Phobia Help - REACTIONS!

Everyone can suffer from phobic reactions, even some professional shrinks (my experience) Some phobias can be cured or modified using repeated exposure, until desensitised to the feared thing. Other phobias, social phobias like Emetopobia, cannot be treated like that successfully (not usually) as it would mean making someone very ill indeed over a long period of time, so it isn't practical at all. Read More 

Call It A Day Psychiatry?

Is It Offensive To Declare A Social Psychological Claim Or Conclusion Wrong?

By Lee Jussim

Science is about “getting it right” – this is so obvious that it should go without saying. However, there are many obstacles to doing so, some relatively benign (an honestly conducted study produces a quirky result), others less so (p-hacking). Over the last few years, the focus on practices that lead us astray have focused primarily on issues of statistics, methods, and replication.
These are all justifiably important, but here I raise the possibility that other, more subjective factors, distort social and personality psychology in ways at least as problematic. Elsewhere, I have reviewed what I now call questionable interpretive practices – how cherrypicking, double standards, blind spots, and embedding political values in research all lead to distorted conclusions (Duarte et al, 2014; Jussim et al, in press a,b).
But there are other interpretations problems. Ever notice how very few social psychological theories are refuted or overturned?   Disconfirming theories and hypotheses (including the subset of disconfirmation, failures to replicate) should be a normal part of the advance of scientific knowledge. It is ok for you (or me, or Dr. I. V. Famous) to have reached or promoted a wrong conclusion. Read more

Profiling of the psychopath - Traits

Profile of the Sociopath  - UPDATED 

A summary some of the common features of descriptions of the behaviour of Sociopaths.

Appears to have empathy. Jekyll and Hyde personality. 'Wears one hat' with regular crowd. He's devious, not stupid. 

Intimidating with wit/knowledge,/acquisition. Primary need to brag/boast (how does that manifest)

Glibness and Superficial Charm 

Manipulative and Conning. Can seem just, masterful, perfectionist, human

Team-Player. Ambitious, looking for new spin/more empowerment to secure his place of importance regardless of reasoned and rational  truth and logic, found hunting prey/porn when under pressure/challenged 

Self-serving behaviours are permissible but will judge others for similar crime. No matter what. They appear to be charming, yet are covertly hostile and domineering, seeing their victim as merely an instrument to be used. They may dominate and humiliate their victims. 

Coldly rational. Unimaginably dangerous.

Grandiose Sense of Self  Must have the best available.  Dangerous when thwarted/challenged. 

Feels entitled to certain things as "their right." 

Pathological Lying 
Has no problem lying coolly and easily and it is almost impossible for them to be truthful on a consistent basis. Can create, and get caught up in, a complex belief about their own powers and abilities. Extremely convincing and even able to pass lie detector tests. 

Lack of Remorse, Shame or Guilt 
A deep seated rage, which is split off and repressed, is at their core. Does not see others around them as people, but only as targets and opportunities. Instead of friends, they have victims and accomplices who end up as victims. The end always justifies the means and they let nothing stand in their way.

 (They are in YOUR profession) 

Shallow Emotions 
When they show what seems to be warmth, joy, love and compassion it is more feigned than experienced and serves an ulterior motive. Outraged by insignificant matters, yet remaining unmoved and cold by what would upset a normal person. Since they are not genuine, neither are their promises. 

Incapacity for insightful Love (regard and respect for 'loved' ones interests nor promotion of autonomy in partners/colleagues)

Need for Stimulation 

Living on the edge. Dangerous sport. Verbal outbursts and physical punishments are normal. Promiscuity and gambling are common.

Callousness/Lack of Empathy 

Unable to empathize with the pain of their victims, having only contempt for others' feelings of distress and readily taking advantage of them. 

Poor Behavioral Controls/Impulsive Nature 

Rage and abuse, alternating with small expressions of 'love' and approval produce an addictive cycle for abuser and abused, as well as creating hopelessness in the victim. Believe they are all-powerful, all-knowing, entitled to every wish, no sense of personal boundaries, no concern for their impact on others. 

Early Behavior Problems/Juvenile Delinquency 

Usually has a history of behavioral and academic difficulties, yet "gets by" by conning others. Problems in making and keeping friends; aberrant behaviors such as cruelty to people or animals, stealing, etc. 

Irresponsibility/Unreliability 

Not concerned about wrecking others' lives and dreams. Oblivious or indifferent to the devastation they cause. Does not accept blame themselves, but blames others, even for acts they obviously committed. 

Promiscuous Sexual Behavior/Infidelity 

Stalking, Control-freak, Promiscuity, BDSM,  child sexual abuse, rape and sexual acting out of all sorts. 

Lack of Realistic Life Plan/Parasitic Lifestyle 

Tends to move around a lot or makes all encompassing promises for the future, poor work ethic but exploits others effectively. 

Loyalty is based on gain, not for what's good.

Convoluted speech. Non malicious seek to simplify as much as possible. 

Removing autonomy. Fighting against independent thought. 

Criminal or Entrepreneurial Versatility 
Changes their image as needed to avoid prosecution. Changes life story readily.

Contemptuous of those who know the truth

Does not perceive that anything is wrong with them
Authoritarian
Secretive
Paranoid
Only rarely in difficulty with the law when in receipt of 'supply', but seeks out situations where their tyrannical behavior will be tolerated, condoned, or admired
Conventional appearance
Goal of enslavement of their victim(s)
Exercises despotic control over every aspect of the victim's life
Has an emotional need to justify their crimes and therefore needs their victim's affirmation (respect, gratitude and love)
Ultimate goal is the creation of a willing victim
Incapable of real human attachment to another
Unable to feel remorse or guilt
Extreme narcissism and grandiose
May state readily that their goal is to rule the world

(The above traits are personal experience and mostly based on the psychopathy checklists of H. Cleckley and R. Hare.) 

In 1830's this disorder was called "moral insanity." By 1900  changed to "psychopathic personality." More recently it has been termed "antisocial personality disorder" 
DSM-IV Definition . 

Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-IV) 

1. Since the age of fifteen there has been a disregard for and violation of the right's of others, those right's considered normal by the local culture, as indicated by at least three of the following: 
    A. Repeated acts that could lead to arrest. 
    B. Conning for pleasure or profit, repeated lying, or the use of aliases. 
    C. Failure to plan ahead or being impulsive. 
    D. Repeated assaults on others. Covertly not overtly.
    E. Reckless when it comes to their or others safety. 

    G. Rationalizing the pain they inflict on others. 

  Read more: 

Child Abuse Campaigns - Getting it Right

Notes for Child Abuse Campaigners


The loudest campaigners are usually kind-hearted, well-meaning and hard-working individuals.
Sometimes though, 'supporting' can be more harmful than helpful. Feeding a negative (known as 'negative reinforcement' in Behaviourism) is often self-defeating. A lot of these well-intentioned people have witnessed malice themselves, see it everywhere (about half the planet has a malicious streak) and vow to fight it using everything they've got. They can though, appear as 'suspicious' types themselves.

READ MORE 

Mental Health in London Today

I love this self-discovery thing and AM determined to take you all down with me (NPD) 

Having experienced, and witnessed, plenty of 'malignant' Narcissism in my trembly, enlightened life, I can pretty much guarantee it's being wildly misdiagnosed. I'm almost certain that's also a part of Sam Vaknin's (NPD expert and very kind - psychopath) message too?

 Not sure yet, he has a lot of advice online, including loads of video's on Youtube that I haven't finished viewing. 

 'Compensatory Narcissism' (like mine?) must also be a not-all-self-blameworthy state whilst also in a state of academic ignorance/inability (perhaps combined with later trauma too)? Doesn't intent define this (Vaknin) diagnosis/'C-NPD'? I think his idea of NPD could also cover a range of phobic/traumatic conditions, if not ALL of them? Are all human ego's and the traumatised - NPD? It looks a bit like consciousness itself could be described that way? Are we all wrong about everything? Or is that just bits of it?

Am I too NPD to understand or process this? Does it let guilty pheckers off the hook? Are ALL blamers, NPD? Is 'compensatory' NPD the root cause of every terror/violence-induced trauma and social phobia in the book? (re-read the book Liz!)

I've also witnessed social workers (and mental health nurses) chronically misusing psychiatric terms - in  various situations-  that are then translated into actual, very serious disorders by doctors ('taking their word for it') when the evident behaviours witnessed were clearly (mostly not exaggerated) normal, human expressions. Not a major tantrum in sight. Such team-work could be construed as 'gaslighting'/gang-stalking/conspiracy. So don't blame the paranoids when 'conspiring against' them or when working in vast teams. (*Isn't it handy for people who harass you into a state of reactionary gaga helplessness, to then blame it on your being a 'nutter'? I guess, easily done when target also suffering abuse effects) I also had years of strange 'phone calls (and LOADS of hacking online) and was told I had 'multiple anomolies' on my 'phone line (BT via Talk-Talk (ISP) 2013) and yet -

In that particular hospital, giggling was described as 'mania' and fear ='Psychosis' (they were simple anxiety attacks/phobic reaction,/acth/cortisol/blood-sugar/ localised inflammation flares - why not describe symptoms for what they are globally known as, so things are understood better? Because, what WAS the point? Fun? (Those labels have a habit of sticking ya know) Maybe, it's all a bit prejudiced?

 Worse - a cocky psychiatrist, obviously with a 'take them down a peg, those egos' attitude (heart of gold I'm sure) was regularly informing obviously scared-but-bright people, that they have no 'insight' but the same was not guilty of giving any personalised, constructive direction, only fairly insensitive, rather smug blame-perceived (alienating due to lack of respect) interviews, weekly, culminating in prescribing extremely serious drugs (maybe, in the process, causing future brain-damage/Dementia?) with indefinite detention in a room alone, no radio/TV, 24/7 for months on end, without hope or a release date (on plastic mattress of 2 feet wide) this  prescription, mostly, only ever proves to relieve temporary situations (and maybe, in the process, causing future brain-damage/Dementia?) - or cause semi-catatonia (NPD) -  makes you wonder why prisons are also ineffective? Thus treatment regularly is further disabling these already confused and frightened human animals who need their problem-solving skills honed rather than annihilated or negative beliefs reinforced. How will they be when elderly dependents?

Makes you wonder on what genius philosophy psychiatry is based (a bit of Buddhism, Mu is useful) and if it's still globally relevant and why psychiatry has the highest rate of suicide than any other profession. Do they appreciate that each snowflake, leaf and identical twin, is unique? READ MORE