Have you ever been diagnosed with depression?

[Martinus]

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.

I thought it's more histrionic (aka attention-whorism).

[DGuller]

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.

Well, duh, in a country of 300 million, even a tiny percentage translates to a shitload of people (or at least a crapload).  Your odds of enountering sociopaths don't materially change whether there are 300 million or 30 million people in US, though.

[Neil]

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,

Still, maybe they should institutionalize him, just to be sure.

[Caliga]

Well, duh, in a country of 300 million, even a tiny percentage translates to a shitload of people (or at least a crapload).  Your odds of enountering sociopaths don't materially change whether there are 300 million or 30 million people in US, though.

I still think it's a lot more people that most folks realize, but also the media makes it seem like sociopaths are always murderers.  I have to assume there aren't millions of active serial killers out there right now.

[Caliga]

I thought it's more histrionic (aka attention-whorism).

I don't think histrionic people necessarily have a 'me-complex' about themselves like narcissists do.  In fact IIRC histrionics often have low self-esteem.  The "I'm a special person who is better than everyone else and how dare people not acknowledge or recognize it!!!" attitude is classic narcissism.

[garbon]

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.

Thanks for that.   But yes, that's exactly what I suffered from.

[Razgovory]

If Marty was a sociopath it would explain why he lies about being a lawyer. 

[DGuller]

If Marty was a sociopath it would explain why he lies about being a lawyer.

I would think that it would actually confirm that he is in fact a lawyer.

[Razgovory]

If Marty was a sociopath it would explain why he lies about being a lawyer.

I would think that it would actually confirm that he is in fact a lawyer.

Nah, Sociopaths have a hard time focusing on long term goals.  They tend toward menial labor.

[Pedrito]

Never diagnosed, but it could've been at some point in my life.

L.

[DGuller]

Nah, Sociopaths have a hard time focusing on long term goals.  They tend toward menial labor.

I don't think that's true.  Sociopaths are unusually common in positions of power.

[Caliga]

I think Raz is confusing a sociopath with a psychopath.  Psychopaths are the ones who have very little self-control and often explode with rage.  Sociopaths OTOH have an unusual amount of self-control.

[Martinus]

I think Raz is confusing a sociopath with a psychopath.  Psychopaths are the ones who have very little self-control and often explode with rage.  Sociopaths OTOH have an unusual amount of self-control.

That's not me then. I tend to explode with rage. But I read about sociopaths and psychopaths, and indeed it is not me - I have been a very diligent and valued student (almost too much), have been with the same job for the last 11 years, and generally do not shirk duties and the like.

[garbon]

I think Raz is confusing a sociopath with a psychopath.  Psychopaths are the ones who have very little self-control and often explode with rage.  Sociopaths OTOH have an unusual amount of self-control.

Does the DSM make a distinction?

[Martinus]

My results at http://www.4degreez.com/misc/personality_disorder_test.mv

Paranoid:  Moderate
Schizoid:  Low
Schizotypal:  Low
Antisocial:  Moderate
Borderline:  Low
Histrionic:  High
Narcissistic:  High
Avoidant:  Low
Dependent:  Low
Obsessive-Compulsive:  Low