What Is a High-Functioning Sociopath & What Are Their Traits?

What is a high-functioning sociopath?

A high-functioning sociopath is a person who hides their ASPD. “Sociopath” is another term for antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), which describes someone who is unconcerned about the rights and feelings of others and disinterested in societal norms. A “high-functioning” person with ASPD might have acceptable social skills or fit in well with others. Someone with “high-functioning” ASPD may also be skilled at manipulating or charming other people, which can help “mask” their symptoms. A person with “low-functioning” ASPD might not hide their behaviors and attitudes, which might make it more difficult for them to maintain relationships or hold down a job. The term “sociopath” tends to no longer be used in psychology because it has negative connotations. ASPD is a rare condition—it’s estimated to affect only 0.6% to 3.6% of adults, and is 3 times more common among men than women.

Characteristics of Someone with High-Functioning Sociopathy (ASPD)

High-functioning sociopaths may ignore societal and social rules. While some people with ASPD might openly violate laws or have trouble holding down a job or maintaining a marriage, someone with high-functioning ASPD can do these things but manipulate or exploit these people or situations for their benefit. They may also repeatedly: Tell lies or use their charm and wit to manipulate other people. Act secretive and rarely reveal their private thoughts. Have a sense of superiority or grandiosity. Are defensive or quick to anger if they don’t feel admiration from others. Have difficulty taking responsibility for their actions or behaviors. Constantly ignore right and wrong. Feel no guilt or concern about harming others. Do dangerous things without caring about the safety of themselves or others. Experience addiction or have issues with gambling, drug, or alcohol misuse.

Possible Causes of High-Functioning Sociopathy (ASPD)

Genetics and environment may play a role in the development of ASPD. The exact cause of high-functioning sociopathy or ASPD is unknown. However, genetic factors and environmental factors, like complications during pregnancy or childhood trauma, may contribute to someone’s development of this condition. More men than women develop ASPD. Those with a parent who has ASPD or alcohol addiction may be more at risk of developing ASPD. Setting fires and cruelty to animals during childhood are also linked to the development of ASPD.

Diagnosing Someone with High-Functioning Sociopathy (ASPD)

People with ASPD tend to have a history of disobeying societal rules. Although ASPD isn’t usually diagnosed before age 18, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Liana Georgoulis says “These patterns have been there since the person was a teenager, maybe even going back to their childhood.” If someone shows 3 or more of these behaviors, they may be diagnosed with ASPD: Repeatedly breaking the law. Repeatedly deceiving others. Acting impulsive or incapable of planning ahead. Acting irritable or aggressive. Recklessly disregard the safety of themselves or others. Acting consistently irresponsible. Lacking remorse. However, a diagnosis might be difficult if a person with ASPD doesn’t give an accurate description of their symptoms or believes that they don’t need help.

Treating Someone with High-Functioning Sociopathy (ASPD)

ASPD can be managed and treated through therapy. ASPD is one of the most difficult personality disorders to treat because most people with this condition don’t often seek treatment on their own. Some evidence shows that a person’s behavior might improve over time with therapy. However, other forms of treatment (like medications) are limited. If you think you might have high-functioning ASPD, psychotherapy or other forms of therapy might help you manage your symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help people with ASPD change the way they think and behave. Mentalization-based therapy (MBT) might help people with ASPD think about how their thoughts affect their behavior. Research also suggests that democratic therapeutic community-led programs (DTCs) may improve aggression in people with personality disorders. However, evidence that DTCs help people with ASPD is limited. However, Dr. Georgoulis says that people with ASPD are generally “very resistant to treatment because you can't remove somebody's personality from who they are.”

What to Do If You Have Someone with High-Functioning Sociopathy (ASPD) in Your Life

Try not to take their behaviors or actions personally. Your loved one might lie to, manipulate, or deceive you because that’s what their personality disorder causes them to do—not because you’re easily gullible or that you deserve it. Although it can be difficult, try to separate your own feelings and self-esteem from their behaviors. If you’re in a relationship with a person with ASPD, know that their personality will probably not change without external help like therapy. If your loved one is harming you emotionally, mentally, or physically, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.

Encourage them to seek treatment. A person with ASPD is not likely to seek help on their own, but you can encourage them to get help. Try pointing out the ways that their behaviors negatively affect their life. If your loved one doesn’t believe they have ASPD, it might be best to encourage them to seek help for related problems like alcohol or drug misuse. If they misuse alcohol or drugs, you might tell them about how their behavior is negatively affecting their health. If they keep getting into trouble with the law, you might talk about the financial cost of these legal issues.

Set and enforce boundaries with them. Setting boundaries can help protect you from your loved one’s reckless behavior or decisions. Let your loved one know what actions are not tolerated by you and why, then let them know the consequences of stepping over a boundary you set. You might say “I feel upset and violated when you steal from me. Please ask if you want to borrow something I own.” If your loved one breaks a boundary you set, you might say “If you lie to me again, I will step away from our relationship.” Make sure to follow through on any consequences you say.

Find support through friends, family, or a licensed therapist. People with ASPD can act out and cause pain for those around them. Friends and family can help keep you grounded, while a mental health professional can teach you how to set boundaries and protect yourself from your loved one’s aggression, violence, or anger. Look for a mental health professional with experience and training with antisocial personality disorder. Your loved one’s health provider may be able to recommend support groups for families and loved ones affected by antisocial personality disorder.

High-Functioning Sociopaths vs. High-Functioning Psychopaths

People with sociopathic behaviors tend to be more erratic or angry. People with ASPD who are called psychopaths might be more likely to use charm and charisma to manipulate others, while sociopaths may be more angry, causing disruptions in their daily lives. If a person with ASPD engages in criminal behavior, they may be a sociopath if their activities are spur-of-the-moment. A psychopath may more carefully plan their activities to avoid being found out. Both “sociopath” and “psychopath” are pop culture terms for people with ASPD, not clinical terms, so the differences between them are often unclear.

People with sociopathic behaviors might form close attachments. People with ASPD who are labeled “psychopaths” may be almost completely unable to form close relationships with others. Meanwhile, people with ASPD who show sociopathic behavior might be able to form a close attachment to one or a few people. Some believe that psychopathy is a genetic condition while sociopathy comes from childhood trauma. However, there is no single cause of psychopathy or sociopathy.