What is the difference between the diagnosis of Sociopath and that of Psychopath?
352768
Unfortunately, neither are actually official diagnoses... \n\n\nAntisocial personality disorder (APD) is a personality disorder which is often characterised by antisocial and impulsive behaviour. APD is generally considered to be the same as, or similar to, the disorder that was previously known as psychopathic or sociopathic personality disorder. Approximately 3% of men and 1% of women have some form of antisocial personality disorder (source: DSM-IV).\n\nThe DSM-IV-TR, a widely used manual for diagnosing mental disorders (see also:DSM cautionary statement), defines anti-social personality disorder as a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:\n\n   1. failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors as indicated by repeatedly performing acts that are grounds for arrest\n   2. deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying, use of aliases, or conning others for personal profit or pleasure\n   3. impulsivity or failure to plan ahead\n   4. irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults\n   5. reckless disregard for safety of self or others\n   6. consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations\n   7. lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another\n\nThe manual lists the following additional necessary criteria:\n\n    * The individual is at least age 18 years.\n    * There is evidence of Conduct Disorder with onset before age 15 years.\n    * The occurrence of antisocial behavior is not exclusively during the course of Schizophrenia or a Manic Episode.\n\n\nI would say however, that the above is mostly a 'sociopath'\n\nI would consider a 'psychopath' to have a psychotic disorder, such as \n\n# Brief Psychotic Disorder \n# Delusional Disorder \n# Schizoaffective Disorder \n# Schizophreniform Disorder\n# Schizophrenia \n# Shared Psychotic Disorder \n\n\nBut then, it's very difficult to tell sometimes between psychotic and delusional!\n\nHope that helps!
1156019
They both diagnose an illness.  You should always see both though for effective treatment.  A psychiatrist will more apt to run tests--physical and mental ones.  They go by what you tell them is going on in your life and how you are feeling.  They will both probably encourage you to get some blood work done to check your thyroid and sugar levels, to see if that is possibly a problem. Those cause you to be imbalanced majorly, so they will want to rule that out before going for the medicine.  And yes, only a doctor/psychiatrist can order those tests.
398647
psychiatrist is a doctor and can give medicine\na psychologist is a counselor and can only talk to you
425773
Although this isn't necessarily always the case, almost all serial killers happen to be sociopathic, now (and more properly) referred to as a dissasociative personality disorder.\n\nThis is a disorder that basically effects how the person thinks about everything. It's two most striking traits are:\n\n1) The person does not think their actions through, and often do things without considering the consequences.\n2) The person seems to lack a concience. Basically, even after they've done something, they don't care or feel remorse.
495805
Even within the research/scientific community, the term is often misused... For example, somebody who is psychotic is not psychopathic, and even psychosis and psychotic refer to different things... Then there is 'psyche', like psyching someone out before a game, and 'psyche' which refers to an aspect of the mind. Overall, given that 'psycho' is short for any one of these words, it's not surprising that it is both overused and used incorrectly! I think that with time, it will acquire the political incorrectness of 'retarded', and thus diminish in its use...\n\nHope that helps!
861537
Their motto is usually 'mind over matter', the 'matter' being the ending of a person(s) life, I guess. Perhaps they have the solid mindset that the person they killed deserved to die so with this, they probably sleep better at night with that persons life snuffed out. A psychopath won't feel it perhaps. Those who are of stable minds do feel disgusted with themselves, I'm thinking.. but theres this theory where it is said that the brain automatically erases or fades away bad memories, given a lot of time. There may be a lot of psychological reasons to this but hey.. there are people who feels so disgusted with themselves that they can't bear to live with themselves and resort to suicide. Its a sad and cruel world we live in, huh?
51767
None. If they are truly a psychopath then it is doomed.\n\nBy definition a psychopath is no good with relqtionships and is often dangerous.\n\nThe psychiatric definition of psychopathy describes a personality disorder characterised by lack of empathy or conscience, poor impulse control and manipulative behaviors. Though in widespread, current, use as a psychiatric term, psychopathy has no true equivalent in either DSM-IV-TR's, where it is considered to be closest to antisocial personality disorder, or the ICD-10, where it is similarly related to dissocial disorder. It is hoped that the projected DSM V will begin to address this anomaly.\n\nToday, psychopathy is most often diagnosed using Robert D. Hare's Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Hare describes psychopaths as, "intraspecies predators who use charm, manipulation, intimidation, and violence to control others and to satisfy their own selfish needs. Lacking in conscience and in feelings for others, they cold-bloodedly take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without the slightest sense of guilt or regret."\n\nPsychopaths may be responsible for a disproportionately large amount of crime and general misery, but only a few become serial killers, rapists, or child molesters. In these cases there is generally at least one secondary diagnosis.\n\nOutside of psychiatry, the terms psychopathy or psychopath have a broader spectrum of meaning. They are often confused with psychosis or psychotic. Though both terms have similar roots, they have quite different meanings, and psychopaths are no more likely to suffer from psychotic illness than anyone else.
603007
psychology is the study of the mind. schizo. is a mental disorder.
962859
A psychologist is someone who makes observations and studies on specific mental conditions to find a cure or connection. A psychiatrist is someone who uses those studies to help or cure someone.
1022568
We have differences kinds which includes Clinical psychology, environmental psycho, personnel psycho, management psycho,school psycho, health psycho, mental psycho,forensic psycho,Ind. and Org psycho,social psycho, community psycho,developmental psycho, child psycho,neuro-psycho,etc. There are lots of differ psycho.
1000224
I'm going through the same thing.  Stay strong.  Stick with your gut feel.  She very well may be a sociopath but that's entirely up to her to get professional help.  My therapist outright told my wife to get help.  My wife insists there's nothing wrong with her.
736789
The "-path" part comes from the Greek word pathos, or suffering.\nTherefore, a homeopath uses small amounts of substances to produce the effects of the disease being treated. A sociopath causes suffering to society. An osteopath manipulates bones and muscles, usually painfully, and a telepath feels what others are feeling.
1092582
Narcissistic Personality Disorder: "The essential feature of Narcissistic PD is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, need for admiration, and lack of empathy that begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of contexts." "Individuals in this disorder have a grandiose sense of self-importance....they believe they are superior, special, unique and expect others to recognize them as such....individuals in this disorder require excessive admiration...Their self-esteem is almost invariably very fragile."\nundue dwelling on one's own self or attainments, love of or sexual desire for one's own body\n\nPsychopath/Antisocial Personality Disorder: "The essential feature of Antisocial PD is a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood or early adolescence and continues into adulthood."\n"a mentally ill or unstable person; especially: one who has a poorly balanced personality and does not feel guilty about not living up to normal moral and social responsibilities". \nNote: the term psychopath is not generally used in the Mental Health Field - it is a layman's term- Most psychopaths are diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder- a good portion of your serial killers/mass murders are Psychopaths/antisocial.
585550
Okay, here's the difference. \n\nA serial killer must kill at least twice, to set a pattern. A serial killer is defined by the pattern of the crime and the commonalities in the killing. But it also has to be pathological, with some psycological reason why they're doing what they're doing. This can include the choice of victims, the method of killing, any sexual overtones to the crime, the disposal of the remains, etc. There has to be a method to the madness. While not strict rules, there are also clues that tell us about the killer, like similar attacks to animals or other people, but not necessarily deaths. The methodology of the killer develops over time, and the thrill gets more intense the more they can get away with it. That also explains why the cooling off period tends to shrink over time; the killer becomes a junky for the thrill.\n\nMeanwhile, a mass murderer kills indescriminately, and all at once. While there may be a pathology as to why these victims were chosen (Hitler and the Jews), the killer just wants them dead, as soon as possible. There is no thrill in the individual death, just the feeling that this group should die. The number must be rather large, and target all of a group. A school shooting is the attempt of a mass murderer, because they are not attacking EVERY school or EVERY teacher.\n\nThis is not like a spree killer, or someone that just wants to kill a bunch of people for no good reason, like a shooting at a fast-food place, or someone just roaming the streets shooting. \n\nIt's a matter of perspective overall. The Serial Killer targets individuals for whatever reason, the Mass-Murderer kills groups for whatever reason and the Spree Killer just wants to kill.
154169
A psychologist can diagnose some disorders, but the main difference is whether medication is needed or not.  A psychiatrist is a medical doctor.  They go to med school, and then on to specialty courses and training in mental health. A psychologist cannot prescribe meds, but a psychiatrist can.  A psychologist however, does have knowledge of meds, and can suggest that certain ones be prescribed to your doctor, who can then prescribe them.  Hope this helps.
598358
although the incidence, severity, and frequency of symptoms of antisocial personality disorder can vary infinitely depending on the individual and his/her interaction with their environment, an individual must meet the minimum criteria to recieve an accurate diagnosis. patients may have some symptoms of the disorder but too few, less frequent, or not severe enough to warrant the diagnosis. also the diagnosis of behavioral disorders in general require that the individual experience impairment in daily functioning as the direct result of the disorder. the problem is that people that meet all the differential criteria for diagnosis may not experience phenomenological impairment unless they are charged with a crime or commit violent or dangerous acts; even then the impairment criteria is met because of environmental impact, not personal experience of impairment. the defining feature of antisocial personality disorder is indeed the lack of regard for social consequences of behavior.
1185442
A forensic pathologist or anthropologist, or a serial killer.