Can forcing a kid to torture animals cause sociopathy?

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I am just curious about this. This is one, among many, memories that have been drudged up recently for a variety of reasons. Being forced to torture cats and do sexual things with them at age 5-7. Though forced to, not choosing to.

I wonder if it explains some of my mild sociopathy. If so, what's the best way to get over it?

what makes you think you are a sociopath? my aspie nephew used to think he was sociopathic, too. he never abused drugs, enjoyed hurting animals, or took advantage of people. I convinced him that he doesn't have that problem.

no one knows how someone becomes a sociopath. some say it's inconsistent parenting. there's evidence that part of it is inborn.

people who grow up with an abusive parent have a tendency to be abusers or partner with someone who abuses them. you might want to read something on co-dependency.

From Natural News: 10 signs for spotting a sociopath

#1) Sociopaths are charming. Sociopaths have high charisma and tend to attract a following just because people want to be around them. They have a "glow" about them that attracts people who typically seek guidance or direction. They often appear to be sexy or have a strong sexual attraction. Not all sexy people are sociopaths, obviously, but watch out for over-the-top sexual appetites and weird fetishes.

#2) Sociopaths are more spontaneous and intense than other people. They tend to do bizarre, sometimes erratic things that most regular people wouldn't do. They are unbound by normal social contracts. Their behavior often seems irrational or extremely risky.

#3) Sociopaths are incapable of feeling shame, guilt or remorse. Their brains simply lack the circuitry to process such emotions. This allows them to betray people, threaten people or harm people without giving it a second thought. They pursue any action that serves their own self interest even if it seriously harms others. This is why you will find many very "successful" sociopaths in high levels of government, in any nation.

#4) Sociopaths invent outrageous lies about their experiences. They wildly exaggerate things to the point of absurdity, but when they describe it to you in a storytelling format, for some reason it sounds believable at the time.

#5) Sociopaths seek to dominate others and "win" at all costs. They hate to lose any argument or fight and will viciously defend their web of lies, even to the point of logical absurdity.

#6) Sociopaths tend to be highly intelligent, but they use their brainpower to deceive others rather than empower them. Their high IQs often makes them dangerous. This is why many of the best-known serial killers who successfully evaded law enforcement were sociopaths.

#7) Sociopaths are incapable of love and are entirely self-serving. They may feign love or compassion in order to get what they want, but they don't actually FEEL love in the way that you or I do.

#8) Sociopaths speak poetically. They are master wordsmiths, able to deliver a running "stream of consciousness" monologue that is both intriguing and hypnotic. They are expert storytellers and even poets. As a great example of this in action, watch this interview of Charles Manson on YouTube.

#9) Sociopaths never apologize. They are never wrong. They never feel guilt. They can never apologize. Even if shown proof that they were wrong, they will refuse to apologize and instead go on the attack.

#10) Sociopaths are delusional and literally believe that what they say becomes truth merely because they say it! Charles Manson, the sociopathic murderer is famous for saying, "I've never killed anyone! I don't need to kill anyone! I THINK it! I have it HERE! (Pointing to his temple.) I don't need to live in this physical realm..."
Watch Charles Manson saying this at the 3:05 mark of this YouTube video.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIfGj_55FHI[/youtube]

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036112_socio ... z2U4mPs0oa

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036112_socio ... z2U4mPs0oa

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036112_socio ... z2U4lF12WG

http://www.naturalnews.com/036112_socio ... uence.html

sociopaths are not generally delusional.

Re: delusions - interesting. I've googled and found two different schools of thought in regards to it. To wit:

1. In 1941 Hervey Cleckley described 16 sociopath symptoms in his book 'The Mask of Sanity". He had been studying male adult psychopaths who were hospitalized in a closed institution. There is no evidence of mental illness or delusions. He seems to be able to reason logically, understands past mistakes, and takes them into account when organizing his future. He also appears to respond with normal emotions and is convincing about his beliefs.

http://www.decision-making-confidence.c ... ptoms.html

2. Grandiose self image – They might see themselves as someone who is superior to others and sometimes even experiences delusions. A sociopath might see themselves as a fitting ruler of a country or even the world, but might also have delusional beliefs such as seeing themselves as a God or having super powers. (From Health Guidance).

http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/158 ... opath.html

In short, yes.

Once one loses respect for other living creatures and no longer cares about the pain they inflict on others, they're well on their way to becoming a full-on sociopath and ruining the lives of whoever crosses their path or has what they want to take.

Not caring about the suffering they are directly responsible for is the key element.


If you can recognize it in yourself as a bad thing, you still have hope of correcting it. Over 95% of full sociopaths don't see their actions or themselves as wrong or bad in any way - and certainly see no reason to change.

no one knows how people become sociopaths. once one is a sociopath, it is next to impossible to change. it's a personality disorder. those are life-long.

http://autos.aol.com/article/woman-twee ... d%3D317330 this woman is probably a not-so-smart sociopath. the dumb ones are in jail. the smart ones run wall street.

Drudged up how?

Make sure they're not confabulated memories. It is quite easy to be convinced that some false memories are real.

Oh, I remembered, just wasn't at the forefront. This one was always there. Others have come to the surface for a variety of reasons. Still others are likely repressed. Lots of things also popped up on projective tests, confirming early memories that I wasn't quite sure were real. Since I have not been in any kind of therapy or hypnosis, I don't see how they would be implanted. And I know others who observed things at the time.

Child abuse and traumatic experiences, harsh parenting,..etc. all can have detrimental effects on your mental health. Harsh parenting (e.g. inconsistent parenting with corporal punishment) has been linked to later development of ASPD or ASB (Antisocial behavior) or even PAPD. Although it's not necessarily so, it's possible.
And as someone else already stated if you recognize you have such tendencies or behavior (that is abnormal), that's already something to build on. As always, psychotherapy is what is recommended for PDs (also ASPD).

OMG This is horrible. I'm so sorry you experienced this.




Not necessarily. You have to be prone to sociopathy first. If you are, then this would make it worse. I think sociopathy is linked to brain chemistry not personal experience. Not all people who have been abused are sociopaths. But those who are are surely made worse by abusive experience.


Not sure. I've suffered abuse and I'm still not over it. I think it changes who you are as a person. I just try to make the best of what I'm left with.

I think it would yes.

To get over it you would need to visit a psychologist. No one here has the qualifications to give you proper advice on something that sensitive.

All that we do and what happens to us effects us, but especially at that age, which is in essence a period when foundational aspects of our psyche are being formed.

For comparison I was exposed to many dangers and different forms of violence at that same age and its effects were deep and persist to this day. But I will echo Ann2011, and say what happened to me was mild in comparison, and I am very sorry to hear you were subjected to that.

But I don't know enough about the psychology to say if there is a prevelent path that sort of exposure often leads to. In my case the exposure to violence did not make me more violent. My own tendencies are strongly the opposite. In your case I could imagine multiple possibilities. I think a lot has to do with what you make of it, what you come away with inside. If it is troubling to you I would say Dantac's advice to see a professional about it is the way to go. It certainly has happened before and perhaps they can shed some light on it.

I would mention as an aside, that it is not uncommon for small boys, that age and a bit older, of all types (NT, etc), to go thru a period of mild to moderate abuse of insects and sometimes small animals. I think many of these go on to regret it and reject it, and so it does not necessarily lead to abusive maturity.

You still can choose not to be or at least not to act like one, not to hurt.

BTW I personally believe that even when your brain chemistry is wrong, you still have free will and can choose not to hurt. Because otherwise wouldn´t make them responsible for their crimes. We are humans so we have free will.

i presume you mean "dredged"

i would suspect that if a child who is 7 years old tried to torture a cat, they would be sliced to shreds.

i can not imagine how a 7 year old could possibly engage in a sexual act with a cat. there would be no level of sexual excitement in the 7 year old about the cat, and vice versa, so again i imagine that any attempt at "having one's way with a disinterested cat" would result in many and deep lacerations.
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sociopaths do not agonize about their identities. sociopaths are not very reflective. they feel complete, and they never question the framework of their minds.