Can a sociopath recover?

Sociopathy, which is also known as antisocial personality disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by a lack of regard for others and violation of people’s rights. Sociopaths tend to manipulate or treat others harshly without feeling guilt or remorse. They may lie, steal, and engage in other illegal or unethical behaviors. The big question many people have is whether a sociopath can truly recover and change their ways.

Table of Contents

What is a sociopath?

First, it’s important to understand what exactly a sociopath is. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) lists the following as the main diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder:

Disregard for and violation of others’ rights since age 15, as indicated by one of the seven subfeatures:

Failure to obey laws and norms by engaging in behavior which results in criminal arrest, or would warrant criminal arrest
Lying, deception, and manipulation for profit tor self-amusement

Impulsive behavior
Irritability and aggression with assaults or assaults
Blatant disregard for safety of self and others

Irresponsibility such as inability to maintain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations
Lack of remorse

Some key hallmarks of sociopathy include:

Lack of empathy, guilt or remorse
Deceitfulness, lying and manipulation
Reckless disregard for safety of self and others

Impulsivity and poor behavior control
Irresponsibility
Antagonism, even violence

Lack of realistic long-term goals
Irresponsibility as indicated by repeated failure to maintain work or financial obligations

Sociopaths may outwardly seem charming and functional, but underneath they have a chronic disregard for others’ well-being. They may frequently break laws, manipulate and deceive people, engage in reckless behavior without concern for consequences, and lack realistic life plans or goals. An estimated 1-4% of the population are believed to be sociopaths.

Do sociopaths feel emotion?

Despite stereotypes, sociopaths do feel emotion. However, their emotions tend to be shallow and fleeting. They may feel intense anger in the heat of the moment, but just as quickly return to a calm state once they’ve gotten what they want. Sociopaths struggle to form deep emotional bonds with others. Some research using brain scans has revealed abnormalities in how sociopathic brains process emotions.

What causes someone to become a sociopath?

There are likely multiple contributing causes, including:

Genetics – Research suggests genetics play a role. Having a first-degree relative with the disorder increases risk.

Brain differences – Sociopaths tend to have structural and functional differences in certain brain regions involved in regulation of emotions and impulses.
Childhood trauma – Many sociopaths have histories of abuse, neglect, or other trauma as children. However, most people with difficult childhoods do not become sociopaths.
Environmental factors – Societal influences, parenting practices, socioeconomic status, and peer groups may influence development of antisocial traits.

Overall, the development of sociopathy stems from a complex interaction between genetic vulnerabilities and environmental influences. There does not appear to be one single cause.

Can sociopathy be cured?

There is no medical “cure” for sociopathy. Many experts used to consider it untreatable. However, more recent research indicates that therapy may help reduce sociopathic traits and behaviors in some individuals. Though a sociopath’s personality may not radically transform, many can learn to function more adaptively in society.

Treatment challenges

Treating sociopathy poses challenges:

Sociopaths often deny having a problem.
They typically lack motivation for change.
Their behavior patterns are deeply ingrained.

Treatment relies heavily on self-report, but sociopaths are dishonest.
Conventional talk therapy does not work well, as they intellectualize emotions.
They get bored easily and may stop attending therapy.

Possible treatment approaches

While very difficult, several therapy approaches may help reduce sociopathic behaviors:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – Focuses on modifying dysfunctional thoughts, beliefs and behaviors. May help sociopaths change problematic behaviors and develop healthier coping skills.
Schema therapy – Aims to alter sociopaths’ deeply-ingrained maladaptive core beliefs (called “schemas”) that drive their harmful behaviors.

Motivational Interviewing – Seeks to build the sociopath’s own intrinsic desire for change by resolving their ambivalence. May increase engagement in therapy.
Multi-systemic therapy – Involves comprehensive intervention in all aspects of the sociopath’s life – family, school, peer and community systems. Changes their total environment.

Medications have little effect on core sociopathic traits. However, they may help treat related symptoms like depression, anxiety, irritability or impulsivity. Combined with therapy, this may indirectly improve sociopathic behaviors.

What is prognosis for recovery?

The prognosis for meaningful change in sociopathy is unfortunately poor. Treatment can be very challenging as sociopaths have little motivation to change. However, improvement is possible in some cases, especially with comprehensive interventions.

Level of Improvement	Description
Full recovery	Complete elimination of sociopathic traits is very rare. But a small percentage may learn to function successfully in society.
Significant improvement	With intensive therapy, some sociopaths can make meaningful improvements in behavior and relationships. However, personality change is limited.
Modest improvement	More commonly, treatment results in modest improvements in impulsive behavior, aggression, deceitfulness, irresponsibility, and other antisocial traits.
No improvement	Many sociopaths, especially those forced into therapy, remain unchanged. They continue manipulative, deceitful and criminal behaviors.

Again, sociopathy is very difficult to treat. But research shows recovery is possible in some motivated individuals who intensively commit to therapeutic change. For others, learning to channel antisocial traits into more adaptive behaviors can improve functioning.

Can sociopaths feel love?

Sociopaths are capable of feeling love toward family members and romantic partners. However, their love tends to be possessive, conditioned on getting their needs met, and based on idealization rather than true intimacy. They have immense difficulty accepting love from others without ulterior motives. Their feelings also tend to be shallow and fleeting. Overall, sociopaths’ capacity for deep, committed love is impaired.

Challenges with love

Some reasons sociopaths struggle with love include:

Inability to form deep emotional bonds
Need for dominance and control in relationships

Lack of empathy for partner’s needs
Tendency to manipulate, exploit and mistreat loved ones
Incapacity for unconditional love

Feelings of emptiness and boredom with significant others
Higher rates of infidelity and abuse

So in summary, sociopaths can feel love in their own limited way. But their love lacks qualities like compassion, sacrifice, and true intimacy that characterize healthy love. Their disordered personality ultimately sabotages loving relationships.

Can sociopaths have relationships?

Sociopaths can and do have relationships – including romantic, family, friendships and work relationships. However, their relationships are often dysfunctional, toxic, and short-lived due to the emotional damage their behavior inflicts. Maintaining healthy relationships over time is extremely challenging for untreated sociopaths.

Relationship patterns

Some common relationship patterns among sociopaths include:

Love bombing – Lavishing new partners with flattery and attention, then abruptly losing interest later.

Cheating – Higher rates of infidelity and sexual promiscuity.
Manipulation – Lying, using guilt, falsely promising change, etc. to maintain relationships.
Verbal abuse – Harshly criticizing partners to exert control.

Physical abuse – Physical violence occurs in about half of sociopathic relationships.
Control – Micromanaging partner’s life, limiting outside contacts, enforcing rules.
Blame-shifting – Never admitting fault or taking responsibility for misdeeds.

Sociopathic relationships follow a destructive cycle of idealization, devaluation, and discard. While charming at first, sociopaths quickly become cruel and exploitative as the relationship progresses.

Can sociopaths change?

Again, sociopaths are capable of change, but it is very difficult. Their personality disorder tends to be deeply ingrained. With comprehensive treatment, some sociopaths can learn to function in society and tone down their worst behaviors. But their capacity for meaningful change is limited.

Barriers to change

There are many obstacles that hinder sociopaths’ ability to positively change, such as:

Brain differences make emotions and impulse control more challenging.
Their traits are highly heritable, with strong genetic underpinnings.
Personality is fixed by adulthood and difficult to alter after one’s 20s.

They lack motivation for treatment or doing the hard work of changing.
Existing behaviors are deeply ingrained over a lifetime.
Changing may require giving up a sense power and control.

Their manipulative nature makes progress hard to accurately assess.

So while sociopaths can make some positive shifts in their behaviors, their core personality is likely to remain fairly unchanged. They cannot become an entirely new person.

Potential areas of improvement

With intensive treatment, sociopaths may be able to improve in these areas:

Less impulsive, reckless and aggressive behavior
Develop more adaptive life goals
Reduce dangerous or illegal activity

Improved work and financial responsibility
Less substance abuse
Healthier coping mechanisms

Less deceitfulness and manipulation
More control over antisocial urges

So progress is possible. But expectations for dramatic, global change need to be realistic for this difficult-to-treat disorder.

Famous sociopaths

While we can’t definitively diagnose famous figures, many display traits consistent with sociopathy. Some suspected famous sociopaths include:

Name	Occupation	Possible Sociopathic Traits
Ted Bundy	Serial killer	Lack of remorse, manipulation, aggression, chronic deception, lack of realistic goals
Frank Abagnale	Convicted con man	Chronic deception, fraud, breaking the law, escaping consequences
Jordan Belfort	Stockbroker, motivational speaker	Manipulation, lack of remorse for victims, fraud, excessive risk-taking and substance abuse
Chris Brown	Singer	History of domestic violence, disregard for others’ rights, failure to accept responsibility, anger issues

Studies indicate sociopathy is more common among criminals, lawyers, CEOs, salespeople and politicians. Ruthless pursuit of power and profits with little regard for ethical concerns leads many sociopaths into top corporate leadership roles.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while very difficult, recovery from sociopathy does appear to be possible in some cases with comprehensive, long-term therapy. But complete rehabilitation is rare. For many sociopaths, the best outcome may be learning to manage antisocial urges and function within the limits of the disorder. Expecting a sociopath to become an entirely new person is unrealistic. But with treatment, their most destructive behaviors can improve. It requires sociopaths overcoming their innate resistance to change and making an active, dedicated commitment to a therapeutic process that may take years. So lasting change is an immense challenge, but can potentially happen under the right circumstances.