Psychopathy, Asperger's: a 'serious' combination
My ex is a person who is hard to label but who may come across as a bit aspie at times.What makes him stand out and not have anything in common with me or my aspie friends is that there is something else that that we dont relate to, like the manipulation, the strange intentions, the very calculated moves.I wouldnt be able to outsmart him ( so to speak) on any of those things because I wouldnt know how to construct it in my mind, neither would I have any desire to do so.
There is this strange difference there that is hard to pinpoint and makes him come across more like a psychopath somehow.
So you see, anyone can become violent. It's what people don't wish to acknowledge, so they push the idea away. Admitting this is the first step in being in tune with the many ways a mind can "go wrong."
If a person's reaction to getting "stressed out" is to kill someone, there's more wrong in their cranium than can be accounted for by immediate environment/stimulus alone.
So you see, anyone can become violent. It's what people don't wish to acknowledge, so they push the idea away. Admitting this is the first step in being in tune with the many ways a mind can "go wrong."
If a person's reaction to getting "stressed out" is to kill someone, there's more wrong in their cranium than can be accounted for by immediate environment/stimulus alone.
The difference between them and a serial killer is these flip out killers do not get profiled while serial killers do, even though there have been examples of serial killers who meet this profile, well liked, popular, friendly, with fiances. Ted Bundy being a prime example.
This is the type of arbitrary distinction I'm talking about. Say that the criteria for, say, BPD includes ruling out autism (I don't think this is actually the case, but there are many instances of this type of distinction throughout the DSM). Not only is this distinction arbitrary (who says an autistic person can't also have BPD?) it sets up a false dichotomy that gives the superficial impression that these diagnoses are in diametric opposition, despite the fact that, upon consideration of their general attributes, the kinship between them should be fairly obvious. This is not to say that all persons with BPD should be called "autistic"--only that they're at a sufficient distance from normality and towards autism.
That is why is so easy for people to be diagnosed with many different labels.
Agree that the "rose-colored archetype" bias exists, but I would not say it is not illusory just an exaggerated bias.
In pointing fingers at others, they feel comfortable. They think they could never do that, because only those people do it.
I agree with you. Most could at some point in history do things people now believe only a label can do. But, HEY! Bubbles are awesome!
Ichinin
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I can say one thing, i've read countless of threads about Aspies who cries and feel depressed because they see people be treated badly or cry when they watch movies, so that the "Aspies have empathy issues" is a load of bullocks. There is no criteria comming close to having "empathy issues" for Aspergers.
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"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring" (Carl Sagan)
Explaining empathy to Aspies is like removing sand from a beach one grain at a time. At some point you just say "f**k it" and go home.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Psychopathy,+Asperger%27s%3A+a+%27serious%27+combination%3B+Dahmer+also+had...-a0127200931
Whether or not Dahmer was an Aspie, he was nutsy fagin.
ruveyn
Ichinin
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Explaining empathy to Aspies is like removing sand from a beach one grain at a time. At some point you just say "f**k it" and go home.
I know - i have tried. There seems to be lots of confusion on these forums between Sympathy and Empathy.
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"It is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring" (Carl Sagan)
There are 3 different types of empathy...cognitive empathy, affective empathy and empathic (or empathetic) concern.
Cognitive Empathy = Understanding the thoughts, motivations etc. of others.
Affective Empathy = Understanding the joy, grief, love etc. of others - this is what most people call empathy.
Empathic Concern = Sympathy - a shared application of affective empathy.
Asperger
Cognitive Empathy - Weak. Theory of Mind is based on deficits in cognitive empathy.
Affective Empathy - Varies, as with anyone. Unaffected in most individuals, but may be displayed differently due to Alexithymia.
Empathic Concern - Varies, as with anyone. Unaffected in most individuals, but may be displayed differently due to Alexithymia.
Psychopath
Cognitive Empathy - Strong. Without this heightened ability, they'd not be able to manipulate their victims.
Affective Empathy - Weak.
Empathic Concern - Weak.
Regardless of any [theorised] genetic predisposition, psychopaths are made not born...very different to an Asperger. So what we're saying is an Aspergian would need, at the very least, to greatly improve their cognitive empathy, while simultaneously being abused into losing affective empathy and sympathy - sounds like a bit of a stretch to me.
Finally, let's not lose sight of what Mental Illness can do to the human brain. A serious mental illness, such as one involving psychosis, will supersede an Asperger's diagnosis - it will shift the goal posts to where it becomes the new norm, the new state of being. Unfortunately many ignorant people believe, as with psychopathy, that there's a link between AS and psychosis, or even that AS is itself a form of mental illness...patently untrue. Aspergians are [generally] highly left-brain dominant, whereas Psychosis is over-stimulation of the right-brain. As with psychopathy, any link here is tenuous (and dubious) at best.
They have defective amygdalae.
If I'm correct the difference between Pyschopathy and Sociopathy is that pyschopathy is stereotyped as having a neurological basis (born evil), while sociopathy is stereotyped as having a pyschological basis (turned evil).
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