Am i a sociopath?!?!

I'm worried that i may be a sociopath/pyschopath or have ASPD.

I'm definetly obsessive, so i don't know if i'm just obsessing over this or if i have reason to worry. I've also been told that "sociopaths don't worry about being sociopaths" but then i wander if i'm worried because im obsessive and anxious, not because i care about having emotions or not.

I've done loads of obsessive googling. I've asked this question on a few forums. Basically everyone has said "no! you're not a sociopath"... but i'm not easy to convince. I really hope i'm not a sociopath.... but to the degree that i need to be VERY sure of it.

I personally think that i have characteristics and have said/done a few things that hint at that diagnosis. If it helps, i'm 20 and male.

Instead of listing all of the characteristics that make me think i might be a sociopath, i'll (at least at first) just list things that i doubt a sociopath would do/feel and then maybe any people here with ASPD (or not, whatever) could comment?

I know it might not be this "simple" to diagnose... but i'd like (serious/helpful) comments.

-Most of my sociopathic-esque ACTIONS are carried out while drunk. The only times i've ever stolen, had promiscuous sexual encounters or been particularly selfish i was usually blind drunk.
-Films make me cry.
-I recently cried (unexpectedly) for a friend, because his mother died.
-I cry when i think of my childhood (which was good).
-I can feel empathy, guilt and shame WHEN i imagine others as children, or see them as children grown in adults.
-I'm very honest. More so perhaps than normal. I rarely ever lie.
-I'm less angry than your average person and i'm practically NEVER violent.
-I'm extremely socially anxious in a lot of social situations.
-I want love and long relationships (despite not being sure if i'm capable of love anymore).

The "reasons to worry" list is longer... but i'm interested in what you might have to say about these points first.

Thanks.

To be honest with you, I do'nt see sociopath here either. Instead, I see a few things such as OCD, depression, and a lot of locked-up sadness that has yet to be released. Im no doctor though, and neither is anyone else here. It's clear that you're eager to get a diagnosis, but getting a diagnosis won't be the end of the line. Once you get a diagnosis, tha'ts the beginning, and that's when all if the hard work begins. You could arrange an appointment with your local doctor and explain your symptoms to him/her. i mean, no-one here can diagnose you.

To be honset with you (again), many people behave in the way you've described while drunk. That's what alcohol does to people: It makes them less inhibited about things, and less logical. One could view alcohol as rendering humans more animal-like in behaviour. All of the other things you've mentioned point to what I've already mentioned in the first paragraph). i dont understand how you managed to consider sociopathy with these syptoms...?

Kevin

Chucky wrote:To be honest with you, I do'nt see sociopath here either. Instead, I see a few things such as OCD, depression, and a lot of locked-up sadness that has yet to be released. Im no doctor though, and neither is anyone else here. It's clear that you're eager to get a diagnosis, but getting a diagnosis won't be the end of the line. Once you get a diagnosis, tha'ts the beginning, and that's when all if the hard work begins. You could arrange an appointment with your local doctor and explain your symptoms to him/her. i mean, no-one here can diagnose you.

To be honset with you (again), many people behave in the way you've described while drunk. That's what alcohol does to people: It makes them less inhibited about things, and less logical. One could view alcohol as rendering humans more animal-like in behaviour. All of the other things you've mentioned point to what I've already mentioned in the first paragraph). i dont understand how you managed to consider sociopathy with these syptoms...?

Kevin

It's more that i want to NOT get a diagnosis. I'm obsessive, i admit, but i feel i could move on and live my life a lot more easily if i could feel comfident that i was NOT sociopath. I don't know what i'd do if i was a "sociopath"...

I know i can't get a proper diagnosis here. I'm just looking for educated guesses, like yours, so thanks. I was seeing a counsellor for a few months and i mentioned this worry to him.. but he wasn't into "labels" and kind of shrugged it off with a "ofcourse you're not a sociopath" but i didn't discuss all of my worries over it. I am considering going to see a GP soon.

Like i said in my first post, those are not really symptoms.... they are things that I consider maybe guarantee that someone is NOT a sociopath. Say, perhaps, someone might say "no, you are not a sociopath for sure because you cry".

I have not listed all the things that make me worry i may be a sociopath. Yet.

Chucky wrote:To be honset with you (again), many people behave in the way you've described while drunk. That's what alcohol does to people: It makes them less inhibited about things, and less logical. One could view alcohol as rendering humans more animal-like in behaviour.

Also, a question.

Does alcohol bring out the "real" person or is the selfishness/criminal behaviour that i have shown while drunk not necerssarily representative of my personality?

I wander if perhaps it is just my social anxiety that stops me being like that when sober and once i drink there is nothing (no consciousness) left to stop me doing anything?

Some people say that alcohol brings out a person's true nature, but I don't buy into that thought at all. All it does is make a person less inhibited (like I already said), and therefore anyone would behave in a less moral or thoughtful way when they're drunk. Regrding the social anxiety, being driunk removes that barrier (as you've implied), which allows you to feel less anxious. However, you can rely on alcohol 24/7 to remove this barrier, can you?

Kevin

Chucky wrote:Some people say that alcohol brings out a person's true nature, but I don't buy into that thought at all. All it does is make a person less inhibited (like I already said), and therefore anyone would behave in a less moral or thoughtful way when they're drunk. Regrding the social anxiety, being driunk removes that barrier (as you've implied), which allows you to feel less anxious. However, you can rely on alcohol 24/7 to remove this barrier, can you?

Kevin

No, ofcourse i can't rely on alcohol. I know this and i'm trying to cut down on drinking when at the pub/club.

However, being anxious does not imply that i have a "conscience" does it? I'm worried that maybe i could be an anxious sociopath that may come across as "nice" but only due to the anxiety. When the anxiety is lifted (say, with alcohol) perhaps there is no other barrier (like a conscience) stopping me from acting like a sociopath?

But thanks for your answer and yes i would tend to guess that most all people get obnoxious when drunk.

Does this sound like a sociopath to you? Its not really rocket science...

Cannot diagnose anyone under the influence of anything, ever.

soundclash wrote:However, being anxious does not imply that i have a "conscience" does it?

Yes, yes it does.

soundclash wrote: I'm worried that maybe i could be an anxious sociopath that may come across as "nice" but only due to the anxiety.

No such thing as an anxious sociopath.

soundclash wrote: When the anxiety is lifted (say, with alcohol) perhaps there is no other barrier (like a conscience) stopping me from acting like a sociopath?

It doesn't work that way. Everyone acts sociopathic when they're drunk, absolutley everyone. It's only considered a disorder when its present when sober.

The mistake you, and 99% of the other "ZOMG AM I A SOCIOPATH" posters is you try to bend the DX to suit you. You should not look at the symtoms and go.. OMG I HAVE THAT. Your mind will automatically bend and warp it to suit you. Self diagnosing never works, as you bias your own information. Only way anyone can DX you with anything is if a psych watches you, and even then, they only see as much as you let them see. DXing in general, very pointless, especially in the case of ASPD.

Hmm, i didn't realise that i was in the ASPD forum when I first replied to this guy's post. Not to worry though, because i think I'm 'accepted' on some small level here now.

soundclash, it sounds to me like you are trying your best to confirm in your own mind that you are sociopathic, despite your symptoms not correlating to the sociopathic persona. I could probably talk about myself right now and make it sound like I had PTSD or sociopathy, but I'd just be fooling myself (I know that Asperger's Syndrome describes me the best). That's what it's all about: Which one describes you best? I cannot see sociopathy anywhere in what you've talked about so far. It really seems like you are twisting your own thoughts to make it seem as if you have it.

That was weird... ...Once I realised I was on the ASPD forum, I felt a 'licence' to be blunt and to the point.

Kevin