In common parlance, the psychopathic personality is identified with the fictional character from the movie “Silence of the Lambs” – Hannibal Lecter. Meanwhile, the reality is more complex, and people affected by this disorder are seemingly quite ordinary. How to recognize them?
Where does the term “psychopathy” come from? It is a combination of two Greek words – psyche and pathos, meaning suffering and feeling. A psychopath is characterized by impulsivity, but also excessive control of his own behavior. He is usually an intelligent person, and many of his faults are blamed on his difficult character. However, with prolonged interaction, they are prone to sophisticated manipulation, compulsive lying and deception (which can be very difficult to detect). They are also characterized by exceptional but superficial personal charm, a lack of establishing deep relationships, and a lack of empathy, known as emotional daltonism. In addition, such individuals are seen as extremely courageous due to their lack of feelings of fear and anxiety. Learn more about this topic in the podcast below.
