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YouTuber Shane Dawson explores in his latest documentary series what it means to be a sociopath. And more specifically, he is constantly wondering if, and seeming to suggest, his fellow viral star Jake Paul could be one.
Until now, Dawson has published three episodes of which will be at least a series of five episodes. They have been watched more than 30 million times.
In the second part, Dawson sits with YouTuber and Registered Therapist Kati Morton to read some of the symptoms in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is essentially the gold standard for diagnosing mental disorders used by professionals of health the world.
First published in 1952, this can take decades and require the intervention of hundreds of physicians before conditions are added or removed from the DSM.
Throughout the video, Morton reads the symptoms of a condition called antisocial personality disorder (we'll talk about it later), while Dawson seems mostly shocked.
Dawson was careful to say that he did not accuse any YouTuber, Paul, or others of being a sociopath. But he also explored the concept of sociopathy by pasting excerpts from Paul's videos, alongside horror-film editing techniques and music.
The editing has led some people to criticize the series for the sensationalism and misrepresentation of a personality disorder.
Dawson is committed to rethinking his methods and responding to criticisms formulated in the third part. In this episode, Logan Paul, Jake's brother, says in a Twitter post that he stands himself in the "spectrum of sociopaths" and that he has "sociopathic tendencies," according to Dawson .
But what is a sociopath, really? We contacted two mental health professionals to get information on what sociopathy really is and does not.
Look at the DSM and you will not see the sociopathy or psychopathy listed as a real diagnosis.
What you will see is an antisocial personality disorder, in which we will enter in a moment. Basically, sociopathy is a simple term for an antisocial personality disorder, but it is outdated.
As J. Reid Meloy told BuzzFeed News, doctors diagnosed themselves as "sociopaths" about 50 years ago.
"This currently has no clinical or diagnostic significance," said Meloy, a forensic psychologist consulted for the FBI.. He also wrote the 1988 book The psychopathic spirit and is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine at the University of California at San Diego.
Psychopathy, on the other hand, is an area of independent research and is generally used to describe people with antisocial personality disorder and whose behavior is violent and criminal in nature. Although it is absent as a specific diagnosis in the DSM, the term can be used in criminal cases involving persons who may have an antisocial personality disorder.
Although sociopathy, psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder are sometimes used interchangeably, it is not a good thing to do because they are not identical.
Although some people may have personality traits suggestive of psychopathic tendencies, this does not mean that they have a diagnosed personality or a mental disorder. And "sociopath" is only a profane term that does not make much sense.
Yes, it's confusing.
The antisocial personality disorder, as defined by the DSM, is a personality disorder characterized by an inability to conform to social norms. Sufferers will exhibit behavior that puts themselves or others at risk, a history of deception and manipulation for personal gain, aggression, irresponsibility and impulsive thought in the short term. They will consider themselves above things like the rules and the law, and theft is a common way of expressing that.
On the other hand, the standard for psychopathy is based on a 20-point psychological assessment tool developed by the psychologist Robert D. Hare in the 1970s. The tool measures the traits of personality such as manipulation, impulsivity, emotional impairment and antecedents of antisocial behavior that may be criminal in nature.
In both cases, these are people who may not be able to feel emotional connections with other people, even their own children. However, there is a continuum, some people with more of these traits, others less.
"They do not form emotional bonds and tend to be detached from others, nor do they feel the more socialized emotions of others who demand that you be able to represent other people as whole people," he said. Meloy.
This means that they may feel bored, furious and excited, but they do not experience emotions such as guilt, empathy or gratitude. But that does not mean that they do not understand in a cognitive way what these feelings are.
A common theory is that patients with antisocial personality disorder may have suffered extreme trauma, such as child abuse, which caused the disorder. Psychopathy, on the other hand, would have more of a biological component.
People with these characteristics may well hide their emotional detachment and may even seem particularly charming and charming. They may not understand what it is like to like someone, or why lying and cheating is wrong, but they know how to pretend.
"They tend to hear and even love, but they really do not have that sense of love," said Dr. Laura Dabney, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist in private practice in Virginia Beach. (Virginia). .
But at one point, she said, they may seem wrong, or as if they were doing too much. "They mimic it to the extreme," she said.
In the United States, 1% of men meet the criteria for psychopathy, compared to 0.2% of women. However, it is not because a person has such personality traits that he is also a criminal.
That said, people who fit the definition of psychopathy would account for between 20% and 25% of the prison population in maximum security prisons, Meloy said.
"It's usually where a significant proportion of these people end up," he said.
Given their characteristics, people with psychopathic traits may seem rather scary. But it would be wrong to say that they are criminal or violent.
Meloy said that people qualified as psychopaths can lead a normal life simply by going under the radar of their behavior.
"You can even have politicians who are psychopaths but do not have a history of violence," he said.
Dabney said that although you can not "cure" a person with these characteristics, she can be treated with intense therapy.
"As it is a personality disorder and not a mental disorder, a pretty thorough examination is needed," said Meloy. It requires lengthy in-depth interviews as well as recordings and talking to people who know the person in question to get a definitive diagnosis.
Dabney said that among the things to look for, there is a history of destructive relationships and an inability to hire for jobs and partners.
The idea of sociopaths and psychopaths is excellent for television. Just think of a serial killer on your favorite criminal procedure. But the truth is that most people with antisocial personality traits do not commit crimes or do not display criminal behavior.
"People want to call them brilliant Machiavellian characters, Hannibal Lecterian," said Meloy.
"Most of them have an average IQ and do what they can to survive."
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