Asperger's and Sociopathy

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I was trying to understand if autistic masking and the masking of a sociopathy are ever confused. I wasn't able to find much on that topic but I found an interesting idea. Someone claimed that sociopaths sometimes try to explain their behavior by claiming to be an aspie. Another person claimed that sociopaths are still sometimes misdiagnosed with Asperger's. Anyone have any thoughts on these situations.

I know that before the autistic spectrum was accepted, it was not unusual for aspies to be misdiagnosed as a sociopath. As for a sociopath claiming to be an aspie, that seems like a risky tactic, for if the person be told this looks into it they may find out they are dealing with a sociopath.

Sociopathy isn't a diagnostic label, it's a pop-sci understanding of antisocial personality disorder.

ASPD is most commonly diagnosed adults who as children demonstrated conduct disorder. Conduct disorder has high comorbidities of ADHD and learning disabilities. With this in mind it's most likely that people predisposed to antisocial personality disorder are part of the ND spectrum and that the difficulty separating some of them from some autistics is due to shared traits between those conditions.

Beyond that, conduct disorder and ASD can be diagnosed as comorbid.

With that in mind I'm not even sure if it would be confusing them if one brackets autistic masking and sociopathic masking, since in both cases they're intentionally concealing traits and behaviours one understands to be undesirable and replacing them with a more acceptable fake persona.

So basically, instead of assuming someone who you feel is a sociopath is lying about being autistic it's at least worth considering that they might actually be. It's not as though the people we don't wish to be lumped in with cease to meet the diagnostic criteria simply because it's unflattering to be classified next to them.

^ funeralxempire, OP heard second hand of sociopaths claiming to be autistic, comes here asking if its true, and you go on a rant because OP is [supposedly] pointing a finger? Even if you had OPs source in mind for your rant and not OP, I still find it out of place and odd.

Pop-sci time, I guess. OP - With the twaddle of Frith and Baron-Cohen being passed off as Science, namely making lack of empathy the defining condition of autism, how could this not still be happening?

Also it keeps genuine autistics from a diagnosis.

I thought I was a sociopath as a young teen before I found out about autism.

I believe on the outside sometimes autism can be mistaken for sociopathy, but the two aren't the same. I also believe that most people (NT or ND) can have a little bit of sociopathy or narcissism but not actually be sociopaths or narcissists at all. Just some traits listed appear to be human traits, but I suppose with sociopathy or narcissism it depends on the degree of the traits and how you use them.

But sociopaths often tend to be socially skilled, which most autistics tend to lack.

I used to know a woman who I believe might have been a sociopath. She was extremely chatty and knew how to draw people to her, but she wasn't actually a nice person. She was just nosy and didn't care about anyone other than herself, but she pretended to be all caring and friendly just to get people (usually elderly people) to think of her as a friend and tell her all their business, then she'd go away and gloat or make fun of them to others. A very two-faced b***h. She also lied, like told lots of lies about her home and love life. She boasted to me about how her home was huge and had the most expensive, upclass furniture and floors. But I heard from others who knew her more than me that she lived in a small apartment above a bike store.
And if you found her out like I did, she suddenly dislikes you. I just feel sorry for all those little old dears that think she's a wonderful person they can trust. Nope, she is instead a heartless b***h.

I think you'd also want to focus on specific traits rather than talking about the entire label.

Traits that often get mentioned are poor emotional regulation, inability to delay gratification, being prone to impulsive behaviour, being prone to collecting grievances, etc.

People who only feel guilt over intentional malicious harm they cause as opposed to harm they inflict due to negligence or other causes often worry me about their potential, although that trait in isolation doesn't mean that person is prone to acting maliciously. That trait combined with a sense of entitlement to seek revenge might be a big red flag though.

Personally, if I was trying to stereotype someone who might have both autism and ASPD I wouldn't be looking for charming Patrick Bates types, I'd be looking for seething, socially defeated grievance collectors who constantly blame their rejection on others and feel entitled to take vengeance against the people they blame... and I think we've seen that personality profile play out violently before.

There is a big difference between an Aspie and a sociopath or psychopath.

So let us start with a definition"

The term sociopath refers to someone living with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) — as does the term psychopath.

The most recent edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5), which mental health professionals use to diagnose mental health conditions, defines ASPD as a consistent disregard for rules and social norms and repeated violation of other people’s rights.

People with the condition might seem charming and charismatic at first, at least on the surface, but they generally find it difficult to understand other people’s feelings. They often:
-- break rules or laws
-- behave aggressively or impulsively
-- feel little guilt for harm they cause others
-- use manipulation, deceit, and controlling behavior

Since when did anyone ever call me charming and charismatic?
I am 73 years old, and never in my lifetime did anyone say that about me.

It just seems illogical for anyone to compare these two groups.

These are very different than the traits of an Aspie.

Sociopaths are charming scoundrels who are so socially adept that they get the world to do their bidding for them through manipulation.

Autistics are off putting uncharismatic unmanipulative innocent slobs who cant keep the world from sh*****g on them.

Anyone who confuses the two opposite groups is an idiot.

End of discussion.

Even for people who have sociopathic traits - it depends on how a detachment from humanity is used, whether it is judged as a good or a bad thing.

Sociopathy can be used to be extremely kind, to combat evil, as well as being evil to combat kindness.

i might be a sociopath because i cannot get or understand other people at all and i can get into violent tempers,if i insult someone during a meltdown i dont feel guilty if they were the trigger,but sometimes i forget what i done in a meltdown

anyway i have no connection to other people except my husband and my son but that be because i love them i sometimes still find it hard to be on their page but my son knows me as his mum so hes used to me as i am.my husband loves me for what i am but i think me being so cute and attractive helps( not saying hes only with me for my looks but i think it helps)

i have no empathy either-- (not saying its autism trait as loads of people with autism do have empathy but i literally lack empathy and compassion and sympathy i just cant feel it and if i do feel it i dont understand what the emotion is or i cant express it

It may be true that some sociopaths claim to have Aspergers.
I can think of a couple of famous people who've claimed to be on the spectrum yet who seem very much like sociopaths to me. Maybe they think it gives them an excuse to behave badly towards others. "I can't help being a scumbag, I'm an aspie..."
It makes me sick.