”—The New York Times Book Review As M.E. Thomas says of her fellow sociopaths, “We are your neighbors, your coworkers, and quite possibly the people closest to you: lovers, family, friends. Our risk-seeking behavior and general fearlessness are thrilling, our glibness and charm alluring. Our often quick wit and outside-the-box thinking make us appear intelligent—even brilliant. We climb the corporate ladder faster than the rest, and appear to have limitless self-confidence. Who are we? We are highly successful, noncriminal sociopaths and we comprise 4 percent of the American population.” Confessions of a Sociopath—part confessional memoir, part primer for the curious—takes readers on a journey into the mind of a sociopath, revealing what makes them tick while debunking myths about sociopathy and offering a road map for dealing with the sociopaths in your life. M. E. Thomas draws from her own experiences as a diagnosed sociopath; her popular blog, Sociopathworld; and scientific literature to unveil for the very first time these men and women who are “hiding in plain sight.”







Story of a Sociopath


Book Description

I’m scum. Yes, I always have been. . . . I know what I did, and what I should have done. A spellbinding and provocative psychological thriller that shows just how far a man will go to win the most enduring and ruthless of games: the game of power. Raised in the upper echelons of elite New York society, Thomas Spencer has never wanted for much. But much is hardly enough for a man whose greatest satisfaction lies in shattering the happiness of others. Thomas, the black sheep of his family, harbors only resentment toward those closest to him for what they have more of: good looks, good cheer, good social graces. But what Thomas may lack in charm, he makes up for in cunning. And it is this that will serve him best when he trades in his glittering world of privilege for a chance to claw his way to the top—on his own terms, and at any cost. As Thomas achieves fame and success as an ad man, he becomes ever more deeply entrenched in an insidious underworld of media, politics, and women, and an astonishing picture emerges of a complex, destructive personality who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Shameless and electrifying, Story of a Sociopath illuminates the true nature of power through the mind of a master psychological manipulator.




A Generation of Sociopaths


Book Description

In his "remarkable" (Men's Journal) and "controversial" (Fortune) book -- written in a "wry, amusing style" (The Guardian) -- Bruce Cannon Gibney shows how America was hijacked by the Boomers, a generation whose reckless self-indulgence degraded the foundations of American prosperity. In A Generation of Sociopaths, Gibney examines the disastrous policies of the most powerful generation in modern history, showing how the Boomers ruthlessly enriched themselves at the expense of future generations. Acting without empathy, prudence, or respect for facts--acting, in other words, as sociopaths--the Boomers turned American dynamism into stagnation, inequality, and bipartisan fiasco. The Boomers have set a time bomb for the 2030s, when damage to Social Security, public finances, and the environment will become catastrophic and possibly irreversible--and when, not coincidentally, Boomers will be dying off. Gibney argues that younger generations have a fleeting window to hold the Boomers accountable and begin restoring America.




The Psychopath Test


Book Description

What if society wasn't fundamentally rational, but was motivated by insanity? This thought sets Jon Ronson on an utterly compelling adventure into the world of madness. Along the way, Jon meets psychopaths, those whose lives have been touched by madness and those whose job it is to diagnose it, including the influential psychologist who developed the Psychopath Test, from whom Jon learns the art of psychopath-spotting. A skill which seemingly reveals that madness could indeed be at the heart of everything . . . Combining Jon Ronson's trademark humour, charm and investigative incision, The Psychopath Test is both entertaining and honest, unearthing dangerous truths and asking serious questions about how we define normality in a world where we are increasingly judged by our maddest edges. 'The belly laughs come thick and fast – my God, he is funny . . . provocative and interesting' – Observer




Outsmarting the Sociopath Next Door


Book Description

From Dr. Martha Stout's influential work The Sociopath Next Door, we learned how to identify a sociopath. Now she tells us what to actually do about it. While the best way to deal with a sociopath is to avoid them entirely, sometimes circumstance doesn't allow for that. What happens when the time comes to defend yourself against your own child, a boss, or ruthless ex-spouse? Inspired by the many chilling and often heartbreaking emails and letters she has received over the years, from her work with the victims of sociopathy, Dr. Martha Stout uncovers the psychology behind the sociopath's methods and provides concrete guidelines to help navigate these dangerous interactions. Organized around categories such as destructive narcissism, violent sociopaths, sociopathic coworkers, and the sociopath in your family, Outsmarting the Sociopath Next Door contains detailed explanation and commentary on how best to react in these situations to keep the sociopath at bay. Uniting these categories is a discussion of changing psychological theories of personality and sociopathy and the enduring triumph of conscience over those who operate without empathy or concern for others. By understanding the person you're dealing with and changing the rules of the game, you'll be able to gain the upper hand and escape the sociopath's influence. Whether you're fighting a custody battle against a sociopathic ex or being gaslighted by a boss or coworker, you'll find hope and help within these pages. With this guide to disarming the conscienceless, Dr. Stout aims to give readers the tools to protect themselves while conducting a broader examination of human behavior and conceptions of normality.




The Sociopath Next Door


Book Description

Who is the devil you know? Is it your lying, cheating ex-husband? Your sadistic high school gym teacher? Your boss who loves to humiliate people in meetings? The colleague who stole your idea and passed it off as her own? In the pages of The Sociopath Next Door, you will realize that your ex was not just misunderstood. He’s a sociopath. And your boss, teacher, and colleague? They may be sociopaths too. We are accustomed to think of sociopaths as violent criminals, but in The Sociopath Next Door, Harvard psychologist Martha Stout reveals that a shocking 4 percent of ordinary people—one in twenty-five—has an often undetected mental disorder, the chief symptom of which is that that person possesses no conscience. He or she has no ability whatsoever to feel shame, guilt, or remorse. One in twenty-five everyday Americans, therefore, is secretly a sociopath. They could be your colleague, your neighbor, even family. And they can do literally anything at all and feel absolutely no guilt. How do we recognize the remorseless? One of their chief characteristics is a kind of glow or charisma that makes sociopaths more charming or interesting than the other people around them. They’re more spontaneous, more intense, more complex, or even sexier than everyone else, making them tricky to identify and leaving us easily seduced. Fundamentally, sociopaths are different because they cannot love. Sociopaths learn early on to show sham emotion, but underneath they are indifferent to others’ suffering. They live to dominate and thrill to win. The fact is, we all almost certainly know at least one or more sociopaths already. Part of the urgency in reading The Sociopath Next Door is the moment when we suddenly recognize that someone we know—someone we worked for, or were involved with, or voted for—is a sociopath. But what do we do with that knowledge? To arm us against the sociopath, Dr. Stout teaches us to question authority, suspect flattery, and beware the pity play. Above all, she writes, when a sociopath is beckoning, do not join the game. It is the ruthless versus the rest of us, and The Sociopath Next Door will show you how to recognize and defeat the devil you know.




Seduced by a Sociopath


Book Description

A devastating true story of love, betrayal, and deceit.




Dealing with a Sociopath


Book Description

Dealing with a Sociopath explains how to interact with someone who lies, cheats, manipulates and exploits. Sociopaths, meaning people who could be diagnosed with antisocial, narcissistic, borderline, histrionic or psychopathic personality disorders, only care about what they want - what you want or need is irrelevant. If you have no choice but to engage with them, learn how to protect yourself. Sociopaths do not follow the rules of regular human interaction. These people can appear to be normal, but they live their lives by manipulating others. Your best bet may be to walk away from them, but this is not always possible. If you have no choice but to interact with a sociopath, you must always be on high alert. This book is a curated collection of blog articles from Lovefraud.com, the premier Internet website on how to recognize and recover from sociopaths. The content is presented in short, easy-to-read pieces, delivering nuggets of information and insight that will help you decide what to do. Articles include:? 10 mistakes to avoid when leaving a sociopath? Dealing with sociopaths: Fight or flight?? Sociopaths and their smear campaigns? What NOT to do when you realize you're involved with a sociopath? How do you help someone snared by a sociopath?? 20 issues to consider before taking a sociopath to court? Do sociopaths return?? Psychopaths as puppet masters? How psychopathic parents affect children? How messages we hear all our lives keep us vulnerable to sociopathsDealing with a Sociopath includes dozens of questions and stories submitted by Lovefraud readers, with answers and analysis by Donna Andersen, author of Lovefraud.com. The advice she provided to people like you may be exactly what you need to hear.




Sociopath and Psychopath


Book Description

Sociopath and Psychopath: The Worst of both worlds - How to detect, avoid, and counter-attack their behavior How about other friends and associates? Have you been introduced to their family? Perhaps you can't understand why someone who is so lovely and charming and who you consider to be a wonderful human being, has such few friends. Maybe this is because the ones that came before you have already experienced their other side. If you question this, you will discover that sociopaths are natural liars. You'll be told how terribly wrong their previous partner treated them, or how their entire family was taken out in a single tragic accident, and that's why they are alone. There are ways to independently investigate such grandiose claims. If you're suspicious, do not take anything at face value. Along with a similar line, watch out for anyone who tries to isolate you from your own friends and support groups. Sociopaths like to remove you from any other support so that you don't have the ability to pull back or have someone else removed from such situation, or even point out to you just how strange your new boyfriend is. Despite how glib and charming they may first appear, sociopaths are actually often socially immature when it comes to the core of it. They can be extremely selfish and needy, to the point of obsession. If you've confirmed that someone you know is a sociopath, then it's best to simply avoid that individual as much as possible. If that person is in one of the regular circles you travel daily, for example, a co-worker or friends with your other friends, then it may not be possible to avoid them completely. However, this does not mean that you should display hostility towards such an individual when you do have to deal with them or more-so, tell them that you think they are a sociopath. This can actually put you in a dangerous position, and make the sociopath even more determined to 'win' you over because this is instant gratification for him. Simply divert the discussion where possible, or refuse to engage beyond simple replies to direct questions only.