Narcissists, Sociopaths, And Psychopaths… What’s The Difference?

Photo By Eric Prouzet

Good question, right? Narcissists, Sociopaths, and Psychopaths are all problematic, exploitative, dangerous, and very very bad people. If you even think that you may be dealing with one, just run the other way and do not look back! These toxic individuals share some similarities and I think recent research shows us that there is a great deal of overlap in the traits that these personalities share. When diagnosing someone with a mental health disorder, frequently people do not fit neatly into one box and to complicate matters, there is a lot of comorbidity. Textbook cases where a client checks off all the diagnostic boxes are rarer than you think! As a psychologist, survivor, and someone who counsels and supports other survivors, I have had a substantial amount of training and experience working with these disordered personalities, both in my private and professional life. Still, I would not consider myself an expert on personality disorders. I actually find them quite complex and feel like I am always learning something new! However, I am well read on the subject and I enjoy sharing my knowledge in hopes of it helping others. The research is also growing and evolving in this area too, which is very exciting!

I found myself researching the title of this article a few years ago and frequently clients and friends will ask me, “What’s the…