Effective schizotypal personality disorder treatment is difficult, since people with the disorder rarely seek or want help. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, talk therapy represents a very important treatment approach for people with schizotypal personality disorder. Treatment focuses on helping individuals learn new social skills and how to cope in a variety of social settings. Although the FDA hasn't specifically approved any schizotypal personality disorder medications, doctors and therapists will recommend certain drugs as part of a multi-pronged treatment strategy.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder Treatment

Mental health experts typically start with psychotherapy as a primary approach in schizotypal personality disorder treatment. Depending on the individual, therapists may use a number of different types of psychotherapy, but typically psychodynamic and behavioral therapies have the most potential to help deal with symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder.

Psychodynamic therapy has a primary focus of revealing the unconscious thoughts embedded within a client's mind. The goal is to diminish psychic tension; it's a little like psychoanalysis in this way.

Another approach to treatment of schizotypal personality disorder involves using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to adjust the distorted thought patterns associated with the disorder. This can give the client a set of coping skills to alleviate tension and anxiety in social situations.

Talk therapy techniques can be used within both of these client-centered schizotypal personality disorder therapy approaches. This method involves coaxing a client into discussing his or her problems, inner experiences, and other behavioral influences with a therapist.

If there are co-occurring conditions along with the personality disorder, the mental healthcare provider will need to treat them as well. Some conditions that may occur along with schizotypal personality disorder include depression, substance abuse (alcohol, drugs), and other personality disorders. While medications cannot cure this or other personality disorders, they may effectively address these accompanying illnesses and the more troubling symptoms, such as paranoia and magical thinking.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder Prognosis

Schizotypal personality disorder prognosis varies depending on the severity of the condition and the commitment the individual has toward treatment. Like many mental illnesses, this disorder represents a chronic condition that will require lifelong attention and treatment.

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Psychopaths are some of the most dangerous people in society, but is there a psychopath test that can identify them? As it turns out, yes, a psychopathic personality test does exist and has shown to be very accurate in diagnosing psychopathy as well as predicting future violent acts. The psychopath test is based on the psychopathic traits and characteristics of a psychopath.

History of the Psychopath Test

Until the 1970s, there was no test for psychopathy as psychopaths were not understood well enough, but, at that time, Canadian psychologist, Robert D. Hare, developed a checklist (the Psychopathy Checklist; the PCL) to be used in assessing psychopathy in individuals. This checklist, or psychopath test as some referred to it, was designed, in part due to work done with male offenders and forensic inmates in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Since that time, a revised version of the checklist (PCL-R) has been produced and used in many studies to identify psychopaths. This test is considered to have high reliability and validity and is widely used in the criminal justice system to identify offenders at high risk for reoffending and, in some cases, the score achieved on the checklist may affect parole request outcomes.

What Is the Psychopathy Test (Checklist)?

Hare developed a 20 item checklist in the PCL-R. Currently, each of the questions is divided into one of four factors or categories. The four factors of the PCL-R are:

• Interpersonal
• Affective (emotional)
• Lifestyle
• Antisocial (behaviors)

This psychopathy test or checklist is designed to be filled out by a healthcare professional and not the individual him or herself.

How the Psychopath Test is Taken

The items on the checklist are not really questions but more of a trait that the professional assesses as to whether it fits the individual or not. For example, how well does the term "conning-manipulative" fit the individual? Each psychopath checklist item is scored between zero and two to indicate its relevance.

The Psychopath Test Questions

As stated, each item on the psychopath test checklist is really a trait or psychopathic symptom and not a question. The following are the traits listed on the PCL-R:

1. Glibness-superficial charm
2. Grandiose sense of self-worth (narcissistic psychopath)
3. Need for stimulation
4. Pathological lying
5. Conning-manipulative
6. Lack of remorse or guilt
7. Shallow affect
8. Callous-lack of empathy
9. Parasitic lifestyle
10. Poor behavior controls
11. Promiscuous sexual behavior
12. Early behavioral problems (Do child psychopaths exist?)
13. Lack of realistic, long-term goals
14. Impulsivity
15. Irresponsibility
16. Failure to accept responsibility
17. Many marital relationships
18. Juvenile delinquency (behavior of psychopathic children)
19. Revocation of conditional release
20. Criminal versatility

It's important to note that professionals that use the PCL-R are specially trained in how to assess each item on the checklist as well as how to score it and so an individual cannot, reliably, assess his or herself.

Scoring the Psychopath Checklist

As mentioned, each item is scored from zero to two meaning that the highest score possible is a 40. The higher one scores, the more likely the person is a psychopath. Typical scoring groups include:

• Low – 1-20
• Medium – 21-29
• High – 30+

Thirty points or above on the PCL-R is considered a psychopath. People with no criminal background tend to score around a five and criminals who are not psychopaths tend to score around a 22. If you want, you can take the psychopath test here. It's instantly scored.

Am I a Psychopath Test?

Unfortunately, there is no way for an individual to reliably use this or any other test to assess whether he or she is a psychopath. If psychopathy is suspected, the best thing an individual can do is see a psychiatrist who specializes in psychopathy for an assessment. That said, very few, if any, psychopaths would likely take this step as psychopaths are not typically distressed about being psychopaths and thus have no motivation to change or even receive a diagnosis.

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Individuals with schizotypal personality disorder symptoms have long-term, inflexible, and persistent patterns of social and interpersonal limitations. They feel extremely uncomfortable with close relationships and intimacy, even sex. Sufferers may have very eccentric beliefs and behaviors that make it difficult for others to feel comfortable around them.

Common Symptoms of Schizotypal Personality

The common symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder manifest in people in the following ways:

• Eccentric beliefs or magical thinking that affects behavior and are not aligned with cultural norms: This might include odd fantasies or daydreams; belief in mental telepathy or a bizarre extrasensory power; strange superstitions.
• Distorted perceptions and body illusions: For example, an affected person may think they see something out of the corner of his eye or hear sounds that aren't there. He quickly realizes they aren't there and understands that they do not represent actual events.
• Peculiar appearance or speech: People with schizotypal personality disorder may not dress or groom themselves appropriately for work or other social settings.They may have stilted speech or simply not respond at all to direct questions or comments directed at them.
• No close friends: Because they prefer solitude to interacting with others, they typically do not form close relationships with others.
• Intense anxiety in social situations: People with this condition experience intense anxiety in social situations even with people with whom they have long-term familiarity, such as family members.
• Suspiciousness and paranoid cognition: A schizotypal personality will harbor unfounded suspicions about those around him. He may find the most innocent gestures suspicious and feel others are "out to get" him.

Discover famous people with schizotypal personality disorder.

Diagnosis of Schizotypal Personality Disorder

People with a long-standing pattern of several of the above schizotypal personality disorder symptoms could receive a diagnosis of schizotypal personality disorder from a physician or other qualified mental health professional.

Diagnosis requires a person undergo a full psychological evaluation conducted by a trained mental health professional, like a psychologist or psychiatrist. General and family physicians typically don't have the experience to properly diagnose and treat psychological conditions. Often, however, they can spot issues and problematic thinking and refer patients to a mental health professional for a psychological work-up.

The problem with diagnosing schizotypal personality disorder is that most people with the condition do not seek help; nor, do they want it. Comparing a person's symptoms with those listed above, along with considering family history of mental illness and other related factors, allows a psychiatrist or psychologist to make a definitive diagnosis.

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Overview of psychiatric medications for treating conditions - depression, anxiety, aggressive behavior - stemming from having a personality disorder.

People with personality disorders are often difficult to get along with and many times, they even find it tough to deal with their own feelings and emotions on a day-to-day basis. So it's no surprise that this group also suffers with other psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety. Psychiatric medications may help relieve these comorbid conditions, but they can't cure the underlying personality disorder. That job falls to therapy, which is aimed at building new coping mechanisms.

Medications that may be helpful for treating these related disorders include:

• Antidepressants: SSRI antidepressants such as Prozac, Lexapro, Celexa, or SNRI antidepressant Effexor help relieve depression and anxiety in people with personality disorders. Less often, MAOI drugs, such as Nardil and Parnate, may be used.
• Anticonvulsants: These medications may help suppress impulsive and aggressive behavior. They include Carbatrol, Tegretol or Depakote. Topamax , an anticonvulsant, is being researched as an aid in managing impulse-control problems.
• Antipsychotics: People with borderline and schizotypal personality disorders are at risk of losing touch with reality. Antipsychotic medications such as Risperdal and Zyprexa can help improve distorted thinking. Haldol may help for severe behavior problems.
• Other medications: Anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax, Klonopin and mood stabilizers such as lithium are used to relieve symptoms associated with personality disorders.

Research on Using Medications to Treat Personality Disorders

Almost all studies on using medications to treat personality disorders have been with a borderline personality disorder. Antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs are those with the greatest amount of research evidence. There's also evidence that a minority of individuals may be made worse by medication treatment. However, where there is evidence of aggression and impulsivity, and schizotypal and paranoid features within the personality disturbance, antipsychotic drugs, both typical and atypical, may play a role in the treatment of personality disorders. Researchers, though, note this may not be appropriate for the long-term.

Most of the antidepressant research has been done on SSRIs.   The best results, however, have been shown with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), drugs which are usually avoided in those who self-harm, as is common in borderline personality disorder. Mood stabilizers such as lithium, carbamazepine (Carbatrol) and sodium valproate (Depakene) have also been tested in small and generally unsatisfactory controlled trials and show some slight evidence of benefit. Benzodiazepine drugs (Xanax) may help cluster C personalities (avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive) but with a high risk of dependence.

Although there is significantly more information available now than there was some years ago, many professionals feel it's insufficient evidence for any firm guidance to be given on drug treatment.

Sources

• American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Revised 4th ed.). Washington, DC.
• American Psychiatric Association pamphlet on Personality Disorders
• Merck Manual Home Edition For Patients and Caregivers, Personality Disorders, 2006.
• EF Coccaro and RJ Kavoussi, Fluoxetine and impulsive aggressive behavior in personality-disordered subjects, Arch Gen Psychiatry 54 (1997), pp. 1081-1088.
• J Reich, R Noyes and W Yates, Alprazolam treatment of avoidant personality traits in social phobic patients, J Clin Psychiatry 50 (1980), pp. 91-95.

• What is Dependent Personality Disorder?
• Dependent Personality Disorder Symptoms, Diagnosis
• Dependent Personality Disorder Treatment
• Famous People with Dependent Personality Disorder

Do you know how to spot true, psychopathic symptoms? While many people would likely see a serial killer as necessarily a psychopath, not all psychopaths kill. So what are the symptoms of a psychopath and how can you spot them?

Types of Psychopathic Symptoms

There are several types of symptoms that, together, form a cluster that defines psychopathy. The number of types of psychopathic symptoms vary depending on the researcher but the four types of psychopathic symptoms used commonly are:

• Interpersonal
• Emotional (affective)
• Lifestyle
• Behavioral (antisocial behaviors)

Psychopathy can be thought of as a personality disorder and while the concept of a psychopathic personality is often used interchangeably with an antisocial personality, psychopathy is defined differently by many professionals. Psychopaths are typically diagnosed using derivations of the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (Hare 1991; 2003) and this is not how antisocial personalities are diagnosed (Does A Psychopath Test Exist? Diagnosing the Psychopath).

Symptoms of a Psychopath

According to the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy (Psychopathy Society), affective psychopathic symptoms include:

• A lack of guilt – spot this symptom when a psychopath does something that hurts another and feels no remorse about it.
• A lack of empathy and compassion – spot this psychopathic symptom when the psychopath fails to understand or identify with the pain of others.
• A lack of deep attachment to others – spot this symptom in a psychopath who keeps away from others, particularly emotionally.

Note that because a psychopath is often manipulative and charming, he or she may fake any of the above emotions.

The Psychopathy Society identifies the following interpersonal psychopathic symptoms:

• Narcissism – watch for an inflated sense of self and only caring about the self (more on the narcissistic psychopath).
• Superficial charm – look for a charming personality that always seems to say the right things but whose actions likely don't match the words.

The Psychopathy Society identifies these antisocial behavioral symptoms of a psychopath:

• Dishonesty – while a psychopath may try to charm his or her way out of a lie, look out for them, nonetheless.
• Manipulativeness – this psychopathic symptom can be used in conjunction with any other to try and make the psychopath appear like other, non-psychopathic, people.
• Reckless risk-taking – spot this symptom when the psychopath takes big risks with no regards to the consequences on himself/herself or others.

Psychopath Symptoms in Women

Psychopathy is considerably less prevalent in women and women tend to show less severe psychopathic symptoms and/or fewer of them. However, women psychopaths do exist.

Spotting the Signs of a Psychopath

Remember, psychopaths are typically in touch with reality and know who they are and what they're doing. That means they may work to fit in with others and hide their psychopathic tendencies which can make them difficult to spot. Nevertheless, the vast majority of psychopaths (more than 90%) have had some interaction with the criminal justice system and many are violent or abusive so these are signs not to be ignored as the psychopath will, by definition, not care about their impact but those around him or her certainly will.

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The idea of positively dealing with PTSD can seem absurd when you are living the nightmare that PTSD can be. It is natural to feel as though your entire world, internal and external, has shattered, and if you sometimes feel overwhelmed and unable to deal with PTSD, you’re not alone (PTSD Symptoms and Signs of PTSD). Feeling lost, broken, and unable to cope are common experiences of people living with PTSD. These thoughts and emotions arise from the trauma and are tricks that PTSD plays on your brain. PTSD is something you’re dealing with; it is not who you are. But how can you deal with PTSD? Here are 10 positive ways of dealing with PTSD to get you started.

10 Positive Ways of Dealing with PTSD

1. Set small, realistic goals. Where are you right now? Where do you want to be tomorrow? What little things can you do today to get there?
2. Break daunting problems and large tasks into manageable bits. PTSD can make life feel like one big, overwhelming picture. Take it apart and deal with small pieces at a time.
3. Build social support. Don’t isolate. People need human connection to heal (PTSD Help: PTSD Support Groups Can Help PTSD Recovery). It’s okay to start small (working in little bits is a theme in PTSD recovery). Reach out to even one friend or family member, share what triggers you so they can support you through intrusive memories, nightmares and flashbacks.
4. Build problem-solving and communication skills. PTSD interferes with someone’s ability to solve problems and communicate with others. Working with a therapist or even using self-help books can help you rebuild these skills, improve your relationships, and meet your goals.
5. Exercise a little every day. Set a goal to simply move. Research has proven that even mild activity done in 10-15 minute increments reduces stress and increases wellbeing.
6. Practice stress reduction and relaxation techniques to decrease arousal and deal with PTSD’s intrusive memories. Keep it simple. Breathe slowly and deeply for a few moments, tense and relax muscles in your body, do a few yoga stretches or an entire routine, visualize peace and tranquility, or engage in other healthy, relaxing activities.
7. Seek out comforting situations, people, and places. Again, start small. Identify one place or one person that feels safe, and go to the place, connect with the person. This is an effective way to deal with the avoidance effects of PTSD.
8. Include ways to play, be creative, and reintroduce passion and joy. Dealing with PTSD can be difficult in part because trauma and PTSD rob someone of his/her ability and desire to enjoy life. Happiness and joy are essential for people’s mental health and wellbeing. Identify little things that bring a smile to your face and even laughter to your heart, and pursue them regularly. You might not smile or laugh right away, and that’s okay. Keep it up, and you will.
9. Discover new inner strengths. Dealing with PTSD is a positive journey of healing and rediscovery. You are engaging in a process of finding once again the good in yourself and in life.
10. Intentionally look ahead to make meaning of life after trauma. Keep a journal, scrapbook, secret Pinterest board—whatever you like—where you record thoughts, images, inspirational PTSD quotes, and more that are personally meaningful for you and your life. This brings us full circle to number one. Setting goals that are small and personally meaningful are positive ways to deal with PTSD.

How to deal with PTSD? Be patient with yourself. Healing is a process rather than an event (How Long Does PTSD Last? Does PTSD Ever Go Away?). Finding positive ways to deal with PTSD, such as the ten ideas above, and incorporating some of them into your life every single day will help you reclaim yourself and your life. Dealing with PTSD is important, and it is absolutely possible.

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Individuals with schizotypal personality disorder exhibit a consistent, long-term pattern of severe social and relationship limitations. They seem to take little joy in life, regardless of circumstance and typically choose to engage in solitary activities rather than those that involve other people. This can make treatment of schizotypal personality disorder very challenging.

Living with Schizotypal Personality Disorder

People with schizotypal personality disorder prefer social isolation, similar to those with schizoid personality disorder. But unlike schizoids, people with schizotypal personality disorder experience cognitive (thinking) and perceptual distortions along with their odd behavior.

These cognitive and perceptual distortions include the individual seeing or hearing things like flashes of light or someone calling his or her name. The individual may see shadows lurking in the corner, but quickly realize nothing is there.

Don't confuse a schizotypal personality with schizophrenia. Unlike schizophrenia, even though sufferers may see or hear things that aren't there, they realize that these things don't represent factual events or reality. So, their perceptual distortions aren't hallucinations as they are with schizophrenia. They also may have eccentric beliefs and behaviors but aren't disconnected from reality.

For example, if you have schizotypal personality disorder, you may have odd fears and preoccupations. These may show up as intense paranoia that the government or your workplace is monitoring you. You may even have intense beliefs about aliens and things like alien abductions. These beliefs may be so strong that they inhibit your ability to form lasting close relationships. (Read about famous people with schizotypal personality disorder.)

Causes of Schizotypal Personality Disorder

Experts don't have a clear understanding about the causes of schizotypal personality disorder. It's theorized that genetics play a critical role in its development because the disorder is more common in families with schizophrenics. Most experts believe that causation stems from a three-pronged and complex combination of genetics, biological, and social factors.

People with a family history of schizophrenia and other psychopathologies are at a greater risk for developing schizotypal personality disorder. In fact, research indicates that those with a first-degree relative who has schizotypal symptoms may be up to 50 percent more likely to develop the disorder compared to others.

Other risk factors include people who:

• Genetic links, particularly a family history of schizophrenia or other mental health issues
• Brain dysfunction, potentially due to trauma
• Adverse childhood events, including abuse or neglect
• Emotional distance from a parental figure
• Complications before or during birth
• Experiences of psychotic episodes or delusional periods
• Differences in brain structure or chemical balance

Having one or more of these risk factors doesn't guarantee a person will develop schizotypal personality disorder, but only increases the possibility.

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No want wants to run across a psychopath whether they're a famous psychopath or not but, perhaps, the really famous psychopaths should be feared even more.

That's because when a psychopath is famous, it's typically for killing a large number of people. What's known about psychopaths is that they do not feel guilt or remorse about their actions (Can Psychopaths Love, Cry and Experience Joy?) and psychopaths can kill with the slightest (or no) provocation. In the words of Carl Panzram who confessed to 22 murders, "I'll kill the first man that bothers me."

Famous Psychopathic Killers

The following is a list of people presumed psychopathic due to their long-standing, extremely violent nature combined with their personalities. These famous psychopaths have had countless books written about them and even plays and songs written about them. For whatever reason, we fear, and yet insist on somewhat celebrating, the famous psychopath.

1. John Wayne Gacy – This famous psychopath used to put on a clown suit and makeup to entertain at children's parties earning him the nickname of "Killer Clown." Gacy sexually assaulted and murdered 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978 in Chicago Illinois. Gacy said this of his victims, "They were just a bunch of worthless little queers and punks."
2. Joel Rifkin – Joel Rifkin was a famous psychopathic killer that was convicted of nine murders although likely committed 17. He would dismember the bodies for easy disposal. Rifkin had this to say about his situation, "I will in all probability be convicted, but I will not go away as a monster, but as a tragedy."
3. Gary Ridgway – Even of the famous psychopaths, Gary Ridgway's tally of dead bodies is strikingly high as he plead guilty to 48 charges of murder although bragged that he actually killed 71. Ridgway was known as the Green River Killer and he has the distinction of the being most prolific American serial killer in history based on the number of people that have been confirmed as killed by Ridgway. When asked why, he said, "I don't believe in man, God nor Devil. I hate the whole damned human race, including myself... I preyed upon the weak, the harmless and the unsuspecting. This lesson I was taught by others: Might makes right."
4. Richard Ramirez - Richard Ramirez was known as the "Night Stalker" by news media as his home invasion crime spree terrorized people in Los Angeles and then later in San Francisco from June 1984 until August 1985. He admitted to killing 20 people and said to the deputy sheriff after his capture, "I love to kill people. I love watching them die. I would shoot them in the head and they would wiggle and squirm all over the place, and then just stop. Or I would cut them with a knife and watch their faces turn real white. I love all that blood. I told one lady to give me all her money. She said no. So I cut her and pulled her eyes out."
5. Albert DeSalvo – Dubbed the "Boston Strangler," this famous psychopath confessed to the murder of 13 women, however, was only imprisoned for additional rapes and robberies as there was no physical evidence tying him to the murders. Albert DeSalvo said this of the murders, "It wasn't as dark and scary as it sounds. I had a lot of fun... Killing somebody's a funny experience."

Worried you're with a psychopath or are a psychopath? Take the psychopath test.

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There are sociopaths in our midst. Some of them are high-functioning sociopaths. High-functioning or not, all lack empathy. All are antisocial; they ignore the rules and laws of society so they can live by their own norms. Cold, callus, and calculating, they stop at nothing to get what they want, and they are impervious to consequences and punishment. They all have the same clinical diagnosis: antisocial personality disorder.

Despite these commonalities, not every sociopath is created equal. As with everything else in life, there are individual differences. Some sociopaths are more effective at being who they are than are others. Those exceptionally skilled are often dubbed high-functioning sociopaths.

What is a High-functioning Sociopath?

The term "high-functioning" is a descriptor rather than a diagnosis and isn't part of the diagnostic label for antisocial personality disorder (the official name for what is popularly called sociopathy). Ditto "low-functioning." These adjectives simply describe how good of a sociopath someone is.

Highly functioning sociopaths are adept at morphing themselves into what people want to see (Signs of a Sociopath Are Big Time Scary). They very quickly learn what makes people tick, and they know just how to engineer and oil the clock. This type of sociopath

• has superior intelligence, as demonstrated by observed behavior and IQ tests;
• possesses impeccable social skills and exudes charm;
• often comes from a strong family background;
• is driven—she knows what she wants, and she knows how to get it;
• is calculating, cleverly assessing a situation and purposely planning action;
• is patient and willing to work people and situations until the time is right for her to make her move.

These traits make a high-functioning sociopath formidable. She remains at least several moves ahead of the rest of society, and no one suspects a thing. Whatever it is she wants, she is likely to get it. The high-functioning sociopath can cause a lot of damage (Do Sociopaths Cry or Even Have Feelings?).

What is a Low-functioning Sociopath?

"Low-functioning sociopath" isn't a commonly used term, but it works here to contrast a high-functioning sociopath against the garden-variety sociopath. A low-functioning sociopath isn't as adept in social situations as is a high-functioning sociopath. No sociopath particularly likes people. They see them as mere objects to be toyed with, used, and then dismissed or disposed of. High-functioning sociopaths, though, are better opportunists. They can blend into any environment and adopt the traits needed to con. Low-functioning sociopaths aren't as smooth. They

• lack education or skills necessary to manipulate under the radar;
• often resort to threats, coercion, intimidation, and even violence to accomplish their goals;
• are better at bullying than they are at charming;
• they have wants, but they're not as focused, driven, and patient about them.

Low- and High-functioning Sociopaths Do Damage

Sociopaths are antisocial people with social skills. Sociopath traits are the same for both low and high-functioning sociopaths. It's that some (high-functioning) sociopaths happen to have more skill than others, and thus the ability to do more damage. 

A low-functioning sociopath can sometimes be quick to anger, hot-headed. He can quickly become violent, and because he's a sociopath, he doesn't hesitate to injure or kill. People mean nothing, punishment means nothing, his own wants and needs mean everything. (And don't be concerned about sociopath treatment as the sociopath can't be cured.)

A low-functioning sociopath will try to charm because doing so helps him manipulate others. He can cause physical, emotional, and financial damage to his victims. Unlike the high-functioning sociopath, he lacks long-term planning skills, patience, and drive. He can, for example, swindle people out of hundreds of dollars, but he either is caught or becomes bored before moving on.

In contrast, a high-functioning sociopath is great at what he does. He also can cause physical, emotional, and financial damage to anyone he so chooses. He's more deliberate about it, though. Whereas a low-functioning sociopath can con someone out of hundreds of dollars, the high-functioning sociopath predator can manipulate, lie, cheat, his way into a fortune.

All sociopaths are dangerous whether labeled high-functioning, low-functioning or narcissistic sociopaths. A high-functioning sociopath can dream bigger and manipulate better than other sociopaths. They can cause a great deal of damage.

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