WHAT ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER IS REALLY ALL ABOUT

CREDIT:
https://www.canstockphoto.com/antisocial-word-cloud-concept-30543375.html

Good day everyone,
This article is a continuation of my previous post on personality disorder (am sorry for the late post) Our main focus today is antisocial disorder.

INTRODUCTION
Antisocial personality disorder also known as sociopathy or psychopathy personality disorder is under cluster A which has the following traits odd, bizarre, eccentric and suspicious. People with ASPD have no regards for laws or other people's feelings. Study shows that Individuals with ASPD have high mortality rate resulting from homicide, suicide, accidents and most likely health problems because individual with this disorder usually hate to yield to medical orders and usually ignore their health issues.
ASPD can begin as early as age 8years and is usually diagnose as "conduct disorder" because children undergo constant development, personality changes over time and maturation is part of development too but if symptoms persist till the age of 15 years or at most 18years and above it is then diagnose as ASPD(antisocial personality disorder).

DEFINITION
Antisocial personality disorder, is seen as a condition characterized by social misconduct, inability to feel empathy and inability to regard other people's feelings and poor impulse control.

CAUSES OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER
the exact cause of antisocial personality disorder is yet to be known but research have it that these factors below may likely contribute to ASPD.
√ psychological factors (personality shaped by life experience, surroundings and coping skills).
√ social factors (personality shaped by interactions with friends, siblings and family).
√ genetic/biological factors (shaped by genetic makeup and changes in brain function during growth). However there are risk factors that appear to increase the chance of developing ASPD. These factors are;
I) hereditary (when there is recorded family history of mental disorder)
II) unstable home(when a child spent his childhood days in a chaotic, abusive home or neighbourhood)
III) when a child is neglected or abandoned to Carter for him or herself is another risk factor that contribute to childhood conduct disorder .

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS OF ASPD
• Disregard of people's feelings, interest and rights.
• inability to conform to social norms eg violation of laws,rules and regulations.
• assultive and easily irritated.
• lack of empathy and inability to feel remorse.
• deceitfully exploiting other people.
• manipulative
• arrogant(always feel superior to others)
• poor impulse control.
• stealing

COMPLICATIONS OR PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ASPD
Possible complications include

• drug abuse
• suicidal and homicidal tendency
• anxiety and depression
• violence (physical assault, violence towards others and damage of properties)
• imprisonment due to inability to obey laws.

TESTS AND DIAGNOSIS OF ASPD
Because self diagnosis is inaccurate, it's inappropriate to majorly rely on it. Health professionals sometimes find it difficult to diagnose personality disorder because ASPD overlap with other mental issues. Nevertheless antisocial personality disorder can be diagnosed based on psychological assessment of family history, early symptoms of conduct disorder during childhood and severe symptoms of ASPD. There are certain tests design for self diagnose of ASPD. These screening text is seen below.

• is very difficult for you to comply with rules. TRUE OR FALSE?

• you are unnecessarily aggressive TRUE OR FALSE?

• you don't feel quilt or remorseful over a wrong did.TRUE OR FALSE?

• is hard for you to feel empathy or feel others pain.TRUE OR FALSE?

• you found yourself breaking laws. TRUE OR FALSE?

• you are manipulative in nature TRUE OR FALSE?

• you find it easy to lie and deceive people for personal gain or for entertainment sake TRUE OR FALSE?

• you have no respect for other people's opinion and feelings TRUE OR FALSE

• is difficult for you to make friends let alone keep them TRUE OR FALSE?

• you never learn from bad past experiences or from punishment accrued in the past.TRUE OR FALSE?

• you are egoistic, you always feel superior to other people TRUE OR FALSE?

• you have a superficial charm that endear people to you. TRUE OR FALSE?

A few "TRUE'' answers is enough reason for concern. however if all the answers are TRUE Or 70 percent of your answers are TRUE, then there is a need to seek the help of a health Professional or pschologist for proper diagnosis and tests (because the test above is only for educational purposes.

CREDIT:https://www.canstockphoto.com/antisocial-word-cloud-concept-30543375.html

TREATMENT OF ASPD
Before treatment can commence the patient has to accept that he/she has the disorder and need help and the patient should be willing to take part in the treatment.

There are no specifically approved medications for the treatment of ASPD for now but health professionals sometimes prescribe drugs for most of the symptoms associated with ASPD such as depression and aggressiveness.

Therapy can also be helpful for the treatment of drug abuse, violence management and treatment of other related mental issues.

NOTE
If you have been living with a loved one that has this antisocial disorder is appropriate that you seek for help not just for him/her but for yourself also because people with this disorder has a way of making you feel miserable and guilty of their actions.