Can I be a sociopath and love animals?

[Anonymous]

I know I suffer from a mild case of sociopathy never been diganosed but I know I am one. I am not trolling and feel no need to provide evidence for my symptoms. Okay so it is assumed they are murderers and all bad people. Am I still a sociopath if I love animals and have compassion for animals yet lack empathy or feel remorse for hurting people. Feel free to answer if you are the same way. I know I am not the only one who likes animals more than people.

Updates

+1 y

The reason I was not diganosed is due to my doctor not knowing my whole backround. It is not something that is disagnosed that easily. I just want to debate.

Updates

+1 y

Okay technically i lied I was disagnosed Manic Depressive only 2 years ago and put on Mood Stabilizers. And believe it or not Bipolar and Sociopathy are very much linked.

[Anonymous]

The definition of a psychopath doesn't necessarily imply one doesn't like animals. The following is the definition:

a person afflicted with a personality disorder characterized by a tendency to commit antisocial and sometimes violent acts and a failure to feel guilt for such acts Also called sociopath

[Opinion Owner]

It's important to never lose sight of the fact that if someone were to stick you and cause you severe pain your pain is no different than your neighbor's pain would be. Always keep in mind they have the same feelings as you and I do. Thanks for MHG, God Bless and have a Merry Christmas!

[Anonymous]

Being a sociopath today is essentially the same as saying that you're manipulative and do not mind stepping on other people's toes. Most people have those tendencies.

Even if you were an extreme case there is nothing in that particular diagnosis that says you can't love animals (or people!).

[EasyForYouToSay]

You do require a formal diagnosis to be considered a sociopath.
But otherwise, no. If you possess a sense of compassion, then you are not a sociopath, or a psychopath.

[Asker]

Okay. I am definitely not a psychopath. And I am well aware of needing a dignosis. I will be pumped up with all sorts of Antipsychotic medications if I even got that label. And technically I lied I have been disagnosed manic despressive which is linked to sociopathy.

[EasyForYouToSay]

Well, manic depression is essentially bipolar. Sociopathy is the inability to have empathy or a sense of right or wrong.
And you don't have to take any medications you don't want to.

[Asker]

I know what bipolar is and it is easy to say it is not linked with sociopathy when you don't have it. Sociopathy is Antisocial personality disorder and it overlapped many mental disorders including Bipolar disorder.

[EasyForYouToSay]

They may be linked, but they are still separate disorders. Many disorders overlap, but only in that they often have similar symptoms. They still all have defining characteristics. And sociopathy is characterised by a total lack of empathy and compassion. If you possess those at all (and you do, if you have compassion towards animals), then you're not a sociopath.

[Dogmaticdrama]

Wellllll. The actual definition of a "sociopath" is just simply someone who doesn't feel guilty, and yes empathy, but it even says towards other people. No artical I can find says sociopaths have a predisposition to not like animals, hats phycopaths. Phycopaths are characterized as someone who intends to be violent, or maybe can't even control it. A sociopath is a manipulater, and do harm people, but mostly mentally. I think one can have some sort of *something* towards animals because they are innocent animals, unlike people who know right from wrong and still choose wrong.
Much of my family has said I have sociopathic tendencies, but I have a dog and a fish who solely depend on me and I'd never hurt them. But would I lie to my mom about like everything, trick her into doing what j want? Yes I would.

[Drooogie4]

I think that could be true, yes.

I have more empathy for animals too, even with not being a sociopath.

[satanaepueri]

I am a sociopath. Diagnosed. All the history to prove it since childhood. I have 95% of the symptoms and I really am not arsed to go in to detail or prove it because I don’t need to. However, I do care for animals. Animals are innocent and when I was neglected throughout all of my childhood I had animals, horses, dogs, rabbits, hamsters etc. I grew up with a lot of animals and ever since have had a lot of animals. My ASPD can slip through and sometimes I find myself less compassionate when I am angry. But I am intelligent so leave the situation where I am pissed because I don’t actively want to harm my animals. Humans on the other hand, I’m vicious and look for conflict. I want to harm humans every single day because humans are the worst, humans are the ones who have neglected me as a child, disrespected me as a child, teen, adult etc. Sociopath symptoms show a LACK of empathy not zero empathy. Psychopaths and Sociopaths are different and ASPD category they fit in to is a spectrum. So you don’t need all of the signs and symptoms to be a sociopath. People rely too much on textbook knowledge and there has been no where near enough studies on ASPD. So yes, you can care for animals as a sociopath but I think it would depend on the circumstances, for me I was around animals all the time when I was neglected and animals never betrayed me, they were never malicious, they never neglected me. So this is why I believe I do have empathy for them ESPECIALLY growing up because I’ve seen and experienced how awful humans are. Which makes me laugh, because I’m seen as a bad person for my disorder when I beg to differ. Plenty of “normal” people chowing down on dead animals, abusing / neglecting animals, breeding dogs for monetary gain, forcing horses to race and jump ridiculous hurdles that result in many deaths every year, but I’m the bad one remember. But not all sociopaths will care about animals, just like people without ASPD too.

[KDA20]

I wouldn't go as far as wanting to hurt people but I am one of those people who care more for animals than humans.

[Asker]

I enjoy hurting people's feelings mostly. I am not a violent person unless provoked.

[tyber1]

Sociopaths are not necessarily unable to form bonds.

[tyber1]

I will explain further. Sociopaths is distinguishable from psychopaths in how it is developed. Psychopaths is something you are born with, a psychopath is incapable of emotional empathy. A sociopath is a normal person broken through maltreatment, and thus allows more room for limited empathy. Some sociopaths can form bonds with a few select people for example but have no empathy for anyone outside of them.

[Asker]

I knew all of that and I lack empathy. Compassion is different from empathy.

[tyber1]

There's is two forms of empathy, emotional empathy where you can feel someone else's feelings, and logical empathy where you understand their feelings. A psychopath can be an excellent manipulator because they can understand your feelings without feeling them.

Anyways, you cannot feel compassion for someone without feeling empathy for them.

[Asker]

Well I am not a psychopath I know that for sure. I don't know what I am actually. I had a dysfunctional background. There is lots of Narcissist Sociopaths in my family so I am predisposed to the disorder.

[tyber1]

Perhaps you just have sociopathic tendencies

[Asker]

Maybe.

[ThatAsianFellow]

Crazy cat ladies/guys are sociopaths!! So hey whynot!! :D

https://youtu.be/okOVxfuSYPk

[idkwtftoputhere]

Yeah, you might have misdiagnosed yourself there. Seek help regardless.

[Asker]

No I have not. I think i am one.

[Asker]

I updated my question.

[Maxemeister]

Im not a sociopath and it's sadder when animals die than people

[Leetinman70]

Hitler loved dogs but he was not a normal person as we all know.

[jakeofalltrades]

if you feel any kind compassion to anything other than yourself you are not a sociopath

[Asker]

I beg to differ. I can easily tell who is a sociopath from am empath. Sociopaths are not all murderers. A lot of them have emotional issues steming from childhood. They use drugs and boozes to cope. It is an extremely misunderstand personality disorder.

A lot of them are animal lovers. I think this is a myth that needs to be debunked.

[Asker]

I had it since childhood. Doctors know nothing I swear I could be a doctor sometimes. I am manic depressive which is linked to Antisocial personality disorder like I mentioned. By the way they lack empathy and I do lack it for humans.

[jakeofalltrades]

sociopaths have no empathy for anything. so if you have empathy for animals you can't be a sociopath.

[Asker]

Lol don't have empathy for anyone. Being compassionate/caring/kind towards animals is possible for sociopaths. They have a nice side too. Hilter loved his dog and look at the evil/heinous crimes he committed.

[satanaepueri]

You’re incorrect there. ASPD is a spectrum so you have the lower and higher ends. If you actually looked it states sociopaths LACK empathy lack doesn’t mean they have zero. I have zero empathy for humans 99.9% of the time. But I do have empathy for animals, most of the time. Stop spreading misinformation because you are not qualified to be answering this question.

[CourtJester]

Well... they do let me eat them so I guess I like animals more than humans xD

[lasmujeressonguapas]

no, but then you're a failed human, like all sociopaths.

[Anonymous]

You can't self diagnose yourself with something as serious as being a sociopath. People went to school for that for a reason. And no, you can't have compassion for animals while being a sociopath.

[Asker]

I updated my question.

[Opinion Owner]

You are a manic depressive then, that in no way supports your invalid self diagnosis of being a sociopath The defining characteristic of a sociopath is lack of compassion/empathy/etc, and no just because someone is a sociopath does not mean they automatically wish everyone harm, but you cannot feel compassion towards animals and not humans and still be a sociopath. It isn't selective. That just means you're a dick.

[Opinion Owner]

Basically, you're trivializing a serious mental disorder because "people suck!!! :3 animals rule!!!". Ridiculous.

[Asker]

Lol whatever I have nothing to prove you or anyone else. And it is definitely true that animals are better than humans.

[jmmmfi2]

I don't care about people but like animals

[apple24]

I am not sure maybe you can why not?