Types of personality psychopathies

There is no unified classification of psychopathies yet. Soviet psychiatrist P.B. Gannushkin proposed his own systematization of types of this personality disorder with a description of their statics (features) and dynamics (development).

Attempts have also been made to systematize psychopathies from the point of view of disorders of higher nervous activity and the correspondence of pathocharacterological manifestations to them.

According to origin, currently a distinction is made between genetically determined psychopathy – nuclear (constitutional) and acquired – organic and marginal.

Nuclear psychopathy manifests itself at an early age, often without the influence of external factors; almost all cases of paranoid and schizoid psychopathy belong to this group.

Organic psychopathy most often manifests itself in forms with a predominance of emotional (excitable and hysterical) and volitional (unstable) disorders.

Marginal psychopathies arise as a result of external influences, they are more flexible, and are more easily compensated. With overprotection and neglect, excitable psychopaths are usually formed, sometimes overprotected children remain indecisive and irresponsible - inhibited psychopaths. With marginal psychopathies, late (after 50 years) depsychotization is sometimes observed. This phenomenon occurs against the background of age-related changes in the blood vessels of the brain.

Different authors group psychopathies by disorders in a certain area of mental activity. The group with a predominance of disorders in the sphere of thinking includes schizoids, paranoids, asthenics and psychasthenics.

Paranoid (paranoid or paranoid) psychopathy

This type of personality disorder is close to schizoid. Decompensation in this case develops according to the paranoid scenario. Psychopathic personalities are characterized by high vitality, hypertrophied self-esteem and the presence of an all-consuming overvalued idea, for the sake of which they show enormous persistence and energy. A distinctive feature of a paranoid personality is a very good memory.

Paranoids are not distinguished by their frankness, they are characterized by willfulness and irritability, their affects are one-sided, not subject to logical arguments. They are distinguished by accuracy, conscientiousness, intolerance to the lack of justice. The horizons of a paranoid are usually limited to the issues that interest them, their judgments are distinguished by their straightforwardness and lack of consistency. Everything that lies beyond the bounds of their interests is indifferent to paranoids. The main character trait of an individual of this type is egocentrism, taken to the extreme, based on inflated self-esteem and inadequate arrogance.

The thinking of paranoid psychopaths is not mature, but is characterized by a tendency toward childish fantasies. The psyche is absolutely inflexible, constantly getting stuck on the same affects, which acts as a motive for paranoids to continuously and persistently fight against imaginary ill-wishers. Random statements or actions of others that run counter to the ideas of the psychopath are assessed as hostile. These people are distrustful and suspicious, they see some special meaning in everything.

In contrast to delusional ideas, paranoids' overvalued ideas are usually realistic, sufficiently substantiated and specific in content, but are subjective and one-sided, which often leads to erroneous conclusions. But the lack of universal recognition of the outstanding merits of a psychopathic personality becomes the basis for conflict with them. It is impossible to convince a paranoid person, he does not believe in any logical calculations, and threats or requests can also only exacerbate the conflict. Such a person cannot stop and reconsider his actions, and failures for him are an incentive for further struggle.

A fairly common manifestation of this type of disorder is psychopathy with a tendency to litigation. The source of overvalued ideas in this case are very real conflict situations that arise in everyday life or at work. The paranoid personality interprets developing events from its subjective point of view, overwhelming the relevant authorities with letters and statements, defending trampled justice in court.

Overvalued ideas can be anything: reformism, invention, assumptions about the wife (husband) being unfaithful, other suspicions, for example, a feeling of persecution or having a serious incurable disease (hypochondria). Fanaticism (dedication of oneself to the implementation of some one idea) is also considered a manifestation of paranoid psychopathy. Fanatics are usually distinguished by altruism and devote themselves to the struggle for universal human values, which distinguishes them from paranoid egoists. However, both of them are not distinguished by the ability to empathize and have warmth, but when it comes to an overvalued idea, high affective tension is noticeable.

Much more common is expansive paranoid psychopathy. Its manifestations include pathological jealousy, litigious conflicts, truth-seeking, religious fanaticism. These individuals passionately and persistently achieve some goal. They are active and energetic, always satisfied with their behavior, failures give them strength in the fight for their idea. Expansive psychopaths are characterized by an elevated mood, arrogance and self-confidence.

Sensitive paranoid psychopathy is much less common; in the compensation stage, sensitive paranoids show similarities with similar schizoids. Sensitive reactions manifest themselves in connection with conflicts related to the ethics of relationships in hypochondriacs.

Paranoid personality traits are stable and persist throughout life; any trait can worsen and grow, and overvalued ideas become increasingly global in nature and run like a “red line” through the individual’s behavioral characteristics.

The stage of decompensation usually develops after a provoking situation in the form of an interpersonal conflict, in which the psychopath’s thinking is characterized by thoroughness and inertia.

Emotional psychopathy

Disorders of the emotional sphere were divided in the International Classification of the Ninth Revision into excitable, affective and hysterical types of disorders. Many authors do not consider affective psychopathies in their classifications, and they were excluded from the tenth revision of the ICD.

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Excitable psychopathy

The main feature of these individuals is an emotional outburst at the level of a fit of strong uncontrolled aggression, rage, unrestrained anger, fraught with criminal actions. They are considered aggressive, but easy-going, since after an emotional outburst a period of remorse and regret sets in quite quickly, sometimes to tears. Nevertheless, the next time the outburst of rage is repeated again. The strength of the aggressive reaction is not adequate to the strength of the cause that caused it.

This type is called epileptoid, explosive or aggressive psychopathy by different authors.

Epileptoids are individuals who are always dissatisfied with everything and everyone, constantly arguing, finding fault with any little things with excessive expansiveness, while trying to prove their case mainly by the power of their voice, not by arguments. They have no diplomatic flexibility at all, they are stubborn, do not doubt their rightness and constantly defend their point of view, their interests and rights. Both in the family and at work, aggressive psychopaths often find themselves in the center of a conflict provoked by themselves. They are vindictive and vengeful, egocentric, and at the same time flattering and sugary. They are characterized by such traits as imperiousness, pedantry, high demands on others, their love and hatred can bring a lot of suffering to the objects of these feelings.

In some individuals, an explosion of emotions occurs against the background of a limitation of the sphere of clear consciousness, followed by a loss of memory of a number of incidents that occurred.

It is in this group of psychopaths that there are the most criminal elements, often it is not aggressiveness that comes to the forefront, but the uncontrollable force of desires. Drug addicts, dipsomaniacs and binge drinkers, gamblers who are unable to stop, sexual perverts, serial killers, and vagrants suffer from explosive psychopathy.

Some authors differentiate excitable (explosive) psychopaths from epileptoids, who, along with explosiveness, display a certain viscosity and inertia of thinking. Irritation accumulates slowly in them, but when it reaches a certain level, it can result in an uncontrollable, dangerous explosion of emotions.

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Cycloid psychopathy

These patients are also called affective psychopaths. The clinical signs of this type are based on the presence of two polar mood types - elevated, which corresponds to the predominance of hyperthymic emotions, and depressed (with a predominance of hypothymic). P.B. Gannushkin called these groups constitutionally excited and constitutionally depressive psychopaths, in addition to them, this includes people with very frequent polar mood swings - reactive-labile.

A common feature of all cycloids is the so-called syntony - the emotions of an individual always correspond to the general background of his environment. Unlike other, already described types of psychopathic personalities, an affective psychopath easily "tunes in" to the general emotional wave and finds contact with the people around him. These are open people who freely express their emotions and feelings, very down-to-earth and make real plans. Something ephemeral and abstract is alien to them. They have practical savvy, efficiency, good intelligence, love to have fun and relax. Nevertheless, they are classified as psychopaths.

Hyperthymic psychopathies are characterized by the fact that the individual is abnormally constantly in an excited state. Constitutionally excited patients are constantly active, optimistic and see the world in rosy colors. They are very sociable, constantly overly animated and talkative. At work, they are generators of ideas and initiators of their implementation, they do not see the weak points of their projects, which are often very adventurous. Hyperthymics are guilty of inconsistency, however, failures do not upset them. They are tireless, but they tire those around them greatly. Hyperthymics are prone to wastefulness, scams, are indiscriminate in acquaintances and sexual relations. Excessive self-confidence, overestimation of their capabilities, balancing on the brink of the law, adventurism, fantasies, lies, unreliability often complicate their lives, although they usually do not commit serious antisocial offenses.

Hypothymics or constitutionally depressive personalities behave diametrically opposite. They are almost always in a gloomy mood, they are eternally dissatisfied and taciturn. At work, their conscientiousness and accuracy are captivating, but their prognostic assessments of the results of work are always pessimistic. Hypothymics always expect defeat and failure. They experience troubles hard, but do not openly express their feelings, do not share their opinions, evaluate their abilities extremely low, engage in self-flagellation and self-accusations.

Emotionally (reactively) labile psychopaths constitutionally belong to the type of people with unstable mood, which changes to the opposite suddenly and very quickly, sometimes within a few hours. The state of cyclothymics and their activity corresponds to the mood.

Cycloid psychopaths, as psychiatrists claim, generally never enter the stage of decompensation; their subdepressive phases are short-lived, although they do occur periodically.

In the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases, cyclothymics are completely excluded from the ranks of psychopaths.

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Hysterical psychopathy

The main feature of psychopaths subject to hysterical reactions is the demonstration of the depth of their experiences and feelings. They work for the audience, in fact, these people are selfish, heartless and infantile. Their desire to be significant and original in the eyes of others does not correspond to their potential. A hysterical personality strives to attract attention to themselves with their appearance, original and extravagant behavior, demonstrating their superiority in every possible way. Their statements often contradict public opinion, they like to flaunt their feelings, exaggerating them. Hysteroid psychopathy is a one-man show, prone to overacting, calculated for external effect. Individuals express their emotions very violently, taking theatrical poses, wringing their hands, noisily admiring or loudly sobbing, inviting others to empathize. In fact, emotions are shallow, and hysteroids quickly forget about them, switching to another object.

The thirst for recognition manifests itself in different ways, many try to achieve it by telling fantastic stories about themselves and their participation in some events, where they are assigned the main role of a hero or a sufferer. In order to impress the attention of listeners, they are ready to accuse themselves of crimes they did not commit, demonstrate symptoms of a mental disorder, a severe unusual disease, and the like.

The behavior of hysteroids is varied, they are mainly influenced by impressions received through the senses - seen or heard, and not logically understood. They constantly play some role, trying to seem more significant than they really are, even with a minus sign. Such traits are noted in hysterical personalities from early childhood - these include falling to the floor in convulsions, crying, choking on hysterics and stuttering, loss of the ability to speak. Older children and teenagers commit various frivolous, sometimes dangerous escapades, trying to shock others with fantastic conjectures.

Hysteroids are not capable of systematic activities that require knowledge, preparation, persistence and thoroughness, pursuing long-term goals. They are not attracted by interesting and serious work, the knowledge they receive is usually superficial. Whenever possible, this type of personality prefers to lead an idle life, emphasizing their originality, superiority, boasting of close acquaintance with famous people, in short, hysteroids use all available methods to attract attention to themselves, to make people talk about them. They stop feeling the difference between their fantasies and reality.

In their classifications, different authors call hysteroids liars, dreamers, and creative individuals seeking recognition.

Hysterical psychopathy is very difficult to compensate for, however, with a certain amount of persistence it can be achieved and the individual can be socialized.

Unstable psychopathy

The very name of this type suggests that people have a pronounced disorder of the volitional sphere. K. Schneider in his classification called them directly: weak-willed. These are pathological characters that show absolute dependence on the external environment, following the lead of whoever happens to be nearby. Unstable psychopaths do not have the ability to resist someone else's influence, that is, they are weak-willed and pliable, they can easily be instilled with any ideas. Such people often fall under the influence of an asocial environment and become alcoholics, drug addicts, and take part in illegal activities. Their way of life is determined not by their own independently developed attitudes, but by the behavior of a random environment. Unstable people are not self-sufficient individuals, they cannot stand loneliness, they seek the company of other people and, in accordance with other people's attitudes, easily change their plans, habits and behavioral skills, as well as their occupation.

At work, they are often violators of labor discipline, take part in fraud, embezzlement, theft. Their psyche is as plastic as plasticine and the environment can mold anything from it.

When they find themselves in a favorable environment, unstable people acquire positive life attitudes and skills. However, these people constantly need constant control, guidance, an authoritarian mentor, encouragement and behavior correction. The unstable psyche of such individuals contributes to a rapid change from efficiency to laziness, pedantry and accuracy to disorganization and negligence.

Sexual psychopathy

Pathologies in the development of the sexual sphere have recently been classified as psychopathies. These pathologies are most often found among excitable psychopaths, but can be observed in almost everyone. Even asthenics, who are considered the most highly moral psychopathic personalities, are not immune to sexual perversions. The type of psychopathy in this case can be ignored; if a psychopathic personality has a pronounced antisocial orientation, abnormal sexual desires may arise under the influence of external factors. At the same time, in such individuals, a tendency to sexual perversions often causes an insoluble mental conflict.

Specialists also consider congenital anomalies in the development of the genitals, endocrine glands, inherited deviations in the development of the central nervous system with degenerative symptoms, and psychosexual infantilism in the pathogenesis of sexual psychopathy. The development of such psychopathies is dangerous due to the commission of illegal actions or acts against morality.

Sexual psychopathies do not include such physiological phenomena as an increase or decrease in sexual arousal, masturbation in adolescence, in places of imprisonment, and the like.

Pathological manifestations include homosexuality, bisexuality, pedophilia, zoophilia, exhibitionism, fetishism, some forms of masturbation, and narcissism. Psychopathy in relationships between men and women manifests itself as sadomasochism, forced sexual intercourse, and erotic murder.

Perverse psychopathy implies a tendency to sexual perversions (deviations). Sexual satisfaction is achieved by the individual in an unnatural way or with the help of additional stimuli. Previously, such disorders were attributed only to psychopathies, since it was assumed that they were a constitutional feature of the individual. Indeed, sexual perversions are very common among psychopaths, especially narcissistic psychopathy - self-admiration, self-love and sexual attraction to one's own body.

Other types of perversions - pedophilia, fetishism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders and other deviations are also found among psychopaths. However, such disorders in the sexual sphere can also be found in other psychopathized individuals with schizophrenia, organic lesions of the central nervous system, after brain injuries, impotence, and the diagnosis in this case depends on the cause that caused the anomaly.

Antisocial psychopathy

The main feature of this type of personality disorder, according to experts, is the complete absence of motives that restrain a person from committing acts that run counter to the norms of universal morality. They sincerely cannot understand why it is wrong to make another living being suffer. Their cognitive integrity is combined with emotional dullness, cruelty, and lack of shame for the offenses committed. Sociopaths, as they are also called (from social psychopathy), cannot be encouraged with praise or corrected with criticism, they are absolutely indifferent to moral incentives. They have no awareness of duty to their family or society, a sense of sympathy and empathy is unknown to them, they have no attachments. They are deceitful, lazy, know how to adapt well and lead a parasitic lifestyle. They are sociable, tend to make acquaintances, and can initially make a favorable impression. Sociopaths are prone to pathological behavior in the area of sexual relations.

Different authors called this mental disorder differently, but they all meant the same personality defects, for example, antisocial psychopathy.

At the end of the 19th century, K. Kohlbaum called this phenomenon heboidophrenia, describing the antisocial stage of development of excitable psychopathy. Since then, there has been the name heboid psychopathy, which is a synonym for behavior based on primitive reflexes, lack of inhibitions, egocentrism, callousness, unwillingness to obey the norms of public morality, not stopping before committing antisocial acts, and a complete lack of interest in productive activities.

Dissocial psychopathy is a rather conditional concept from the standpoint of clinicians. P.B. Gannushkin assumed that such a personality disorder is a uniform development of different hereditary types of psychopathies, in particular, expansive psychopaths of the schizoid type and personalities with emotional disorders, especially those suffering from narcissism, are susceptible to it.

American psychiatrists view sociopaths as individuals who are unable to follow the norms of generally accepted behavior, which leads to a series of antisocial and illegal actions. Mainly, this disorder affects the male population, people from poor strata of society. Social psychopathy develops at about fifteen years of age, usually similar personality pathologies are observed in close relatives of a psychopath.

The disorder progresses without periods of remission, the peak of antisocial behavior occurs in late adolescence and youth. Later, affective and somatized disorders join the course, almost always accompanied by alcohol and/or drug abuse, which contributes to the aggravation of maladjustment in society.

Some authors differentiate between antisocial and social psychopaths based on the principle that the former have already committed illegal acts and will not stop committing them in the future, while the latter, who are generally no different from the former in their characterological characteristics, have not yet committed any criminal acts or, at least, no one knows anything about their actions, and they are considered to be completely respectable members of society. Any of them may never cross the line of the law in their entire lives, but antisocial traits (a tendency to lie, an unwillingness to answer even for their own life, and a parasitic lifestyle) will certainly be reflected in their professional activities and family life.

Another author's opinion classifies psychopaths as individuals with a constitutionally determined type of nervous system, and considers sociopaths as a result of the influence of a destructive environment in which a given personality grew up and developed. At the same time, sociopaths are considered more eccentric and more easily commit antisocial acts, while psychopaths, especially socialized ones, often successfully create the appearance of normal behavior. But, as the authors note, both are dangerous to society and are prone to antisocial behavior.

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Mosaic psychopathy

Mixed personality disorder, when a specific individual exhibits symptoms of different types of psychopathies, is called mosaic. None of the signs are stable, they appear and disappear, being replaced by others. P.B. Gannushkin called this type of individual constitutionally stupid.

Mosaic personality psychopathy leads to the fact that it is very difficult for the patient and his environment to develop some kind of behavior and adapt to each other. It is also very difficult for such individuals to adapt to society.

A person’s explosive temperament combined with hysteria and emotional instability usually leads to the development of various addictions – drug addiction, alcohol addiction, pathological addiction to gambling (ludomania), and sexual perversions.

A personality disorder with schizoid and psychoasthenic features is most often expressed in the development of overvalued ideas, their implementation becomes a lifelong endeavor, which greatly interferes with the social adaptation of such a person.

Paranoids, prone to emotional outbursts, become truth-seekers and defend their imaginary complaints in all sorts of instances, constantly appealing court decisions. Such litigants cannot be satisfied.

The presence of directly opposite symptoms (emotional instability combined with asthenia) in one patient may indicate the development of schizophrenia.

Sometimes, acquired organic pathology is added to hereditary mosaic psychopathy as a result of exposure to toxic substances, trauma or infectious diseases of the brain. In this case, the patient's situation worsens, and the personality structure undergoes significant changes.

Mosaic psychopathy can manifest itself in active, passive and mixed forms. Active psychopaths often realize themselves as leaders, and on a very significant scale. Such a diagnosis was given to V.I. Lenin and I.V. Stalin, and of the currently living leaders – A.G. Lukashenko.

Alcoholic psychopathy

It is known that psychopaths, who are characterized by disturbances in the emotional and/or volitional sphere, more often begin to abuse alcohol and become alcoholics faster. This opinion is based on the inability of individuals with psychopathological personality anomalies to resist drives, their gravitation to achieve pleasure without effort in the shortest possible way, as well as a violation of their volitional inhibition. Personality psychopathy is indeed an excellent springboard for the formation of an addiction to alcohol. In psychopaths, intoxication occurs in more severe atypical forms, maladjustment in society is more obvious and manifests itself in a drinking individual with a personality disorder much earlier than in people without mental deviations.

However, when it comes to alcoholic psychopathy, it usually means the acquisition of psychopathic personality traits under the influence of alcohol.

Alcoholic personality degradation has much in common with psychopathic traits, in particular, the accentuation occurs on the decrease of moral and ethical characteristics of a person. Moreover, such character traits as decreased responsibility, emotional coarsening, lack of shame, egoistic tendencies, parasitism, deceit, pathological attraction to alcohol, prevailing over all other vital interests, appear in the patient almost from the very beginning of the disease.

Unlike other psychopathies, alcoholic personality degradation is characterized by a decrease in the intellectual level, which does not contradict the classical scheme of any type of mental degradation, regardless of their nosological affiliation. Alcoholic psychopathy is an incorrect name and is no longer used in modern classifiers, although the complex of symptoms that arise as a result of alcohol consumption has many similarities with psychopathies.

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Borderline psychopathy

There is no such term in classifiers. Psychopathy itself is considered a disorder on the border between the norm and mental illness. The borderline type of disorder of the emotional background of an individual is considered a subtype and rather reflects not a qualitatively different type of disease, but the degree of its severity, which is on the border between neuroses and psychoses.

This condition is characterized by increased anxiety (anxious psychopathy), impulsivity and emotional instability, low ability to control one's emotions and adapt to society, suicidal behavior or a tendency to self-harm. About a third of suicide attempts in this condition are successful, which indicates the seriousness of the victims' intentions.

Borderline psychopathy is similar in symptoms to bipolar disorder, sometimes even a specialist has difficulty distinguishing them. It is imperative to exclude organic causes of such symptoms. The criteria for establishing a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, which have different authors, are slightly different. However, since the introduction of this term was initiated by American psychologists, we will cite the criteria of their latest classifiers of psychiatric disorders. General signs: pronounced instability of self-identification, as well as interpersonal relationships. The patient makes every effort to avoid the real or imagined possibility of being alone. He often starts relationships characterized by high tension and extremes, sometimes idealizing his partner, sometimes overthrowing him from the erected pedestal.

Emotions range from explosive to complete apathy. Characterized by impulsiveness in several behavioral directions (at least two), which imply negative consequences. For example, unrestrained extravagance, provoking sexual behavior, disruption of public order, gluttony, abuse of psychoactive substances.

Characteristic are the demonstration of suicidal intentions, complaints of emptiness, regular manifestations of strong rage that does not correspond to the irritant - frequent swearing, fights, etc.

There is a high probability that a stressful situation will be resolved by the emergence of paranoid ideas or antisocial actions (intentions to commit them). It passes when the situation is eliminated.

A synonym for borderline personality disorder is apparently psychopathy of the Bordelaine type, from the English borderline personality disorder.

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Narcissistic psychopathy

This type is not distinguished as a separate personality disorder and it is believed that narcissistic traits are inherent in psychopaths in general, especially excitable ones. It is their egocentrism, self-love, superficial charm, and ability to manipulate that make socialized narcissists universal favorites. Researchers suggest that psychopaths with narcissistic traits are able to make a good impression on the audience. Their appearance, sociability, developed intellect, and ability to present themselves in the best light, as well as errors in perceiving others (people often attribute other good qualities to good-looking, smiling, sociable people) allow narcissists to arouse interest and sympathy for themselves.

However, they are only capable of talking about themselves, their projects and successes, trying to humiliate and downplay the successes and achievements of others as much as possible. Narcissists are sincerely convinced that they deserve more recognition than those around them. Their ambition and intelligence make their chosen activity successful and productive, they are distinguished by their hard work and know how to achieve their goals. All this has a significant drawback - at the same time, narcissists use the achievements of their comrades, shamelessly attributing their successes to themselves, figuratively speaking, stepping over corpses, asserting themselves at someone else's expense, neglecting other people's feelings and needs.

In a family, a narcissist will never become a truly close person, he will defend his independence and "personal space", however, at the same time, he will act as a possessive person towards his spouse, completely ignoring his needs and feelings. If the spouse is successful in business, then the relationship will be mixed with open envy and malice.

Z. Freud called the obligatory conditions of love the presence of two flows of sensual (sexual) and tenderness - surrounding the partner with care, showing interest in his dreams and aspirations, the ability to listen to the partner and find compromise solutions, and finally - the ability to feel gratitude for tenderness towards oneself. It is noticeable that this is not about narcissists. They do not want to sacrifice anything for the sake of another, they are vindictive and rancorous, which at best is expressed in sarcasm towards the partner, the desire to humiliate him and look in their own eyes as a unique individual.

Narcissistic psychopaths assert themselves through doubts that they themselves diligently cultivate in their sexual partners and colleagues. This is their main trait – to constantly try to emphasize, first of all, to themselves, their exclusivity and significance, and at any cost.

A. Adler distinguished narcissistic personalities of the spirit of species - grandiose (pretentious) and vulnerable. The first - do not doubt their superiority, the second - try to hide their lack of self-confidence, convincing others by all means of their exclusivity.

It is believed that the soil for the cultivation of narcissistic personality traits is an upbringing in such extremes as the “family idol” or, conversely, the almost complete absence of parental love.

Western psychologists are concerned about the increasing prevalence of narcissistic traits in developed Western countries. This is facilitated by the fact that modern parents, caring about their children's self-esteem, allow them too much and give them too much, without asking for anything in return, as a result, cultivating egocentrism. The media promote success, fame, wealth, and a prestigious appearance. And even living on credit contributes to the development of narcissism. Thanks to the availability of loans, you can quickly acquire external gloss and strengthen your image.

Reactive psychopathy

This condition is not a type of psychopathy, but is a person's reaction to a psychotraumatic event. In psychopathic individuals, mental trauma causes decompensation of psychopathy.

The strength of the reaction depends on many components – the depth of the shock, the duration of the impact, and individual personality characteristics.

Naturally, the unstable psyche of a person with a personality disorder reacts more acutely to psychotraumatic circumstances. Usually, psychopaths experience an exacerbation of their morbid qualities - excitability, aggression, hysterical manifestations in excitable psychopaths, and depression and self-doubt in inhibited ones.

Severe mental trauma can cause decompensation reactions that are atypical for a given individual – outbursts of anger in an asthenic, depression in an expansive paranoid. Usually, such conditions are reversible. However, the severity of psychopathy increases after psychological trauma.

Inhibited psychopathies

This group of personality disorders includes asthenics, psychasthenics and schizoids. They were singled out in this group because the reactions to traumatic events in these individuals are of an inhibited passive nature.

From childhood they are distinguished by timidity and shyness, hypersensitivity and vulnerability, intolerance of both physical and mental stress. When faced with a task that seems beyond their strength, an affective outburst may occur, caused by rejection and unwillingness to exert themselves. The feeling of weakness and lack of confidence in their own strength accompanies them throughout their lives.

Psychopaths of the inhibited circle always think about their actions, pre-program them, however, at the same time, they do not always adequately assess their own capabilities.

The mood of such individuals is almost always depressed; they easily become anxious and worried, especially in unfamiliar surroundings where they feel very uncomfortable.

Their willpower is insufficient, a characteristic feature is the weakness of desires: in childhood - poor appetite, in adults - sexual weakness. Among such individuals there are pedophiles, homosexuals, they are often incapable of full-fledged heterosexual relationships.

Such depressive psychopathy is accompanied by somatic disorders. They often complain of headaches, insomnia, pain and heaviness in the heart area.

Pathocharacterological qualities of inhibited psychopaths often prevent them from adapting to a group, act as a provoking factor for conflict situations, as a result of which a psychopathic reaction occurs: the individual's sense of inadequacy increases, and his lack of self-confidence grows. He refuses to take further action, developing his suspiciousness and anxiety, fixating on hypochondriacal experiences. Such a "psychopathic cycle" is considered typical for individuals of the inhibited type. With the constant action of any psychotraumatic factor, there is a possibility of complication of the psychopathy structure with the development of secondary features (hysterical, epileptoid, paranoid).

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