Anti-Social Personality Disorder Antisocial Personality

Anti-Social Personality Disorder

Antisocial Personality Disorder

This is a mental condition where an individual has a long-term patter of violating, manipulating, and exploiting the rights of others. Antisocial personality disorder often leads to criminal behavior. The causes of antisocial personality disorder are unknown to the medical and psychological field. It is a belief that persons suffering from the disorder are triggered by environmental and genetic factors. These are like child abuse, alcoholic or antisocial parents. It is indicated that more men than women are affected by antisocial personality condition, with the condition being more common with persons in prison (Burt, 2007). An indication and development of the disorder in children is cruelty and setting fire to animals. The symptoms of the disorder are indicated in a person's behavior to themselves and others. They can act charming and witty, excellent at flattery and manipulation of people's emotions, and repeatedly breaks the law. They also disregard the safety of others and their lives and have problems dealing with substance abuse. Individuals will also steal and lie often, do not show signs of guilt or remorse, and are arrogant and angry often.

The personality disorders are prevalent in the U.S. population since approximately 9% by 2007 had been diagnosed with a personality disorder. According to the National Comorbidity Survey Replication survey, 0.6% has antisocial personality disorder (Burt, 2007). It is difficult to distinguish a person with antisocial personality disorder due to the similarities of symptoms and behavior. Antisocial personality disorder makes a person fail to conform to social norms in terms of lawful behaviors. The person is also impulsive and often fails to plan ahead of taking action. They are often involved in regular physical fights and assaults since they are irritable and aggressive. They are also inconsistent with responsibilities, thereby making it difficult to hold down a job or position of responsibility.

The symptoms of antisocial personality disorder make the individual a social problem. This is because the individual will not conform to the norms of society and will not respect the law. They become anti-social from their repeated performances that drive them to repeat arrests. Since they destroy property, harass people, steal, or are attracted to illegal occupations, they develop anti-social tendencies. Blackburn (2007) asserts that anti-social behavior drives them to disregard and disrespect the wishes, feelings, and rights of others including their families, friends, and close associates. This makes it difficult for anyone to relate to this individual, as they are continually deceitful and manipulative.

The drive to lie, con others, use alias, or malinger drives them to break the law or rejection by society or their community. A pattern of impulsive behavior leads to many failed projects, plans, or dreams. It is frustrating for a parent or guardian raising a child with antisocial personality disorder since their impulsive behavior drives them to make hasty plans, which often fail. They make decisions on the spur of a moment, without making considerations or forethought, leading them to enter into risky and life threatening situations. For example, they will make sudden changes to job, move residence, or break relationships. This impulsive behavior not only makes them get into trouble but they lose friends and close relationships. Their aggression and irritability drives them into fights and physical assaults easily. This is especially unattractive for their peers who grow up and mature with time (Blackburn, 2007).

An individual with antisocial personality disorder will appear stuck in the teenage and adolescent ages. This is because reckless behavior and acts, disregard authority and safety drive them. They are motivated and excited in participating in speeding, driving under the influence of an illegal substance, and are often involved in multiple reckless accidents. In addition, they will engage in careless sexual behavior with multiple partners and use illegal substances without considering the consequences.

Antisocial personality disorder is difficult to treat or handle the personality. Persons with the disorder or those with a close friend with the condition will not seek assistance. This is because rarely is the condition diagnosed in the patient, as most people associate it with deviant behavior in adolescents and a refusal for a young adult to mature (Daughters, 2008). Treatment and therapy for the condition is sought after clinical psychologists, in most cases when they face multiple court charges, diagnose the patient. Treatment of the condition entails the use of behavioral treatments like reward and punishment methods in psychology. A patient with antisocial personality disorder is rewarded for displaying the correct behavior, under the positive reinforcement method. Negative reinforcement entails promise and use negative consequences for any illegal behavior the patient displays.

The best form of treatment for children and adolescents diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder involve the training of parents and guardians to handle them. The parent or guardian is taught how to recognize problems in behavior early that indicate the beginning of problems. They are taught how to use praise and privileges to encourage positive social behaviors, and denial of privileges to discourage antisocial behaviors. The continuous positive and negative reinforcement conditions the individual to uphold positive social behaviors and abandon negative social behaviors (Theodore et al., 2009). This method is suited for children and adolescents in stable family and social environments. However, it is difficult to apply for grown adults, those who have developed psychopath tendencies, or in jail for their behavior. A poor family background triggers antisocial personality disorder, and prevents the treatment or proper handling of a patient. This background include poor socioeconomic, disadvantaged families, high family stress, severe misconduct behavior in the family, history of antisocial behavior with the parents, and high degree of family dysfunction.

It is difficult to deal or interact with a person with antisocial personality disorder. This is because they are hyperactive, hypersensitive, irritable, risky, and have low respect for ones feelings. Interacting with such a person is exhausting, challenging, as they will constantly say, and do things impulsively. They will change their minds constantly, making it difficult to keep up with. The problem with antisocial personality disorder is the possibility of overlapping with other personality disorders like psychopath and criminality. This is because the risky behavior, aggression, disregard for the law and norms, impulsive behavior easily drives them to criminality. It is noted that

Blackburn (2007) notes that antisocial personality disorder on the DSM-V scale tends towards psychopath and criminality tendencies. They easily develop psychopath tendencies like cruelty to animals and peers, setting fire to property and animals. An individual with antisocial personality disorder is more likely to develop criminality behavior than suicidal behavior. Suicidal behavior arises from their risky behavior and disregard for their own life, which is less likely as compared to criminality. Criminality rates at 85% since there are implicated more with various criminal activities (Daughters, 2008). Often, people interacting with a person with antisocial personality disorder believe they are immature and behaviors like adolescents. An adult with the disorder is highly impulsive and loves risky behavior is viewed as an immature or overgrown adolescent.