Antisocial Personality Disorder: Dealing with a Sociopath.

TRUMP GETS MERCILESSLY BOOED AT SPEECH.

Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump getting booed at the Libertarian Convention in Washington DC.

HOW MANY UNDIAGNOSED MENTALLY ILL AMERICANS ARE THERE?

An estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older -- about 1 in 4 adults -- suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.

Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. In particular, depressive illnesses tend to co-occur with substance use and anxiety disorders.

Approximately 9.5% of American adults ages 18 and over, will suffer from a depressive illness (major depression, bipolar disorder, or dysthymia) each year.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/mental-health-disorder-statistics

Know someone who persistently shows no regard for other people and little remorse for their destructive actions? These tips can help you identify antisocial behavior and deal with a sociopath.

What percentage of the US population has a diagnosed mental illness?

22.8% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2021 (57.8 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.

https://remedypsychiatry.com/facts-figures-about-undiagnosed-mental-disorders/

5.5% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2021 (14.1 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.

https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-by-the-numbers/

WHAT IS ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER?

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), also known as sociopathy, involves a persistent pattern of callousness toward others and a disregard for social norms and laws. People with this disorder are sometimes called sociopaths.

Depending on the severity of the disorder, people with ASPD tend to have difficulty exhibiting empathy or caring about others. A weak conscience or moral compass allows them to deceive and manipulate those around them. They can also be hostile and impulsive, and they may not feel remorse for their actions. People with ASPD are prone to self-destructive acts and may experience frequent legal troubles.

Unsurprisingly, those considered sociopaths also tend to have poor relationships with friends, family, and romantic interests. If your loved one has ASPD, you may find yourself persistently hurt by their lack of concern. They may lie about finances, for example, or steal from you whenever it serves them. You might have a difficult time knowing when to trust them and when to push them away. You may even live in fear that their actions could cause you physical harm.

A person with ASPD is unlikely to seek help for their condition. It’s more common that they’ll refuse to take responsibility for their behavior, and simply brush off the damage they’ve caused to those around them. However, they may seek treatment as part of a court-ordered punishment, or if they experience hardships due to their self-destructive behavior.

By understanding more about ASPD, you can learn to identify sociopaths, set boundaries to protect yourself, and offer guidance to a loved one seeking help.

SYMPTOMS OF A SOCIOPATH

Some estimates show that antisocial personality disorder appears in 1 to 4 percent of the population. But how can you tell if someone is a sociopath? According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), if someone has this disorder, they will exhibit three or more of the following seven symptoms before 15 years of age:

A disregard for social norms when it comes to laws. Someone with ASPD may regularly steal or break traffic laws without concern.

Deceitfulness. They are quick to lie to you and others. They may con people out of money or simply withhold information, leaving you in the dark about their actions.

Impulsive behavior. Someone with ASPD may suddenly walk off a job on a whim, or engage in binge drinking and risky sexual behavior, for example.

Aggression. They may often seem irritable or lash out in verbally or physically abusive ways. You might see them throw things against walls or erupt in bouts of name-calling and swearing.

Disregard for their own safety and the safety of others. A person with ASPD might have a habit of driving recklessly or carelessly handling firearms.

Irresponsibility. They may not bother to pay back borrowed money or show up in court, and may walk away from such responsibilities with a sense of entitlement or arrogance.

Lack of remorse. They seem indifferent to the pain or inconvenience any of the above has caused to others.

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/personality-disorders/antisocial-personality-disorder-aspd.htm

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD or APD) is a personality disorder characterized by a limited capacity for empathy and a long-term pattern of disregard or violation of the rights of others.

SIGNS OF ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER

A PERSON WITH ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER MAY:

Be able to act witty and charming

exploit, manipulate or violate the rights of others

lack concern, regret or remorse about other people's distress

behave irresponsibly and show disregard for normal social behaviour

have difficulty sustaining long-term relationships

be unable to control their anger

lack guilt, or not learn from their mistakes

blame others for problems in their lives

repeatedly break the law

A person with antisocial personality disorder will have a history of conduct disorder during childhood, such as truancy (not going to school), delinquency (for example, committing crimes or substance misuse), and other disruptive and aggressive behaviours.

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder/

https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/antisocial-personality-disorder

Does Donald Trump have Delusions of Grandeur?

Grandiose delusions (GDs), also known as delusions of grandeur or expansive delusions, are a subtype of delusion characterized by extraordinary belief that one is famous, omnipotent, wealthy, or otherwise very powerful. Grandiose delusions often have a religious, science fictional, or supernatural theme.

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/delusions-of-grandeur

https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/delusions-grandeur

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321649

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a common cause of dementia, is a group of disorders that occur when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost. This causes the lobes to shrink. FTD can affect behavior, personality, language, and movement.

These disorders are among the most common dementias that strike at younger ages. Symptoms typically start between the ages of 40 and 65, but FTD can strike young adults and those who are older. FTD affects men and women equally.

PEOPLE LIVING WITH FTD MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH BASIC WORK SKILLS, SUCH AS ORGANIZING, PLANNING, AND FOLLOWING THROUGH ON TASKS. ACTIVITIES THAT WERE EASY BEFORE MIGHT TAKE MUCH LONGER OR BECOME IMPOSSIBLE.

The 7 Stages of Frontotemporal Dementia.

Stage 1: Early Symptoms. ...

Stage 2: Language Impairment. ...

Stage 3: Executive Function Impairment. ...

Stage 4: Movement Disorders. ...

Stage 5: Severe Behavioral Changes. ...

Stage 6: Severe Language Impairment. ...

Stage 7: End-Stage FTD...

What causes frontotemporal dementia?

The cause of FTD is unknown. Researchers have linked certain subtypes of FTD to mutations on several genes. Some people with FTD have tiny structures, called Pick bodies, in their brain cells. Pick bodies contain an abnormal amount or type of protein.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/dementia/frontotemporal-dementia

Xanax Abuse: Symptoms and Signs of Addiction.

Xanax, a sedative prescription medication, is commonly abused due to its high addiction potential. Some of the most common symptoms and signs of Xanax abuse include:

Slurred speech

Blurred vision

Poor motor coordination

Drowsiness

Inability to reduce intake

Doctor shopping to get extra Xanax pills

Asking family, friends, significant others, classmates, and/or colleagues for their Xanax pills

Buying Xanax or other sedatives on the street

Spending a disproportionate amount of time using, getting, or recovering from Xanax abuse

Engaging in risky behavior after Xanax abuse, such as driving (drugged driving)

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/xanax-treatment/symptoms-and-signs

https://www.addictioncenter.com/benzodiazepines/xanax/symptoms-signs/

Withdrawal from Xanax after sustained use can be particularly dangerous. There is a strong recommendation that a person receive help from a professional program, such as a drug rehab center, that offers medical detox.

The most prominent of anti-anxiety drugs for the purpose of immediate relief are those known as benzodiazepines; among them are alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan) .

Drugs such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam) work quickly, typically bringing relief within 30 minutes to an hour. That makes them very effective when taken during a panic attack or another overwhelming anxiety episode.

ALPRAZOLAM MAY CAUSE SOME PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OLDER PERSONS, TO BECOME DROWSY, DIZZY, OR LESS ALERT THAN THEY ARE NORMALLY.

https://www.addictioncenter.com/benzodiazepines/xanax/

TRUMP DENIES FALLING ASLEEP AS WITNESS SLAUGHTERS HIM.

GLITCHING TRUMP SILENCES STUNNED CROWD, FOX NEWS CUTS AWAY.

TRUMP’S WHITE HOUSE WAS ‘AWASH IN SPEED’ — AND XANAX.

Under Trump, the White House Medical Unit was “like the Wild West,” and staffers had easy access to powerful stimulants and sedatives, sources tell Rolling Stone.

BY NOAH SHACHTMAN, ASAWIN SUEBSAENG

IF YOU EVER looked at the actions of the Trump White House and wondered, ‘Are they on drugs?’ — the answer was, in some cases, yes. Absolutely, yes.

In January, the Defense Department’s inspector general released a report detailing how the White House Medical Unit during the Trump administration distributed controlled substances with scant oversight and even sloppier record keeping. Investigators repeatedly noted that the unit had ordered thousands and thousands of doses of the stimulant modafinil, which has been used by military pilots for decades to stay alert during long missions.

The report didn’t say why so many of those pills had been given out. But for many who served in the Trump White House, the investigation highlighted an open secret. According to interviews with four former senior administration officials and others with knowledge of the matter, the stimulant was routinely given to staffers who needed an energy boost after a late night, or just a pick-me-up to handle another day at a uniquely stressful job. As one of the former officials tells Rolling Stone, the White House at that time was “awash in speed.”

Knowledgeable sources say that samples of the stimulant were passed around for those contributing lines to major Trump speeches, working late hours on foreign policy initiatives, responding to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, coping with the deluge of media inquiries about that investigation, and so much more. (Trump’s campaign did not respond to an email seeking comment for this story.)

Modafinil — also known by its brand name, Provigil — wasn’t the only controlled substance that Trump officials young and old routinely acquired. “It was kind of like the Wild West. Things were pretty loose. Whatever someone needs, we were going to fill this,” one source with direct knowledge of the matter recalls.

The anti-anxiety medication Xanax was also a popular, easy-to-get drug during the Trump years, three sources tell us. Neither Xanax nor its generic, alprazolam, is mentioned in the Pentagon report, which notes that it is not a comprehensive list of the controlled substances ordered during the Trump years. Two people with direct knowledge of the situation recall senior officials getting Xanax from the White House Medical Unit — and sharing it with colleagues.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-white-house-drugs-speed-xanax-1234979503/

Trump's 'Mental Acuity' Challenge Gets Exactly The Response You'd Expect.

“Yes, the first few questions are easy, but I'll bet you couldn't even answer the last five questions,” the president continued. “I'll bet you couldn't. They get very hard, the last five questions.”

TRUMP HAS OFTEN BRAGGED OF PASSING THE ASSESSMENT, AND INSISTED THAT IT WAS HARD. BUT IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE. “IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE EASY FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NO COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT,” DR. ZIAD NASREDDINE, WHO INVENTED THE TEST, TOLD MARKETWATCH IN 2020.

2020: We Are Entitled to Ask Citizen Trump for His Brain Scan.

INSTEAD OF TWITTER SPECULATION, THE PUBLIC CRAVES A SCAN AND HONEST ANSWERS.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-fallible-mind/202010/we-are-entitled-ask-president-trump-his-brain-scan

NOTICE ANY OVERLAPPING SYMPTOMS?

Why Do So Many Mental Illnesses Overlap?

A concept called the “p factor” attempts to explain why psychiatric disorders cannot be clearly separated.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-so-many-mental-illnesses-overlap/