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Antisocial Personality Disorder Question

by Jamie
(TX, USA)

Photo Credit: Adam Clark

Can a person have an antisocial personality disorder (clinically) without violent or criminal tendencies?

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antisocial without violence.
by: Anonymous

Your question is an interesting one. I have a son who is most likely antisocial. He has all of the symptoms -- can't hold a job, though he is very skilled at what he does, expects to get what he wants without concern for who may get hurt. Doesn't care when he is told he has hurt someone, except when a show of care will bring him something he wants. He constantly lies, even when it makes no sense to lie. He steals from his family and friends and likely anyone else. He doesn't think he is responsible for his own behavior, but that the world is out to get him and someone else always did it. Or someone else is in some way responsible for what he did. He cries and boo-hoo's to the point that if you didn't know him well, you would believe him.

And, yet, for all of that, he doesn't get violent unless he has been drinking. He turns into a vicious monster and is quite scary, as he is a big fellow.

My son is the tall, dark, and handsome type. He is also superior in intellect. I am sure he has buffaloed quite a few people in his life. The only thing I can do about it is hang my head in shame.

As a child, nearly 50 years ago, I took him to psychologists, because I could see that something was very wrong with my beautiful child. He convinced psychologists after psychologist that the real problem was mine. I signed papers for him to join the military when he was 17. It was peacetime and I felt if anyone could straighten him out, it would be the military. He did make it through bootcamp, but was discharged shortly after that. He was given a medical discharge based on the diagnosis of Behavior Conduct Disorder.

I have briefly told my story in the hopes that it can be of some help to you. It is with great relief that I watch the studies being done in the area of anti-social personality and related disorders. It will be a fine day when a way is found to change the way anti-social people think and behave.

Good luck to you.

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A S P D
by: Ginger

Absolutely! Many with ASPD go through life without criminal or violent records. Their PD manifests in business and personal ways that preclude them from guilt or attachment but nevertheless affect behavior.

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As far as I know...
by: Scify

As I understand the current definition in the manual, not really. It's why such a large portion of currently incarcerated criminals meet the diagnosis.

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