Have you ever been diagnosed with depression?

[Caliga]

@garbo Well, it's as ok as being a depressive is, in that it's not the fault of the sociopath... but I guess it doesn't mean they don't need treatment.

[Valmy]

Yeah from about 19 to 21 or so.

I basically learned as long as I do things I am ok.

[Martinus]

This. I think I'm (moderately) sociopathic.

Well, I'm an egotist. I didn't say I have the sociopathic personality disorder, but I can recognize certain tendencies, like thinking my desires and needs are more important than other people's, or having bouts of rage when I don't get my way.

I try to keep that in check, but when I'm under significant stress and/or tired, I have a greater difficulty keeping this under control.

[Caliga]

Yeah from about 19 to 21 or so.

I basically learned as long as I do things I am ok.

So boredom = depression (at least in your case)?  That makes sense.  People that spend too much time in idle thought are more likely to think bad things.

[Caliga]

Well, I'm an egotist. I didn't say I have the sociopathic personality disorder, but I can recognize certain tendencies, like thinking my desires and needs are more important than other people's, or having bouts of rage when I don't get my way.

I try to keep that in check, but when I'm under significant stress and/or tired, I have a greater difficulty keeping this under control.

To me that sounds more like classic narcissism.  A sociopath is someone who has no ability to empathize with and care for others,

[Martinus]

I think people are confusing depression with just being in a bad mood. As far as I am aware, depression is an overwhelming feeling of apathy, when a person does not as much want to get up from bed even if things need to be done.

Teenage angst/boredom/laziness is usually *not* depression. It's just being a teenager (with a hormonal imbalance to boot). 

[Valmy]

So boredom = depression (at least in your case)?  That makes sense.  People that spend too much time in idle thought are more likely to think bad things.

Loneliness to.  I hate living alone because of the tendency for me to get depressed.

So basically yes, I need stuff going on and people to interact with.  Otherwise I get alone with my thoughts and start to go to really dark places.

[DGuller]

That's ok.  I think lots of people are, actually.  Not all sociopaths are serial killers.

No, it's not.    And, no, they're not.    Sociopathy is lack of empathy, and it is pretty rare.

[Valmy]

I think people are confusing depression with just being in a bad mood. As far as I am aware, depression is an overwhelming feeling of apathy, when a person does not as much want to get up from bed even if things need to be done.

Teenage angst/boredom/laziness is usually *not* depression. It's just being a teenager (with a hormonal imbalance to boot). 

Believe me things needed to be done.  I all but failed out of school and probably set my career back many years.  I just couldn't seem to work or do anything or get out of bed.

Having work or that sort of stuff to do is not really what I am talking about.  I need activities and social interaction.  But it might not have been clinical depression, just my experience of depression-like feelings in my life.

[Martinus]

Well, I'm an egotist. I didn't say I have the sociopathic personality disorder, but I can recognize certain tendencies, like thinking my desires and needs are more important than other people's, or having bouts of rage when I don't get my way.

I try to keep that in check, but when I'm under significant stress and/or tired, I have a greater difficulty keeping this under control.

To me that sounds more like classic narcissism.  A sociopath is someone who has no ability to empathize with and care for others,

I guess it's a matter of degree and the boundaries are often blurry. I do know that if I have some personality disorder/deficiency (do not necessarily mean "disorder" in a clinical sense), it's one of those tending towards egotism and treating others as my lessers/tools/playthings (narcissism, sociopathy, histrionic), than one when I turn against myself and consider myself inadequate/depressed/apathetic.

I'm definitely a choleric (and almost exactly like my father in that). I blame my mother, who apparently always keep saying (when pregnant with me) that she would rather her son gets mad than sad.

[Caliga]

No, it's not.    And, no, they're not.    Sociopathy is lack of empathy, and it is pretty rare.

I said "I think", but you responded as if you know for sure sociopathy is rare.  How do you know this?  Maybe there's some definitive study on the subject that I'm not aware of.

[Martinus]

That's ok.  I think lots of people are, actually.  Not all sociopaths are serial killers.

No, it's not.    And, no, they're not.    Sociopathy is lack of empathy, and it is pretty rare.

What is the one called when you claim you are sociopathic because it will make you look special?

[DGuller]

No, it's not.    And, no, they're not.    Sociopathy is lack of empathy, and it is pretty rare.

I said "I think", but you responded as if you know for sure sociopathy is rare.  How do you know this?  Maybe there's some definitive study on the subject that I'm not aware of.

Off the top of my head, I recall a figure of 1%.

[Caliga]

What is the one called when you claim you are sociopathic because it will make you look special?

Desire to be 'special' is narcissism IIRC.

[Caliga]

Off the top of my head, I recall a figure of 1%.

So that means there are about 3 million sociopaths in the United States, right?  That doesn't seem all that rare to me, but I guess 'rare' is a relative term.