Antisocial-Personality Disorder General Facts

-by Alex

-What is Antisocial-Personality Disorder

Antisocial-Personality Disorder is a mental disorder that causes the person to be unable to distinguish between right and wrong and the rights of others. The behavior is typically criminal as people with the disorder often will manipulate, exploit, and violate the rights of others with little remorse and guilt.

-What are the symptoms to Antisocial-Personality Disorder

These are a few common symptoms of Antisocial-Personality Disorder: breaking the law frequently, persistent lying, stealing, disregarding the safety of others, not showing any guilt or remorse for harming others, repeatedly violating the rights of others, and having a lack of behavioral controls (easily becoming irritated and annoyed and quick to aggression and anger)

Symptoms usually peak late teens and early adulthood.

-Who gets Antisocial-Personality Disorder?

There does not seem to be a common trend of who develops this mental disorder. Usually, there is evidence of the disorder before the age of 15, but experts do not diagnose people until at least the age of 18. It is hard to quantify how many people have Antisocial-Personality Disorder. It is estimated that 3% of men have the disorder and 1% of women have it.

-What are the causes to Antisocial-Personality Disorder?

As with most Personality Disorders, the causes of the disorder are still unknown. The currently held model is that there are both genetic (people are more likely to develop the disorder if one of the parents have it) and environmental factors (such as growing up in an abusive environment). It is believed that one may have a genetic predisposition toward the developing the disorder but the actual development of the disease is triggered by one’s life situation. This model, though, is not strongly supported.

-How is Antisocial-Personality Disorder treated?

Currently, there is not an effective way to treat Antisocial-Personality Disorder, and most patients do not actively or voluntarily seek help. Psychotherapy is commonly used to help treat the disorder. Patients are sometimes asked to take medications to relieve some of the symptoms of the disorder such as mood-stabilizing medications or anti-anxiety medications.

Bibliography:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antisocial-personality-disorder/DS00829

https://health.google.com/health/ref/Antisocial+personality+disorder

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/antisocial-personality-disorder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisocial_personality_disorder

http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder