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"Comments on my completely unprofessional thoughts on psychopath, narcissist?#485"

I think you made many good observations. The diagnositic terms/categories that you are referring to are antisocial personality disorder & narcissistic personality disorder. Diagnosis is a complex process that involves the collection and analysis of quite a bit of data and information. It's impossible and unethical to do it from afar.

The two disorders overlap quite abit. The central features of antisocial personality disorder (what used to be referred to as sociopathy or psychopathy)are deceitfulness and controlling/manipulative behavior. These are secondary features in narcissism. The primary features of narcissism are self-absorption and feelings of grandiosity (these are secondary features of antisocial disorder). Narcissists tend to be senstive, jealous, and overemotional, antisocials tend not to be. Antisocials are often impulsive and reckless, narcissists aren't. Antisocials often have a history beginning in childhood of law breaking, cruelty to others & animals, destroying property, and setting fires.

You can see a little bit both in the symptoms/behaviors that you discuss. There are subtypes...such as narcissistic personalty disorder with antisocial tendencies....and sometimes clinicians will actually diagnose more than one personalty disorder.

With regard to SP, I would like to know a little bit more about some of obsessive/compusive behaviors - constant checking, his apparent obsession with Amber, etc.

With regard to his deceit and "sloppiness" I would say that he probably used the same level of sophistication in covering his tracks that he used in the past. Apparently, he was successful for years in deceiving people, he just never had this level of scrutiny.

I'll answer more questions - but I don't want to go on and on....and get too pedantic. Also, remember, I'm not doing clinical work anymore, it's been a long time, but I did teach a section of abnormal psych last semester so I'm pretty current on basic info. Forensic psychologists really study this kind thing in-depth. When I was doing community mental health (years ago) I had two antisocials on my caseload, both court ordered. One had been convicted of manslaughter, the other of rape. It was an interesting experience. Antisocials & narcissists rarely come in for treatment on their own so we really don't know much about the disorders and we know even less about how to treat them.

Julie, I am just about to leave my office but wanted to address your above post. There was, I thought, some REALLY REVEALING testimony from Shawn Sibley on Scott Peterson. Scotty is one sick puppy. He gave Shawn TWO business cards. One was for Tradecorp where he worked, the OTHER one was totally bogus. It stated that he OWNED a European Company. He also told her that he was very wealthy and that he owned TWO homes, ONE in Sacremento. I can't recall if they said where the other home was but it was NOT Modesto. This was his first meeting with this girl. He already had these bogus business cards. This guy has lived a life of lies. I am beginning to wonder seriously if he has killed before. He's a pro at this all the way to having false business cards made up.