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Protect yourself from psychopaths

Learn to recognize the traits then stay away

The coldest and most heartless of exploiters are those who would be diagnosed as psychopaths.

You may think that they are all serial killers. This isn’t true. Most psychopaths ply their trade exploiting others without committing murder. They exhibit a wide variety of maladaptive behavior which makes their conditions difficult to diagnose. The disorder is not composed of one trait; they are syndromes clusters of related symptoms.

To help professionals accurately diagnose them, Dr. Robert Hare developed the Psychopathy Checklist. This is not a quiz you can try at home; it is a tool designed to be used exclusively by trained mental health professionals.

Dr. Robert Hare has identified key symptoms of psychopathy. Excerpts from his descriptions of the symptoms appear below. Lovefraud strongly recommends that you read his entire book, Without Conscience. The examples of behavior he includes with each description are eye-opening and chilling.

If you’re dealing with a person who exhibits some of these traits, put your guard up. If that person shows many or all of these traits, get him or her out of your life.

Dr. Robert Hare’s Symptoms of Psychopaths

© 1993 by Robert D. Hare, PhD. Reprinted by permission of The Guilford Press.

Interpersonal traits

Glib and superficial

Egocentric and grandiose

Lack of remorse or guilt

Lack of empathy

Deceitful and manipulative

Shallow emotions

Antisocial lifestyle

Impulsive

Poor behavior controls

Need for excitement

Lack of responsibility

Early behavior problems

Adult antisocial behavior

The complete picture

Psychopaths are often witty and articulate. They can be amusing and entertaining conversationalists, ready with a quick and clever comeback, and can tell unlikely but convincing stories that cast themselves in a good light. They can be very effective in presenting themselves well and are often very likable and charming.