Have you ever interacted with a sociopath?

@SW-User how did it go???

@Dewms Well the few I have worked with diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder were often career criminals who were convicted of violent crimes. I was assigned to them during their short time out of prison to help them acclimate into society. What they had in common was the manipulative behavior, and almost charming demeanor. Underneath all of that was this capacity for uncontrollable brutality and an inability to truly understand empathy. I worked with quite a few tough individuals but the feeling I got when working with those particular clients was indescribable. It's like my instinctive fight response was always at the ready.

@SW-User that description is scary. The charming demeanor almost sounds like a superpower tho O___O
Thank you! This is interesting, specially the lack of empathy part

@Dewms Well to them its almost like a superpower. Imagine teaching yourself to express certain emotions that you aren't really feeling as a survival tactic. Whether it's to get your way or to just fit in. FYI, ASPD is a pretty rare personality disorder so most of the people who say they have it probably don't lol.

@SW-User 🧐 trueeeee omg do u think if one is like that online, they can still manifest the traits or would that be hard to figure out???
Lol. Those probably self-diagnosed themselves!

@Dewms I'm sure it would be much harder to determine online. Some go undiagnosed by professionals in person let alone by random folks online. Rule of thumb is if they are bragging about being a "sociopath" they probably aren't one lol.

@SW-User Like you, I had the pleasure to work with offenders both in and out of prison when I was a lowly Parole Officer. From personal experience, I found some of my managers to have more sociopathic traits than the offenders.

@Bushranger Wow Parole Officers are hardcore. I've shared clients with quite a few. It's not an easy job by any means. Thats an interesting statement but understandable. I've heard this before about some who work in the criminal justice system. It can definitely harden someone to point of becoming unsympathetic.

@SW-User Shouldn't really have said sociopathic, more socialised psychopathic. Also, I live in Australia, so maybe not as hardcore as you think, but still pretty full on. Have to admit that I preferred working in prisons, much nicer clientele.