
(previously called psychopathic or sociopathic):

Definition:
Persons with this personality disorder callously disregard the rights and
feelings of others. They exploit others for materialistic gain or personal
gratification (unlike narcissistic persons, who exploit others because they
think their superiority justifies it). Characteristically, they act out their
conflicts in impulsive and irresponsible ways, sometimes with hostility and
serious violence. They tolerate frustration poorly. Often they do not anticipate
the negative consequences of their antisocial behaviors and typically do not
feel remorse or guilt afterward. Many of them have a well-developed capacity for
glibly rationalizing their behavior or for blaming it on others. Dishonesty and
deceit permeate their relationships. Punishment rarely modifies their behavior
or improves their judgment and foresight; it usually confirms their harshly unsentimental view of the world. Antisocial
personality disorder is often associated with alcoholism, drug addiction,
infidelity,
promiscuity, failure in one's occupation, frequent relocation, and imprisonment.
In Western culture,
more men have this personality disorder than women, and more women have a
borderline
personality; these two disorders have much in common. In the families of
patients with both
personality patterns, the prevalence of antisocial relatives, substance abuse,
divorces, and
childhood abuse is high. Often, the patient's parents have a poor relationship,
and the patient was
severely emotionally deprived in his formative years. Life expectancy is
decreased, but among
survivors, the disorder tends to diminish or stabilize with age.