Psychopath is a widely used yet frequently misunderstood title.
Many people throw it around like an insult. You might call someone who does anything out of the ordinary a psychopath, but they aren’t really.
Or maybe you look toward history’s most famous mass murderers.
While many of these criminals were psychopaths, the real definition is a lot broader. Psychopathy can take a number of different shapes and can even disguise itself as other mental disorders.
There’s still quite a bit of debate in the scientific community about how exactly to define a psychopath, but psychologists have agreed upon a loose description.
Psychopaths struggle to feel empathy or remorse. They often form deep emotional attachments to certain people or ideas, which leads to reckless and dangerous behavior.
This unique personality disorder usually stems from a person’s genes. In other words, they’re born with psychopathic tendencies. From a young age, their brain just isn’t wired the same way yours is.
This is where most people misunderstand this disorder. Being a psychopath doesn’t make you violent or irrational. It doesn’t automatically mean you’re a terrible human being. There are plenty of people diagnosed with psychopathy who live normal lives.
They have regular jobs, go to the grocery store, and play sports. Yes, they think differently, but being a psychopath doesn’t make you a killer or a criminal. There are, however, risk factors that increase the likelihood of violence.
The most common is related to the environment where you grow up. Many serial killers are predisposed to psychopathy, but it was actually their childhood trauma that set them off.
Psychopaths often share one more talent that makes finding them incredibly difficult. This isn’t true for all people with psychopathy, so for now, let’s focus on violent and manipulative psychopaths.
They tend to be amazing liars. They deceive others constantly because they don’t feel bad about it. There’s no empathy to keep them in check. The idea of guilt doesn’t really make sense to them.
They can fool even their closest friends and family into believing there’s nothing wrong. You might think they’re kind and harmless right up until the moment it all falls apart. Maybe your best friend betrays you and cheats you out of a job.
A decade of secrets and close camaraderie goes down the drain. And you’re left wondering how you could have been so blind. To make sure you aren’t sucker-punched by the people you trust, here are seven signs you’re dealing with a psychopath.
Table of Contents
1. Exaggerated Egotism
One of the most recognizable signs of a psychopath is their consistent egotism. In their eyes, there is no one in the world who could ever be their equal. They are the best at everything they do. They are 100% certain they could never be replaced.
This inflated self-importance comes from the selfish way psychopaths view the world around them. They think people are always looking out for themselves. And if anyone says otherwise, they’re lying.
To a psychopath, they’re not doing anything different than everyone else. They’re just doing it better. For example, psychopaths think the rules are only there for people who aren’t clever enough to break them and not get caught.
That’s one of the primary reasons why so many psychopaths engage in violent crimes. When they want something, no one else’s opinions or rules could possibly outweigh their own.
This is often how psychopaths avoid taking responsibility for their actions. If you were supposedly asking for it, they don’t think it’s their fault. If they go behind your back, they will blame you for trusting them.
Egotism and a lack of responsibility is a dangerous combination, so don’t let these two psychopathic traits go unnoticed.
2. Behavioral Chaos
Psychopaths are rarely in control of their own behavior. They endanger themselves and the people around them by following impulses, desires, and instincts.
If you’re used to the stereotypical psychopath, this might sound a little backward to you. The media’s version is diligent and calculated.
They plan out their crimes to the smallest detail, making sure nothing ever goes wrong. Part of that is true.
Psychopaths are exceptionally rational, but they have a hard time controlling their behavior. They’re prone to fits of anger and can become suddenly violent.
One little insult might shatter their ego, which sets off their explosive temper. When they’re angry, psychopaths stop thinking about what they’re doing and just do.
Have you ever noticed you’re extra careful around someone you know? If you have, ask yourself whether or not they’re really in control of their behavior.
3. Insincerity
Most of the things we say have meaning on multiple levels. Let’s say you’re leaving work, and a coworker shouts, “Great job today!” On the surface, it’s an encouraging comment, but how often do you take things at face value? You look for subtext.
You analyze the way someone phrases their sentence or emphasizes different syllables. You pay attention to the feelings behind the words, not just the words themselves.
Most psychopaths struggle to put genuine emotion into what they say. Their sentiments are hollow and fabricated. Their emotions might seem fake because they usually are. This doesn’t mean psychopaths can’t feel.
They’re definitely capable of emotion.
The problem is relating those emotions to the people around them. Imagine a psychopath saying something sympathetic like, “There are plenty of fish in the sea.” It seems like they’re trying to lift your spirits, right?
In reality, a psychopath would only say something like this if they have something to gain from you. They’re imitating sympathy to motivate you to give them what they want.
Even if their words sound the same, the emotional connection isn’t there. So where does this come from? A group of researchers found that people diagnosed with psychopathy also miss out on metaphors and abstract ideas.
If there’s a deeper, emotional meaning behind something, it will probably fly right over their heads. It’s not because they’re stupid. In fact, many psychopaths are incredibly intelligent.
They simply specialize in logic and reason. They are adept at manipulating concrete ideas but get hazy when things dip below the surface.
It turns out that psychologists have actually seen this difference in action. In the 1990s, researchers measured the brain responses of two groups of people: one with psychopathy and one without.
Both groups were shown a list of different kinds of words. Some were supposed to provoke an emotional response, while others were completely neutral.
Sure enough, the non-psychopathic group reacted to the emotional words more than the neutral ones. On the other hand, the group with psychopathy showed no difference in brain activity.
This study concluded that psychopaths’ insincerity comes from this difference in neural responses. They won’t grasp, relate to, or care about that deeper meaning because their brain just doesn’t work that way.
4. Parasitic Lifestyle
Psychopaths have no problem mooching off the people around them. Like lice or tapeworms, psychopaths often live a parasitic lifestyle. They’ll latch onto you and never let go.
They’ll casually steal your money and use your property without feeling the slightest bit bad about it. They do this because psychopaths don’t respect anyone but themselves. To them, their time and energy are significantly more valuable than yours.
They don’t mind wasting your resources as long as it saves them some trouble. If you’re in a parasitic situation, don’t expect a psychopath to leave willingly. You have to take the initiative and cut them out of your life.
Otherwise, they’ll bleed you dry.
5. Disgust Threshold
Have you ever wondered how those famous psychopaths could stomach their crimes? Most people can’t even look at pictures of them. You might be repulsed by the smell of blood.
Or maybe you feel like throwing up when you watch someone else get hurt. That’s how most people react, but psychopaths aren’t like most people. On average, their threshold for disgust is significantly higher.
In other words, gruesome images and foul smells don’t really freak them out. Something horrifying or heartbreaking for you might not affect a psychopath at all.
Psychologists attribute this tolerance to their lack of emotional investment in others. If someone genuinely doesn’t care what happens to other people, they may not be as sensitive to the sights and sounds of suffering.
6. Facial Attention
If you think someone has psychopathic tendencies, pay attention to the way they look at you. Say you’re tearing up about something terrible they said. As you tell them how you’re feeling, watch their eyes.
Are they looking right back into yours? Or are they more interested in staring at your mouth? A study from 2015 found that psychopaths focus on different areas of emotional faces.
When someone is being vulnerable, most people automatically make eye contact. But someone with psychopathy would spend more time looking at their mouth.
Why? Your mouth gives as much or more information but lacks the same personal intimacy. Psychopaths will subtly disconnect by recognizing your expressions without the emotional bond of actual eye contact.
7. Missing Distress
Further research into facial attention revealed another interesting weakness of most psychopaths. They’re decent at detecting everything from happiness to anger, but there is one emotion that psychopaths rarely notice: distress.
According to a 2018 study, psychopaths can’t tell when someone is really upset or just faking it.
They’re significantly less likely to notice if someone is experiencing emotional distress rather than physical. Since they can’t process distressed expressions, psychopaths rarely do anything to help.
But even if they could tell the difference, researchers came up with another explanation. The same study showed that psychopaths don’t really care if someone is actually distressed.
In most cases, the psychopath wouldn’t help them either way. So if someone you know ignores you whenever you’re upset, either they can’t tell, or they just don’t care.
Conclusion:
Psychopaths are more complex than the villains we see on screen or the criminals we hear about in the news. While they often possess traits like exaggerated egotism, impulsive behavior, and insincerity, not all psychopaths are violent or dangerous.
Understanding these seven signs can help you identify when someone might be manipulating, deceiving, or draining you emotionally—and protect yourself before it’s too late.
Remember, the key is awareness, not paranoia. By paying attention to their behavior and trusting your instincts, you can avoid being blindsided by those who lack the empathy and remorse that connect most of us.
If something feels off, don’t dismiss it. Because when dealing with a psychopath, ignorance isn’t bliss—it’s a liability.
Founder and CEO of Lifestyleflux.com, I bring years of expertise in self-improvement, wellness, and personal development to help you lead a happier, more balanced life. Through practical insights, eBooks, and consultations, I share actionable strategies rooted in experience and a passion for empowering others to unlock their full potential.