Female sociopaths and narcissists are dangerous precisely because their manipulation often flies under the radar. Although there is an ongoing debate about the definition of “sociopath” versus “narcissist,” it’s safe to say that both types exhibit the following: ⁠—A callous lack of empathy. ⁠— A tendency to manipulate and con others for their own gain. ⁠— A sense of egocentrism and excessive entitlement along with blatant disregard for the rights, needs, and feelings of others. Sociopaths and narcissists on the high end of the spectrum take it one step further. Those who meet the criteria for the Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism) often lack remorse for their destructive actions.…

Have you ever wondered why a toxic ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend reached out to you after a break-up to try and remain friends? Why someone who clearly did not value you during your relationship together seemed to show renewed interest only after things ended? While there can be many reasons why an ex-partner reaches out, those who have been involved with emotionally abusive narcissists can feel validated in knowing that their ex-partner’s reasons are less motivated by love and far more motivated by darker and more selfish reasons. A recent research study conducted by Mogilski and Welling (2017) showed that those who had darker personality traits such as narcissism, psychopathy and…

Trolls and cyberbullies have always been assumed in our society to have low self-esteem – after all, what kind of a person would go out of their way to demean and bully other people than someone who struggles with their own self-worth? Unfortunately, there are darker forces at work which appear to be driving these online predators – and their horrific online behavior has far more to do with sadism and psychopathy than low self-esteem. Research has shown that those who enjoy trolling also happen to have high levels of narcissism, sadism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism, known as the “Dark Tetrad of personality” (Buckels, Trapnell & Paulhus, 2014). This means that…

“The only truly effective method for dealing with a sociopath you have identified is to disallow him or her from your life altogether. Sociopaths live completely outside of the social contract, and therefore to include them in relationships or other social arrangements is perilous.” – Dr. Martha Stout, The Sociopath Next Door When many of us think of malignant narcissists, sociopaths and psychopaths, the image of the egotistical megalomaniac is called to mind: overly proud, boastful, arrogant, vain, self-centered, even violent, depending on how psychopathic we think they might be. Yet many of the most conniving and dangerous manipulators are not overt in their tactics – and their violence does…

The recent tragic shootings at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California and a local yoga studio in Tallahassee, Florida beg the question: what type of person would commit such a horrific crime? In an attempt to make sense of the unfathomable horror, some have pointed to mental illness, while others believe it is a combination of social and cultural factors at work. Yet throughout the years, some psychologists have been pointing to a different reason altogether for mass shootings: malignant narcissism. In her article for Psychology Today, psychiatrist Jean Kim (2015) notes that while some mass shooters may have suffered from psychosis, others may have “more of an issue with…