is there such a thing as a pseudo sociopath?

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GAGO

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For as long as I can remember I've had a hard time relating to other people. I've always seemed to think and feel differently. I know everyone has gone through that. But I can't help but feeling it isn;t to the same extent I have. I don't have a conscience. I tell myself that "huh, I should probably feel bad about that" or that I should probably think this. But I don't actually feel the way I'm telling myself to. It's a fascade to blend in.

On top of that I've found I'm extremely manipulative, almost without thinking about it. The only thing people are to me are shiny new toys to play with. If a friend is lost, the only regret is of what fun that toy was. Despite all of that I also have what seems to me like an overly developed sense of empathy. The only documentation I've found that is anywhere near this, seems to be that of thosewith antisocial disorders. But that doesn't seem to be accurate either.

I've never been in trouble with the law, I've hardly ever really been in trouble. The only violence I've ever exhibited was when I used to get angry enough to punch holes in wals or throw things around. Any thoughts of actually hurting someone stayed in my head.

So it all comes back to my opening line. Is there actually such a thing as a semi/pseudo sociopath? If so, and if there are any links please include them to any response.
 
No, but folks with personality disorders aren't all criminals despite what TV and movies say. Unfortunately most of the resources available online are geared toward Borderline Personality Disorder (a misnomer, Borderline can be the most severe) you may find more under the term narcissistic or dissocial personality disorder.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/personalitydisorders.html

Your question is insightful, a trait many people with severe personality disorders lack. You'd probably do well in cognitive behavioral therapy.
 
I've tried things like behavioral therapy. If that's where you go into a group and they try to teach you ways to alter your behavior patterns into a healthier way. Those tips seem insightful but just kind of roll off me. Even in individual therapy, often times I end up zoning out no matter how hard I try to focus, so by the next session I can scarcely remember the last.

I was diagnosed as having borderline personality disorder by a psychiatrist while I was in the military, but one I saw when I got out questioned the diagnoses. I don't cut myself as I used to and I don't really have any self destructing methods that I can think of anymore. even if I still am BPD, it doesn't explain other symptoms that again seem more intune with antisocial PD, but again without the need for violence.
 
If you're suggesting I may be narcissistic, I dont think that's accurate. I don't have the grandoise sense of self, need to be the center of attention or anything like that, and most of all I have a very large sese of empathy where narcissists have none. However if anything I said seems to connect a bit with you're daughter I'd be happy to put my point of views on the subjects you mentioned.

My attitude and feelings towards others is that While there are people I like, people I dislike, and people I'd like to throw out a window. Except to the point where, if there weren't any consequences like being put in jai, I would be much more tempted to do so. Even the people I say I love (for their benefit, no point hurting their feelings)
If they dissappeared or died, I'd miss what they gave me (words, love as well as physical gifts) more than the actual person they were.

My father irritates me, and I've even had thoughts of punching his lights out just to get him to leave me alone. But that would likely result in him kicking me out of the house, and not helping me, financially or otherwise, if I ever needed it again. My mother is the person I feel closest to loving, simply because I've told her quite a bit about me and she's accepted me. She even find others like me and start a Pseudo sociopaths anonymous club, lol. But if anything happened to her, I dont know if I'd feel much except the talks we had, the gifts I got, and the escape from my life in Massachusetts when I visited.

As for if I know whether I hurt people or not, yes. Like I said I feel like my sense of empathyis overly developed. I feel to much of what others feel, and understand how others may think under cirtain situations. So if something I say does hurt someone, I can usually tell. Though I usually avoid it as there is not usualy anything to be gained from hurting others' feelings unless they deserve it.

Seeing how this is a nice anonymous forum, any other questions or thoughts on my situation are appreciated and will be responded to.
 
There is a lot of overlap among the personality disorders, so you may have features of two or three of them. It doesn't really help you to label yourself, unless you are seeking treatment - you are you, and there is not much you can do about that. It sounds as if you have enough empathy to avoid harming others. I would be interested in reading more if you want to keep posting. My ex-daughter-in-law is a stone narcissist, when I looked it up after a suggestion from a friend, her picture may as well have been on the article. It was her to a T. Discussing it with her is out of the question but I would like to understand more than I do. Tell me about your attitude to the feelings of others, whether you know if you have hurt them, and many more things. Cheers, Sera.
 
I agree with Sera, the names of personality disorders are just pigeon holes. Originally the term Borderline meant "on the border of ALL the PDs", a person who had a little bit of each. In reality PDs are all unique to the individual.
 
I'm looking, well yes, I guess I'd like to know, at least if, whatever "disorder" I have has a name. In someways I'd like to be more normal. Though I'm not sure if conventional treatment would help, I've tried it. I think I'm more interested in just knowing there are more people that are like me, enough to have had a name created for the disorder for. That and I'd like to be able to compare myself more to a different group of people than sociopaths. I don't know if that makes any sense or not but there it is anyways.
 
I am not suggesting that you are narcissistic, in fact you sound nothing like my DIL. She has absolutely NO empathy at all nohow..! However there are features that seem to go across the board with all the personality disorders. I don't think you will have a lot of success bringing these folk out of the woodwork.. a major feature of most personality disorders seems to be a total lack of insight and identification with anyone else. Put it this way, I bet that most PD people would read your post and say "So what, he sounds perfectly normal to me" and move on. But, good luck anyway. It is interesting to hear a bit of the story from somebody who does have this self-knowledge, thank you for posting. Sera.
 
if u were a sociopath i doubt u would ever say something like


Though I usually avoid it as there is not usualy anything to be gained from hurting others' feelings unless they deserve it.

this sounds extremely unsociopathic... it sounds to me like u would feel unhappy because u would hurt his feelings...


u know it is a possiblity that u feel very guilty over the things u do, and thats why u think u don't...

people who truely feel guilty bout things they have done, often think they should feel more guilty
 
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