re: Is someone only born a psychopath or can the traits develop over time?

Asking for a friend?

Sometimes, I have a hard time having empathy, but it's typically because it doesn't involve me, and I guess I rationalize it as "If it doesn't directly concern me, why should I be sad about it".

Are you thinking sociopath?

Tend to believe it is learned.

Could there be some genetic predisposition? Anything is possible.

My experience with them, there appears to be an absence of a sense of soul, for lack of better description. They don't or won't or can't process human interaction as most of us are able.

They are beyond rehabilitation as there is nothing to anchor change upon.

They know what they do but do not see its effects through the same lens most of us do...don't even see their actions, much less effects, the way we do.

Another challenge in efforts to treat is most therapists have an inability to understand the whys because it is so aberrant

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My experience with them, there appears to be an absence of a sense of soul, for lack of better description. They don't or won't or can't process human interaction as most of us are able. They are beyond rehabilitation as there is nothing to anchor change upon. They know what they do but do not see its effects through the same lens most of us do...don't even see their actions, much less effects, the way we do.

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Pretty spot-on. I seriously doubt those behaviors are genetic. I believe it is a product of the environment.

Take my ex and her sister. From age 4, they went through abuse that no one could even thing of. Their mom's boyfriends had their way with them...they beat them...burned them with cigarettes...mental and sexual abuse (some of which was so twisted that it even defies logic)... I never found out about that history until after divorce was mentioned, but it was far too late.

Even though they went through the same abuses, they turned out much different. The sister is classic sociopath/narcissist. Only her way matters with no regard to feelings of others. Heck, on multiple occasions she told my then wife that she was nothing to her. Funny behavior for someone who supposedly loves someone so much... We got into a disagreement over football stuff one time (shes a sidewalk UF fan) and she absolutely blew up at me for no reason. Any little disagreement, however small, results in yelling. She is a bitter, bitter woman - one who ran off her husband.

My ex, on the other hand, is almost the opposite in many ways. However, she exhibits many true sociopathic tendencies. Everything is about her..."me, me, me" is all I heard during the year or so it took between the mention of troubles to the divorce. All about her "feelings" and nothing about the family or kids. Also, she is so very easily led. Note that her sister went through a divorce roughly 6 months before mine even mentioned it...a favorite line of mine during her sister's trouble was that "I don't care how bad things get, we'll never get divorced." After nightly talks with the sister, my wife also wanted one... Hell, even after being found out and outed over her affair she was not-apologetic or even showed remorse for destroying two families.

People too often use things as a crutch...

Who here hasn't blown up a hill of ants with fire crackers? Lol

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I used to be schizophrenic but we're OK now.

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I used to be dyslexic but I'm KO now