The Differences Between Psychopaths, Sociopaths, and Narcissists

Learning how to distinguish whether someone is a psychopath, sociopath or narcissist means understanding the subtle differences and similarities. 

This article will seek to clear up the major similarities and differences between psychopaths, sociopaths, and narcissists.

All three personality types have the ability to be very charming and beguiling. They also have characteristics leaning towards being very self-indulgent and vain. Psychopaths most of all, have a trait that lends itself to disguise their true self very well.

The Psychopath

• Psychopaths are always inherently deceptive and appear warm, inviting and friendly
• They are usually skilled at manipulation and confident which ends them upholding positions of some authority and even government positions
• Their mental attitude is often on par with their interpersonal skills, but all this is always a deception. Beneath the thin layer of normalcy, psychopaths tend to be lack empathy at a disturbing degree and are deeply antisocial.
• They are particularly dangerous because of their lack of inhibition arising from this lack of emotional resonance. There are a few theories that state the psychopath tendencies come from a lack of development in areas of the brain related to empathy and identifying with people around us.
• Psychopaths are also most likely to be dangerous to people around them, because of this very cold and detached air and lack of inhibition.

The Sociopath

Sociopaths are an “easier” fish, to some extent.

• Sociopaths are not able to disguise themselves as well as psychopaths do, and their antisocial behavior is their most defining characteristic.
• They often suffer from social anxiety, because roots related to ‘not fitting in’ fears which bring about these symptoms.
• They often choose a technical or vocational career and have higher education where they can earn a livelihood and less social interaction.
• Some of them, however, go almost uneducated altogether and live on the fringes of society.
• People around them tend to recognize their uneasiness and discomfort. However, a difference remains that crimes by sociopaths, unlike psychopaths, tend to be crimes of passion and impulse, unlike, psychopaths who will happily plan a killing spree, without seeing anything wrong with it.

The Narcissist

• Narcissists are the very epitome of vain and shallow. Everyone and everything revolves only around them and their indulgences, and they often demand that everyone close to them revolve around their wants and needs, too.
• The legend of Narcissus is of a Greek man seeing his reflection in a pond and falling in love with his own reflection, eventually drowning in the pool.
• Narcissists also have the ability to be appealing and very charming, but out of all three types, narcissists tend to be the most emotionally toxic for the people in their lives.
• Narcissists are extremely manipulative, using love and jealousy and guilt in measured amounts to ensure that they remain in the spotlight of attention and affection. Their partners and parents or children often have no idea on what a deep level they have been manipulated, or abused.

So What Unites All Three Personality Types?

For one, their lack of true human connection.

• Of all three, sociopaths are the most emotionally inadequate, but still capable of a possible honest attachment, in rare cases.
• Psychopaths and narcissists are always on a mission, so to speak, for their own advancement.
• They all also have unstable tempers and low inhibition, and quick to perceive insults they feel are directed to them.

An important thing to remember is that there are variants among these three types as well.

• There are sociopaths who are socially outgoing, and psychopaths who recognize their own harmful tendency and try to control it. There are also narcissists who know their behavior affects those around them, but in a lot of cases, the guilt makes their personality more unstable, rather than less.

This sums up the similarities and differences between psychopaths, sociopaths, and narcissists. I hope it helps clarify who they are for you and open your eyes to why anyone can get pulled into their web.

Love

Debbi