Psychopaths' stalking behaviors tend to be predatory or instrumental in nature. The victim is viewed more as a possession or target for control, retribution, or revenge, rather than as the object of a pathologically based fantasy, obsession, or infatuation.
Uninhibited by conscience, they initially assess the utility of those around them freely and equally. They then tend to narrow their choices to those they find unusually trusting or vulnerable. Sometimes, simply having normal personality traits qualifies an individual as vulnerable.
Narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths can inflict long-lasting damage on their victims. Their emotional and verbal abuse, combined with their cruel, persistent attempts at sabotage, can even drive their victims to self-destruction and suicide.
Research suggests that 45 percent of people who engage in stalking behaviour have borderline personality disorder although the proportion among people convicted of stalking crimes is lower at 4 to 15 percent [1].
Psychopathy. Pathological lying is in factor 1 of the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL).
The Three Key Signs. Perhaps more importantly, and even more telling than specific symptoms associated with particular disorders, are matters of duration, rigidity, and globalism of the vexing behaviors.
They prey on other people's emotions.
Psychopaths understand other people's emotions on an intellectual level, and they use that understanding to their advantage. They use guilt trips and flattery to manipulate others into doing things they wouldn't normally do.
Psychopaths' stalking behaviors tend to be predatory or instrumental in nature. The victim is viewed more as a possession or target for control, retribution, or revenge, rather than as the object of a pathologically based fantasy, obsession, or infatuation.
The lower on the scale a psychopath is, the more likely they are to develop some sort of love for people such as family members. Psychopaths are much less likely to develop deep bonds with others, however. Interestingly, psychopaths may still want to be loved even if they are almost incapable of truly loving another.
Psychopaths struggle to understand how someone else might feel afraid, sad, or anxious. It just doesn't make sense to them as they're not able to read people. A psychopath is completely indifferent to people who are suffering—even when it's a close friend or family member.
Psychopaths, by definition, have problems understanding the emotions of other people, which partly explains why they are so selfish, why they so callously disregard the welfare of others, and why they commit violent crimes at up to three times the rate of other people.
What attracts the psychopath to the empath is the sweet, kind and full of life and willingness to give qualities of an empath in which none of these traits exist in a psychopath. The psychopath's way of dealing with their childhood trauma is to suck the life from others because they themselves feel hollow inside.
Similarly, childhood sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, and neglect are associated with higher prevalence of psychopathic traits (Craparo et al., Reference Craparo, Schimmenti and Caretti2013; Graham et al., Reference Graham, Kimonis, Wasserman and Kline2012) emotional abuse and neglect.
First, they assess the value of individuals to their needs, and identify their psychological strengths and weaknesses. Second, they manipulate the individuals (now potential victims) by feeding them carefully crafted messages, while constantly using feedback from them to build and maintain control.
Trait psychopathy is characteristics by features such as untruthfulness, manipulativeness, callousness, lack of remorse or shame, as well as impulsive and antisocial tendencies (Benning et al., 2003).
They prey on kindness
“Empaths'” tend to be in helping professions such as teaching or nursing, and psychopaths take advantage of their kind and giving nature. “Empaths” exemplify everything in a heightened way that the psychopath is not. Psychopaths lack empathy, and they set out to target and destroy those who can.
“While there is no specific, definitive set of characteristics that make up a 'psychopathic stare,' there are a few common features that have been observed,” states Tzall. These include: a coldness, with a lack of warmth, empathy, or compassion. wide-eyed, with more of the white of the eye showing.
“Sociopath” is an unofficial term to describe a person who has antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), whereas psychopathy describes a set of personality traits. However, ASPD and psychopathy can overlap. ASPD and psychopathy share some similar traits, including aggression and a lack of remorse.
Some of the most common signs of psychopathy include a lack of empathy for others, a shallow range of emotions, a lack of guilt and remorse, and a willingness to break rules for personal gain.
Cluster B personality disorders include antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, and histrionic personality disorder. These tend to be the least common disorders but are often the most challenging to treat.
But antisocial personality disorder is one of the most difficult types of personality disorders to treat. A person with antisocial personality disorder may also be reluctant to seek treatment and may only start therapy when ordered to do so by a court.