Unfortunately, many types of abuse are all too common in adult relationships. Forms of abuse often are seen in domestic partnerships but abuse is also common between elders and their adult children. No matter the age, gender, socioeconomic status, education or ethnicity, anyone can become a victim of abuse. Knowing about the forms of abuse can allow you to spot them and stop the abuse as soon as possible.

Types of Abuse

There are several different types of abuse recognized. Forms of abuse include:¹

• Emotional abuse aka Psychological abuse – this type of abuse is likely the most common. Emotional abuse consists of any behavior designed to hurt another person emotionally. Psychological abuse includes yelling, threats, shaming, humiliation and shaming, among other tactics.
• Financial abuse – this type of abuse is often seen alongside other forms of abuse. Financial abuse is when one person restricts access to money from another. This type of abuse includes actions like cutting off access to bank accounts, controlling where someone is allowed to work and preventing access to financial information.
• Physical abuse – this form of abuse shows the most outward signs. Physical abuse is also known as domestic abuse or domestic violence when it occurs within intimate relationships. Physical abuse is any physical act or threat of a physical act designed to harm another person physically. This type of abuse includes actions like slapping, punching, hair-pulling and kicking. Physical evidence such as bruises need not exist for the act to be physical abuse.
• Sexual abuse – this type of abuse is often perpetrated against women although men can be victims of sexual abuse too. Sexual abuse includes any unwanted sexual act forced on the victim. This form of abuse is also often known as sexual assault or rape. Sexual abuse can include anything from unwanted touching to forced intercourse or forced sexual contact with another person.
• Verbal abuse – verbal abuse is generally a form of psychological abuse. This type of abuse occurs when an abuser uses words and body language with the intent to hurt another person. Verbal abuse includes put-downs, name-calling, and unreasonable criticisms.
• Elder abuse – this type of abuse happens between an elder and another person, typically younger, such as the elder’s child. Elder abuse consists of other forms of abuse perpetrated against an elder. This form of abuse often consists of financial, emotional and even physical abuse.
• Spiritual abuse – spiritual abuse revolves around a person’s spirituality or religion. This type of abuse includes attacking another’s belief system, denying access to a house of worship or forced participation in a cult.

All forms of abuse are illegal, although some are harder to prosecute than others. Many of these different types of abuse are also perpetrated against children and teens. For detailed information on child abuse and the types of child abuse, go here.

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After articles claiming that workplace bosses or Wall Street tycoons are often psychopaths, people want to know, what is a psychopath? But the question is, is the term "psychopath" thrown around too much? Are there really psychopaths, like these famous psychopaths, roaming among us? What is a true psychopath?

"I have no desire whatsoever to reform myself. My only desire is to reform people who try to reform me, and I believe the only way to reform people is to kill them. My motto is: Rob 'em all, rape 'em all, and kill 'em all." – Carl Panzram, confessed to killing 22 people and claimed to be "rage personified."

What a Psychopath Isn't

According to the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy, the psychopathic personality (also known as psychopathy) is not equivalent to:

• Violence
• Serial killing (psychopathic killer)
• Psychosis (the presence of delusions and hallucinations)
• Mental illness (psychopathology) in general
• Antisocial personality disorder

But rather, a psychopath has certain emotional features, interpersonal features and behaviors that come together to define a psychopath.

What a Psychopath Is

Typical emotional features of psychopathy include a lack of guilt, empathy and attachment to others. The interpersonal features of psychopathy include superficial charm and narcissism. Behaviors common in psychopaths are often reckless and include dishonest, manipulative and risk-taking acts. (more on psychopathic traits and characteristics of a psychopath) While many psychopaths are violent, a person doesn't have to be violent to be labeled a psychopath.

While the definition of a psychopath may be chilling, psychopaths can be found in all areas of life with those engaged in the criminal justice system being understood the best (due to increased study).

"We serial killers are your sons, we are your husbands, we are everywhere. And there will be more of your children dead tomorrow." – Ted Bundy, confessed to killing 40 people.

Find more quotes that put you into the mind of a psychopath at "Psychopath Quotes" here on HealthyPlace.

Psychopath Statistics

The best current estimates suggest that 1% of all noninstitutionalized (not in a psychiatric facility) males age 18 and over meet the definition of a psychopath. Additionally, 16% of all adult males that are in prison or jail, or are on parole or probation are also thought to be psychopaths. Therefore, approximately 93% of all male psychopaths have had some involvement with the criminal justice system. (There are few estimates for females due to lack of study.)

"I wished I could stop but I could not. I had no other thrill or happiness . . . I don't lose sleep over what I have done or have nightmares about it." – Dennis Nilsen, killed at least 15 people.

Treatment of Psychopaths

Most professionals believe that it's not possible to treat psychopaths. No treatment, including therapy, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), psychosurgery or drug therapy has shown to change psychopaths. In fact, in a 1991 study, those incarcerated psychopaths who were treated in group therapy actually were more violent after being released than those who weren't.

However, there is some hope in the field of psychopathic treatment and that is in the treatment of young people with psychopathic traits. A new program called decompression treatment appears to reduce recidivism rates and institutionalized violence if it is applied for lengthy periods of time (up to, and even more than, one year) on youths with psychopathic traits.

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Ninety-nine percent of humanity are not sociopaths. One percent is. Of that one percent, there are some that are so inhuman, so bone-chillingly awful, that they become famous sociopaths. Unfortunately, that's exactly what they want, and their infamous notoriety pleases them to such a degree that prison doesn't bother them. If anything, prison is just another playground (What Is A Sociopathic Person Like?).

Serial Killers Make Famous Sociopaths

Not every sociopath is a serial killer, but it tends to be the most brutally violent that make the headlines and become the most famous sociopaths.

• John Gacy lived in Des Plaines, Illinois. He was the epitome of both local and national citizenship, receiving a Man of the Year award from his city's Junior Chamber of Commerce and, separately, taking his picture with Rosalynn Carter, the First Lady at the time. He entertained kids as a clown at their birthday parties. People adored him. What they didn't know because he hid it so skillfully was that he also happened to be a sociopath, one of the most famous sociopaths to ever walk the earth. In the 1970s, he murdered thirty-two young men and buried most of them in the crawl space under his house.
• Ted Bundy was an attractive, charismatic young man living in Seattle in the 1970s. He lured women to him with his charm. Dozens fell prey and were brutally beaten and murdered by his hands. He was so well-liked that he got away with it for quite some time.
• Jeffrey MacDonald had power and admiration as an officer in the Green Berets, a medical doctor, and family man. He was a husband, the father of two daughters with another child on the way, and he was a narcissistic sociopath who brutally murdered his pregnant wife and daughters.
• Jeffrey Dahmer, the Milwaukee Cannibal, raped, murdered, dismembered, and sometimes ate seventeen boys and men in the 70s and 80s.

Famous Sociopaths Who Aren't Serial Killers

Not every sociopath is a serial killer. Some find that different crimes better fit their needs and motivations.

• Jack Henry Abbott was a respected and highly praised author when the crime of forgery sent him to prison. He actually didn't commit murder until he was in prison where he stabbed someone. Upon escaping from prison, he robbed a bank and was sent back. He contacted famous author Norman Mailer (who was not in prison but was in the world writing novels, plays, films, and the like) and convinced Mailer to help him write a book. Out of prison, he charmed his way into Mailer's literary circle in New York and enjoyed attention for a few weeks. When a waiter wouldn't let him use the employee bathroom in a restaurant, Abbott stabbed him to death and returned to prison. He died by suicide in prison in 2002, but his sociopath charm lives on. He has his own section on BrainyQuotes.com
• Joey Buttafuoco has never committed murder, but he gained fame nonetheless. His affair with teenage Amy Fisher and Fisher's attempted murder of his then wife, Mary Jo, thrust him into the spotlight. His charismatic behavior captivated the media and gained him national attention, further fueling what Mary Jo termed his sociopathic tendencies. While he isn't a murderer, Mary Jo says Joey Buttafuoco is a sociopath, albeit a famous sociopath.

Famous Female Sociopaths

Male sociopaths outnumber female sociopaths by anywhere from three to one (Fallon, 2013) to seven to one (Hare, 1999). While neither gender has regard for law or feelings of others, males tend to commit more violent crimes and to be the famous sociopath serial killers. Still, female sociopaths are famous criminals, too.

• Diane Downs was after a man who didn't want children. To get what she wanted (him), she murdered her children.
• Deidre Hunt played an equal role with Constantine Paspalakis in torturing and murdering a young man. They videotaped the whole thing, presumably for their own pleasure and entertainment.

It may be a good idea to learn the signs of a sociopath to protect yourself. You never know when you might meet one. Some sociopaths are so well-known they can be considered among the most famous sociopaths ever to walk the Earth. Others are famous sociopaths within their own circles. No matter the scale, sociopaths are infamous.

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The following personality disorders list may help you understand the ten personality disorders (types of personality disorders) as well as their similarities and differences. At first glance, some of the disorders may seem almost exactly alike, but each disorder on the list of personality disorders has at least one differentiating characteristic.

List of Personality Disorders 

Cluster A Personality Disorders

Paranoid Personality Disorder – Individuals with this mental illness have a strong and continuing distrust of others and harbor deep, yet unfounded suspicions about their peers and acquaintances. Imagine someone always on guard, who constantly fears you and others are out to harm, humiliate, or manipulate them in some way. This person may even preemptively attack you and others whom they perceive as threatening.

While this behavior falls well outside the boundaries of societal norms, this person sees an offensive attack as perfectly a logical response to the perceived threat. Do you or have you ever known a person who reads malicious intent in the most innocuous and innocent actions on others? People with paranoid personality disorder see threats all around them. They tend to hold grudges, dwelling to the point of obsession over past slights they've experienced. These tendencies keep them from forming lasting and close relationships as hostility and general distrust consume their emotional lives.

Schizoid Personality Disorder – You will notice a long-term, consistent pattern of social detachment and a limited range of emotional expression in people suffering from this personality disorder. The tendency toward detachment isolates them from socializing and they typically deliberately choose to participate in only solitary activities.

Of all the personality disorder types, people with schizoid personality disorder are the ones with more obvious emotional issues. To others, they seem distracted and cold and, similar to people with autism, miss the social cues most of us take for granted. This makes them appear socially inept and fake. Schizoid personality disorder is one of the more rare personality disorder types.

Schizotypal Personality Disorder – People suffering from this disorder exhibit a persistent and long-term pattern of limited social and interpersonal skills. They feel deeply uncomfortable in social situations and have great difficulty forming close relationships. As with schizoid personality disorder, these individuals are socially isolated, distant, and don't interact with others.

What makes this different than the schizoid type? Unlike those with the schizoid type of disorder, these people experience distortions in perception and behave eccentrically. For instance, he may experience flashes of light or see objects and shadows in his peripheral vision that no one else sees. He'll then admit that nothing is there. The individual may also have eccentric beliefs, such as believing she can read the thoughts of others or that someone else has stolen her own thoughts from her.

Cluster B Personality Disorders 

Antisocial Personality Disorder – Those with antisocial personality disorder have a reckless disregard for the rights and boundaries of others. This disregard frequently appears in the form of aggression and hostility. Their hostile, aggressive, and deceitful behaviors often appear during childhood. As children, these individuals may torture animals, destroy property, and bully and intimidate other children. The reckless behavior continues to deepen and includes:

• Deceitfulness – constant lying, conning others for pleasure
• Impulsive behavior – inability to plan ahead
• Aggressiveness – frequent physical fights or assaults
• Lack of remorse – indifference about how they might have hurt others

Borderline Personality Disorder – This disorder appears most obviously in early adulthood and is characterized by an unstable pattern of interpersonal interactions, poor self-image, and dramatic outbursts. People with BPD display most of these symptoms persistently and regularly:

• Deep fear of abandonment – individuals with BPD have a profound fear of abandonment and exhibit powerful efforts to avoid feeling abandoned, whether imagined or in reality.
• Unstable and intense relationships – alternate between the extremes of idealization and devaluation of those close to her
• Disturbed and unstable self-identity – significant and pervasive issues with self-image and personal identity
• Chronic emptiness – almost constant feelings of emptiness which she tries to "fill up" with things or people
• Inappropriate emotional responses – intense bouts of anger and frequent displays of uncontrollable temper often punctuated by physical fights
• Impulsive – shows impulsive behavior in at least two of the following: spending, sex, substance abuse, binge eating or drinking
• Emotionally unstable – mood changes can occur rapidly and can last a few hours, but almost never more than a few days
• Stress-related paranoid thoughts – thinking others are out to get him or plotting against him. These thoughts usually disappear once the stress trigger is relieved.

Histrionic Personality Disorder – Individuals with this disorder have a pattern of displaying excessive emotion in reaction to challenges and events that don't go their way. They are unapologetically attention seeking and live lives full of drama. The drama in their lives goes well beyond that of the typical "drama queen".

They are overly and often inappropriately flirtatious and don't like situations where they aren't the absolute center of attention. In fact, when they aren't the focus of those in their immediate circle, they tend to become depressed and agitated. While they feel uncomfortable when not in a relationship, their behavior patterns make having a truly intimate relationship almost impossible.

Blanche DuBois of Tennessee Williams' play, "A Streetcar Named Desire", represents a great example of a literary character with histrionic personality disorder.

Narcissistic Personality Disorder – One of the more common personality disorders, those with narcissistic personality disorder have distorted perceptions of their sense of self-worth. Many of the issues surrounding this disorder stem from the individual's deep sense of entitlement, which makes them believe they deserve special treatment. People with this disorder typically display five or more of the following:

• Overblown sense of self-importance – exaggerates achievements and talents; expects recognition for "superior" performance without accompanying achievements.
• Envious of others – often secretly jealous of others or believes that others are jealous of him
• Exploits others – manipulates and takes advantage of others to facilitate meeting her goals
• Powerful sense of entitlement – expects an unreasonable level of special treatment and demands automatic compliance with his expectations
• Lack of empathy – inability or refusal to recognize the needs and feelings of others as valid and important
• Arrogant, haughty behavior – displays typically arrogant and haughty attitudes toward anyone who crosses her
• Preoccupied with fantasies of superiority – often lost in daydreams of unlimited success, brilliance, exemplary beauty, and power
• Belief in his or own "special" status – the narcissist believes he is special and unique and only high-status people or institutions are worthy of his company

Cluster C Personality Disorders 

Avoidant Personality Disorder – In people with this mental illness, you may notice an inflexible and persistent pattern of social inhibition and a hypersensitivity to negative comments from others. Have you ever known someone who seems to overreact to any comment about her that she could interpret as negative?

Individuals suffering from this mental disorder have an intense fear that other might ridicule and reject them. Due to this, they avoid social situations and close interactions with others, limiting their ability to develop basic social skills.

They think others don't like them and often feel they don't measure up, or aren't good enough. A person with this disorder avoids parties and social events and may find it difficult to speak up during meetings or similar situations. He may come across as shy or stiff and restricted.

Dependent Personality Disorder – Have you known someone – an adult – with a deep need for others to take care of them? People with dependent personality disorder fear losing the support of others and often cling to others and submit to their desires to avoid losing support. An individual with this mental disorder may take great pains to avoid conflict and have difficulty standing up for him/herself, even when it's obviously warranted.

These characteristics make people with dependent personality disorder vulnerable to manipulation. It's hard for them to show independence and disagreement. They find it very difficult to cope with being alone and will immediately find another relationship to replace one that has ended.

Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder – Rules, orderliness, and regulations reign supreme with people who suffer from obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Perhaps you've known someone who is inordinately preoccupied with perfection and control. People with OCPD value perfectionism over flexibility, open-mindedness, and efficiency. They are preoccupied with lists, rules, details, order, and schedules to the point where the actual activity is lost.

People with this condition have the following characteristics:

• Excessive stubbornness
• Perfectionism that interferes with everyday life
• Excessive devotion to work or practice (i.e. sports or academic study)
• Inflexible on matters of morality, ethics, and values (not attributed to cultural or religious beliefs)
• Exhibit miserliness in spending on self and others

Psychiatrists view personality disorders as an enduring pattern of internal perception and external behaviors that markedly depart from societal norms and interfere with daily life. This personality disorders list represents an overview of the 10 disorders. People often have more than one personality disorder from the same cluster.

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“Abuse” is a word that is thrown around a lot in casual conversion; but what defines abuse? How does one know if they are committing abuse or if they are being abused? The abuse definition is actually quite simple. According to the Gale Encyclopaedia of Medicine, the definition of abuse is the following¹:

Abuse is defined as any action that intentionally harms or injures another person.

In short, someone who purposefully harms another in any way is committing abuse. There are many kinds of abuse encountered by adults, including:

• physical abuse
• psychological abuse
• rape
• sexual assault
• verbal abuse
• elder abuse
• financial abuse
• spiritual abuse
• emotional abuse

All forms of abuse are illegal in the United States and can be met with criminal penalties. (Information on child abuse and types of child abuse, can be found here.)

Abuse is most commonly committed by a person the victim knows and, often, lives with. When one partner abuses another, it’s known as intimate partner abuse. Abuse within families is often known as domestic abuse or domestic violence

Defining the Scope of Abuse in the United States

Abuse is a huge problem in the United States with almost one-in-three adult women and more than one-in-five adult men reporting having experienced physical, sexual or psychological intimate partner abuse in their lifetime.² This equates to approximately 8.5 million incidents of domestic violence occurring each year. Young people are not immune from abuse either with one-in-three teenagers having experienced violence within a dating relationship. And perhaps even more alarming, over three million reports of child abuse were filed with Child Protective Services in the United States in the fiscal year 2010.³

Meaning of Abuse

While the definition of abuse is simple, the meaning of abuse isn’t so clear. Yes, abuse is when one person purposefully hurts another, but that is a common occurrence in life and most of us are guilty of engaging in that from time to time. But what abuse really means is control. When a truly abusive situation exists, it’s because one party is seeking to control the other through abuse. And while this might be an explanation of abuse, it’s certainly no excuse. One person has no right to exercise control over another through abuse. Victims of abuse must know that the abuse is wrong and that the abuse is never their fault. Every person has the right to live an abuse-free life.

To learn more about escaping an abusive situation, read this article on domestic abuse help.

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If a sociopath is someone who, because he is antisocial with no conscience, lies, manipulates and controls people any way he so desires, what is a narcissistic sociopath? The traits and behaviors of a sociopath are chilling enough on their own. Almost unbelievably, a narcissistic sociopath intensifies sociopathy and takes it to another level.

People are toys to the sociopath; to the sociopathic narcissist, they are trash. Sociopathy combined with narcissism can be extremely dangerous. Beware the narcissistic sociopath.

Officially, What is a Narcissistic Sociopath?

The American Psychiatric Association (2013) describes and defines both antisocial personality disorder (the clinical term for what is commonly called psychopathy or sociopathy) and narcissistic personality disorder in its authoritative Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

• Antisocial personality disorder is "a pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 years"
• Narcissistic personality disorder is "a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy, beginning in early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts.

Those are separate definitions of these personality disorders. It is possible to be clinically diagnosed with both simultaneously. Cold callousness and lack of empathy for others, plus grandiose self-admiration and disdain for others equal a sociopathic narcissist who believes that she deserves to exploit people and dispose of them when finished.

Narcissistic Sociopath is a Bad Combination

Sociopath and psychopath are words that commonly describe antisocial personality disorder. Sometimes they're used interchangeably, but some experts differentiate between the two. Perhaps inserting narcissism into the mix might help people decide which term to use.

A sociopath doesn't care if he's benefitting anyone. Cold, calculating, and manipulative, he doesn't think about others at all unless they can benefit him.

A narcissist believes he's great, that everything about him is magnificent. He knows with unwavering confidence even beyond conceit that he's benefitting everyone around him and more (Narcissistic Personality Disorder Symptoms, Diagnosis.

In reading a wide variety of literature, patterns become evident. It appears that it is a combination of these personalities that constitutes a narcissistic sociopath. Further, it's the description of a narcissistic sociopath that is the common conceptualization of the psychopath.

Traits of a Narcissistic Sociopath

How do you spot a sociopathic narcissist? Watch for certain traits:

• A driven quest for power. If a narcissistic sociopath cares about anything other than himself, it is destructive power and control over people.
• Behaviors that seek love and admiration. To be sure, this isn't needy love. It's not even emotional love. It's superficial. A narcissistic sociopath sees love and admiration as power tools to manipulate and dominate (Do Sociopaths Even Have Feelings?).
• No apologies, no guilt, no remorse under any circumstance. A sociopathic narcissist believes that she is a gift to the world who makes it richer and more colorful. Therefore, her calculated, even cruel actions are always justified.
• Invincibility. The narcissistic variety of sociopath believes he is indomitable. Even punishment and prison can't stop him. They're merely part of the game.
• Wholly self-serving. The needs and wants of others are insignificant and undeserving of consideration.
• Act as the producer, director, and only actor of his own show. The narcissistic sociopath casts people in roles that increase his power and sense of importance and when bored, casts them aside.

M.E. Thomas is a self-proclaimed sociopath whose memoir (2013) screams narcissism throughout, writes matter-of-factly, "Ruining people is delicious."

Beware the narcissistic sociopath.

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Because living with PTSD can be a nightmare, common concerns people have include how long PTSD lasts and whether PTSD will ever go away. The exact answer varies from person to person, as PTSD is a very individualized disorder; the nature of the trauma that causes PTSD differs, and each person’s reaction is unique (PTSD Causes: Causes of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). However, certain factors can influence the answer to the questions about how long PTSD lasts and does it ever go away.

Factors Influencing the Duration of PTSD

How long PTSD lasts depends on multiple factors. Some relate to the trauma itself, while others relate to the person and his/her life.

Trauma-related factors that impact the duration of PTSD include:

• Multiple or chronic trauma experiences vs. a single traumatic event
• Intentional trauma vs. accidental trauma
• Human-induced trauma vs. natural disasters/traumas
• Sexual assault vs. traumatic event not sexual in nature

Experiencing multiple traumas tends to make PTSD last longer, as do repetitive traumas, intentional traumas, human-induced traumas, and sexual assaults.

Person- and life-related factors that impact the duration of PTSD include:

• History of other traumatic experiences
• Living with other mental health challenges
• Repertoire of PTSD coping skills
• Level of social support for PTSD

In general, PTSD lasts longer in people who have experienced other traumatic events in the past, have current or past mental health difficulties, use fewer coping skills, and have little social support.

Therapy Can Influence How Long PTSD Lasts

Research has proven therapy to be helpful in reducing and overcoming PTSD (PTSD Therapy and Its Role in Healing PTSD). Therapy reduces the duration of PTSD because as the therapist and client work together,

• Trauma’s negative impact is decreased and the person can return to his/her earlier level of functioning
• The person learns effective, healthy coping skills so PTSD doesn’t last as long
• Memories, negative thoughts and intense feelings become easier to deal with
• Healthy new behaviors are learned to replace PTSD-induced avoidance, anger, etc.

Generally, therapy lasts between six and 12 weeks. It may last longer than that, but even so, it still diminishes how long PTSD lasts (Sutton, 2011).

Do Some Parts of PTSD Last Forever?

Often, PTSD can be completely overcome (Does A PTSD Cure Exist?). Sometimes, though, there are lingering effects. Living with PTSD can be a nightmare for multiple reasons, including the fact that positive feelings, trust, and a sense of closeness and intimacy seem out of reach for a long time. With time and treatment, though, most people greatly improve and are once again able to enjoy positive relationships.

However, approximately five- to 10 percent of people who developed PTSD after a trauma continue to have long-term relationship problems (Sutton, 2011). Even when someone experiences ongoing relationship problems, therapy can help diminish them over time. Further, other effects of PTSD disappear, making the lingering relationship difficulties a bit easier to deal with.

According to the National Center for Victims of Crime (1992), in people who have been raped, the trauma and resulting PTSD may cause permanent physiological changes in the brain (PTSD in Rape and Abuse Victims). These individuals tend to have a lasting inability to

• Accurately gauge the passage of time, so they are very frequently early or late for work/events/obligations, or they don’t show up at all
• See the big picture to determine if a problem is big or small; to these individuals, every little problem seems like a crisis.

Some effects of PTSD do last years or a lifetime, but most do not.

How Long Does PTSD Last? Probably Not Forever

The American Psychiatric Association (2013), in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), is optimistic about the prognosis, or expected outcome, of PTSD.

• About half of adults with PTSD fully recover within three months
• For others, PTSD lasts longer than three months but often less than one year
• For some, PTSD can last more than 12 months, and in a few cases, PTSD can last more than 50 years (Viet Nam Veterans Still Living with PTSD 40+ Years Later).

PTSD can last from several months to a year or more. How long PTSD will last for an individual depends on both the trauma and the person. Generally, time, treatment, and support help someone overcome PTSD. PTSD will very likely not last forever.

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Understanding that psychopaths are some of society's most dangerous people and that most commit crimes – often violent crimes – it is important to ask, is there a treatment for psychopaths? And if treatment for psychopaths exist, what is it and how successful is it? These are questions that researchers have been working on for decades and only now are we starting to answer the question of whether the psychopath can be cured.

Traditional Thought on the Treatment of Psychopaths

The traditional view on the treatment of psychopaths is that treatment just doesn't work. Study after study has shown that the behaviors of the psychopath do not change in response to psychoanalysis, group therapy, client-centered therapy, psychodrama, psychosurgery, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or drug therapy. In fact, in one very disturbing study in 1991, those psychopath inmates who were a part of group therapy actually had a higher violent recidivism rate than those psychopaths who received no therapy. As one psychopath put it, "These programs are like a finishing school. They teach you how to put the squeeze on people." (20 Signs You’re With A Psychopath or You Are A Psychopath) It should be noted that the scientific rigor in these studies was far less than desirable and while it all points to one conclusion, due to the errors in methods, there may still be lessons to be learned in an adult psychopathic population with regards to treatment.

Treatment of Juvenile Psychopaths

There is hope for curing psychopaths, however, and that comes in the form of the treatment of juveniles with psychopathic tendencies ("child psychopaths" -  psychopathy can't formally be diagnosed until adulthood). In this population, a treatment that is a conglomeration of other theories and practices called "decompression treatment," has been used with some success.

Initially, in 2001, decompression treatment was tried in a small number of children with psychopathic behaviors (10 received decompression treatment, 10 received group therapy, 10 received no therapy). In the two year follow-up period:

• 70% of the no therapy group had been rearrested
• 20% of the group receiving group therapy had been rearrested
• 10% of the group receiving decompression treatment had been rearrested

While these numbers were promising, the study size was very small.

The next, larger, study followed 248 incarcerated boys all considered to be "unmanageable" for 54 months (4.5 years) with 40% of them receiving decompression treatment, the rest receiving group therapy. In this study, again, the results were positive:

• The recidivism rate in the decompression group was only 56% as compared to 78% for those receiving traditional group therapy.
• The violent recidivism rate dropped to 18% as compared to 36%.

Additional study has seen similar results and shown that decompression treatment is highly effective in reducing institutional misconduct and recidivism.

However, the issue with decompression therapy is that in order for it to be successful, it must be applied for a very long period of time and this is part of the reason for the lengths of these studies. It appears that short-term decompression treatment is not effective but this treatment used for up to and over a year, is effective, particularly in those with less severe psychopathic tendencies.

The Costs of Psychopath Treatment

Of course, any treatment that lasts up to and beyond a year is very expensive, however, the cost of criminals getting out of prison only to re-offend (recidivism) is even higher. In the computations done by the study, The Criminal Psychopath: History, Neuroscience, Treatment, and Economics, using conservative treatment effectiveness numbers, it found that if decompression treatment were to be given to just half of all incarcerated juvenile psychopaths, the savings would be $115 billion per year. And, of course, there are additional savings that cannot be measured – that of human lives.

So it seems that while a 100% cure for psychopathy has not been found, an effective treatment in the psychopath juvenile population has been.

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Since the beginning of time, there have been people around who suffer from one type of personality disorder or another (famous people with personality disorders). Philosophers and scientists have studied the various aspects of human personality as far back as the fourth century B.C.

But it was French psychiatrist, Philippe Pinel, who first clarified and defined the concept of a personality disorder in 1801. Pinel characterized the condition as one with frequent outbursts of rage and violence, but without signs of psychotic illness (i.e. illnesses where people experience delusions and hallucinations). Over the years, a number of psychiatrists and psychologists have broadened the concept to reach the currently accepted personality disorder definition.

What Is a Personality Disorder?

What is a personality disorder and how would you know if you or someone you loved suffered from the condition? The term, personality disorder, actually refers to an entire group of mental illnesses that involve unhealthy and inflexible long-term patterns of thoughts and behaviors. The DSM-V personality disorders section (APA, 2013) lists 10 specific types:

1. Antisocial personality disorder
2. Avoidant personality disorder
3. Borderline personality disorder
4. Dependent personality disorder
5. Histrionic personality disorder
6. Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
7. Narcissistic personality disorder
8. Paranoid personality disorder
9. Schizoid personality disorder
10. Schizotypal personality disorder

Here's an interesting thought: Can you imagine having one of these personality disorders and not realizing your behavior and thought patterns are "off"? Frequently, this is the case with people suffering from a personality disorder, as they often do not know that they have problematic thinking or behaviors. They think their thoughts are normal and many people suffering from personality disorders blame their problems on others.

Personality Disorder Definition – Four Core Features

When coming up with a standard personality disorder definition, the American Psychiatry Association (APA) found four core features present in all types of personality disorders. The four common features listed in the DSM-5 personality disorders section (APA, 2013) are:

1. Distorted thought patterns
2. Problematic emotional responses
3. Poor impulse control
4. Interpersonal (relational) difficulties

A person with a personality disorder will show a long-term pattern of behaviors and internal experience in two of these areas. For instance, if you know someone with an enduring pattern of inappropriate emotional responses to life events and issues who also has problems maintaining healthy relationships, that individual may have one (or more) of the DSM personality disorders.

Causes of Personality Disorders

Experts don't have a clear understanding of the exact causes of personality disorders, but theorize that two related factors, which contribute to personality development, may also contribute to the development of a disorder:

• Genetic make-up
• Environmental experience

Your genetics and early experience in life work together in complex ways to form your unique personality. Certain negative experiences in childhood can influence a genetic vulnerability that's already present, causing a personality disorder to develop. In other words, experts know that both genetics and nurture work together in the development of human personalities. They also know that genetics alone; nor, nurture (i.e. upbringing, childhoods experiences) alone can cause a personality disorder to develop. Scientists have only recently begun intensive study of personality disorders and the more common disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, have received the most attention.

Effects and Consequences of a Personality Disorder

Regardless of whether a person's personality disorder symptoms are mild or severe, having an untreated personality disorder can lead to severe consequences. Personality disorders can adversely affect an individual in a number of ways, putting them at a higher risk for:

• Responding to typical life stresses in inappropriate and unproductive ways.
• Refusing to take doctor-prescribed medications on schedule and as directed.
• Engaging in self-destructive and risky behavior that can lead to illness or injury (i.e. substance abuse, sexual promiscuity, poor sleep and nutrition).
• Issues raising children because they may use inconsistent, overemotional, abusive, detached, or irresponsible parenting styles. This can increase the risk of physical and mental illness in their children.
• Poor relationships with healthcare providers and others with potential to help them. This is especially true for providers who don't detect the presence of a personality disorder. People with these disorders often have stormy relationships because they do not take responsibility for their actions and are distrustful, overly demanding and needy.

Personality disorders affect men and women with equal frequency; although, certain types are slightly more common in one gender over the other. Continue on for more information about personality disorders.

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Is there treatment for sociopaths? Is it possible for the sociopath to change? While terms such as sociopath and psychopath are frequently used by the general public as well as professionals, the technical name for the disorder is antisocial personality disorder.

As a personality disorder, sociopathy is pervasive; it impacts every facet of someone's life. It's also consistent and stable over time. The biological seeds are present in the brain of a sociopath from birth, and they're nurtured by people and events in the childhood environment. Given the depth and nature of sociopathy, are there effective treatments to help the sociopath change?

Sociopath Treatments That Don't Work

A fairly common conception in society is that the sociopath has been indulged and spoiled (Sociopath Causes: The Making of a Sociopath). For a sociopath to change, it's reasoned that people must stop enabling him. A dose of reality packaged in a container of tough love, without the packing peanuts to cushion it, will certainly cure a sociopath. Right? Unfortunately, this thinking is too simplistic and such an approach is doomed to failure.

Not wanting to give up on the sociopath, professionals have attempted many other sociopath treatment approaches.

• Punishment, including prison. After repeated failures with punishment, experts have learned that punishment is a very ineffective sociopath treatment. Sociopaths are unable to learn from either mistakes or punishments. They're unable, and they don't care. Punishment doesn't affect them in the least. They go after what they want, and they aren't concerned for the consequences. They have no fear and no remorse, so punishment is lost on the sociopath. If anything, punishment simply provides the excitement of a new opportunity, new people to exploit.
• Therapy/counseling. Research shows that at best, therapy is a useless sociopath treatment. It requires collaboration between client and therapist as well as a desire for changes. Sociopaths don't want to change, and they are unwilling to work with someone if it doesn't benefit them. At worst, therapy can actually worsen sociopathic behavior because it's a new game for the sociopath. 
• Medication. Currently, no medication exists to treat sociopathy. It's a personality disorder rather than an illness.
• Threats and pleas. Threatening, pleading with, or offering rewards to a sociopath gives him another point in his game. If he can get people to react in this way, he scores. He's ready to keep playing. Threats during a relationship with a sociopath don't work as a sociopath treatment, but they do encourage him to keep doing what he's doing.
• Teaching empathy and emotion. Trying to teach empathy and emotion to a sociopath is like trying to teach a cellphone to cook a pizza. If it sounds ridiculous to teach a phone to cook a pizza, it's because it is. A phone isn't wired to cook, and it's not bothered by this fact. Likewise, a sociopath's brain isn't wired to feel empathy or other emotions, and like the phone, the sociopath isn't bothered about it.

Sociopath Treatment That Works

• Confronting the problem head-on. Coming to understand the nature and scope of sociopathy, acknowledging that it's complex group of traits and behaviors that function together, and dealing with the whole rather than with little parts of it is a helpful start. Changing one aspect of a sociopath, such as trying to help her stop lying, does nothing to change the nature of a sociopath.
• Adopting a systemic approach. Sociopath treatment has a better chance of working if it's done in every system in which the sociopath functions (relationships, work, activities, etc.). Evidence shows that working with sociopaths in the field is somewhat effective in changing attitudes and behaviors. Unfortunately, evidence also shows that after initial improvement, the sociopath regresses back to his old self.

While these treatments may not be effective for adult sociopaths, they may prove helpful to the child sociopath - one who exhibits sociopathic behaviors in childhood.

When Treatment For Sociopaths Fails

The unfortunate reality is that at this point, there is no evidence to show that a sociopath can change. Currently, there is nothing that has been proven effective as a treatment for a sociopath. Researchers and practitioners aren't giving up, though. Can sociopaths be cured? Experts hope they can.

In the meantime, professionals advise that the best way to deal with a sociopath is to cut off all contact. Doing so may be the best treatment possible, at least for the non-sociopath. 

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