Darkness Decoded

“I have all the characteristics of a human being: blood, flesh, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don’t know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip.” – Patrick Bateman, American Psycho. 

…

Jason Voorhees, Amy Dunne, Joker, Hannibal Lecter, Alex Forrest, Leatherface, Michael Myers, Jigsaw, Catherine Tramell. Something all these names have in common? They’re famous and insane. Horror and thriller movies, the first of which dating as far back as the late 1890s, have presented us with characters, engulfed with anger, sadness, insanity, and every other emotional motive to kill. These characters, often labeled as psychopaths or sociopaths, have had quite the history, and their backgrounds draw from conditions that are still existing today. Not all of these interpretations are accurate to reality, because entertainment and those in charge of making it have changed that imaging of mental disorders to such an extent that we think what’s presented more often to us is the actual reality. 

We often assume that we know what a psychopathic person is like, whether it be that they’re prone to violence, stare blankly, speaking with unusual inflections in the voice, or are just not normal. But another type of person we tend to shove into the same definition as a “psychopath” are those individuals who exhibit more sociopathic behavior. Psychiatrist Adam Opbroek, M.D.  broke down the main difference between a psychopath and a sociopath, and what they truly are. “I think the societal interpretation of psychopath is a cold-blooded killer or criminal with no fear of consequence and who has a sick and twisted agenda. Definitions of psychopath do include a lack of conscience, which is what may differentiate a psychopath from a sociopath as the latter may have some capacity for remorse or be better able to appreciate how their actions impact other people emotionally, or in other words be able to empathize. The difference between these descriptors is somewhat semantic as well, as sociopathy and psychopathy are on the same spectrum as manifestations of the psychiatric diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder.”

Dr. Opbroek says that there are core differences, however, in the reasons why these people act the way they do. The sociopathic person is frequently, as Opbroek describes, a “stormy person who is hyper-defensive and externalizes blame and fails to take responsibility for their action.” Beneath that person’s masquerade of emotions, is a “fragile sense of self and probably a low sense of self-worth.” They attempt to guard themselves against their own realization of their failures with a wall of anger, manipulation, charm, and continuing to show that they don’t care for other people’s feelings. All of these responses do not help close and personal relationships, and this type of personality can be related to a history of abuse or trauma early in the person’s life.

“The psychopath may have a more inward focus, be seen as cold or distant, and is more likely to not be noticed by others and follow social norms more than the stormy sociopath. The psychopath may inherently lack the capacity for empathy, and if they exhibit erratic, risky, or aggressive behavior it is with a lack of appreciation for why others see their actions as inappropriate or not justified. This may be related to early life neglect, and/or a genetically based mental illness that imparts paranoid delusion that they are being persecuted and must act to protect themselves, or that their actions serve a mission to a higher power or have some greater implications they feel others cannot understand.”

With all of the media we intake over the course of our lives that showcases this behavior, most of which is not written or directed by professionals that study psychology, we get the wrong idea of mental illnesses, and how they work. Dr. Opbroek says, “One of the biggest misperceptions is that mentally ill people are more prone to violence than the general population. There are many psychiatric studies that refute this but the media continues to promote this notion. Yes, the school shooter and mass murderer likely have some component of mental illness, but there are many more people who do not have mental illness doing horrible things in our culture.” 

Now you know that most of us have had the wrong idea of what a psychopathic or sociopathic person is. Some of us watch these movies and shows because we’re drawn to the plot, or maybe because of the attractive cast of the movie/show that everyone tweets about, or maybe there’s just something about the character that makes it hard to look away and stop listening. Say it is the character that we’re drawn to. Why? “I think it is enjoyable to see others acting without fear of consequence. Supposedly not caring what others think and acting out whatever whim or fantasy comes to mind, and in the movies rising to a glamorous level of acceptance by counter-culture and becoming the anti-hero. Sociopaths are most often tortured souls and isolated and unhappy,” says Opbroek.

Now comes the worry, though, that with the way we portray these types of people, it’s almost like we’re idolizing them. What if real criminals in the real world become too comfortable, perhaps more than they are already, with the way we see them on screen, that they begin to feel all the more rationale for what they do? We paint their “accomplishments” with such high regard, to the point that we award these movies and TV shows with accolades that so many hope to achieve. “The sociopath inherently feels justified in what they do no matter how disruptive or inappropriate, that is part of the pathology. There may be some bias that more people are engaging in antisocial actions because we are bombarded by reports in endless streams of media, and this may lead some to justify their actions as consistent with what they perceive as mainstream. However, I have some trust in the fabric of our society and the intact moral compass that most of us have preventing antisocial actions being glamorized as accomplishments. There are disconcerting contradictions to that though, such as a large number of Americans and conservative media minimizing and justifying the antisocial behavior of those that stormed the capitol building……so who knows!”

We sometimes see somebody in movies/shows that will do whatever they can to help someone, without regard for their own personal benefit or safety. Another way these types of actions are described are with the word “altruism”, which is defined in the New Oxford American Dictionary as “the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.” If we have psychos, what can be the flipside? Perhaps an extreme altruist. Or do we only apply behavioral irregularities to those that exhibit only “negative” behavior? Dr. Opbroek says that he thinks any extreme can be viewed as pathological. The way to discern that though can be difficult when the good things that are occurring are surrounding an individual’s actions. “A person who is manic, grandiose, euphoric, and expansive in their thinking may be very entertaining on stage, or might come up with concepts that change the world (research a man who had Schizophrenia, John Forbes Nash, whose game theory of economics is still important, portrayed in movie A Beautiful Mind). But the mania eventually crashes into depression, dysfunction, or even suicidality, and the schizophrenic suffers progressive decline as psychosis take over the mind and they withdraw from the world.”

“I think there is room for hyper good people who are not acting due to pathology though. Some seem to be driven to promote peace and good in this world, and I doubt anyone would define Gandhi as imbalanced, but even those that have risen to great heights and done great good and appear beyond reproach likely had their own internal struggles and perceived themselves as irregular at some point.”

Despite everything you may have thought about pathological people before reading this article, you now know more about this behavior, and how it’s displayed in reality. With so many different outlets to show different perspectives, you can notice how these interpretations of personality types change. 

Dr. Opbroek says, “Let us hope that the fundamental good of humankind will shine through, and that people strive to lead by example how to be responsible, kind, and empathic, and that sociopathic behavior will never become an accepted norm!