It is impossible for psychopathic individuals to take root in human society; they manifest their own negativity to the extent to which they are allowed, depending on the environment. These individuals often commit crimes, which often brings them into contact with forensic psychiatrists. Psychopaths skillfully pretend to be innocent, willingly using their illness.
Definition of the concept
Psychopathy in women is a mental disorder in which certain personality traits are expressed too sharply, while others are not expressed at all. That is, personality development occurs chaotically, with a bias in one direction. This leads to maladaptation, frequent conflicts, problems at work and in personal life. The specifics of a person’s thinking and behavior, as well as the area in which the features are most noticeable, differ depending on the type of psychopathy.
This is interesting! Psychopathy is diagnosed in 2% of the world's population.
Diagnosis of histrionic personality disorder
Diagnosis of a personality disorder occurs on the basis of pronounced disharmony in personal positions and behavior, which involves various aspects of life: disturbances in emotional response to events, control of impulses, patterns of behavior and interaction with others, which reflects the inherent lifestyle of a given individual and the nature of his attitude towards himself and others.
The basic factors in diagnosing histrionic personality disorder are that the manifestations meet the basic criteria of a personality disorder and the presence of at least four signs:
- dramatization of ongoing events and phenomena, theatrical behavior, excessive affectation,
- emotionality and superficial feelings are too labile;
- excessive need for recognition;
- suggestibility (a person is extremely inclined to imitate the behavior of authoritative people or succumbs to the pressure of circumstances);
- behavior or engagement in activities that allow you to be in the focus of attention;
- overly seductive, flirtatious and eroticized behavior and manner of dressing;
- - excessive preoccupation with one's own physical attractiveness.
Self-centeredness, self-indulgence, touchiness, and the use of manipulation to achieve one's goals may also be observed.
Signs of female psychopathy
You can often hear unflattering comments about women from men: “hysterical”, “bitch”. And the stereotype about vulnerability and weakness is firmly entrenched in the entire female gender. However, not all girls are “roarers”, “hysterics”, “actresses”, etc. Probably, those men who think this way have encountered psychopathic women.
Peculiarities
By what symptoms and signs in behavior can one recognize and identify a female psychopath? The main difference between female and male psychopathy is that girls apply psychological pressure, not physical pressure. They masterfully manipulate people, especially men. They take it by cunning. These are smart, calculating people about whom other people say: “On their own minds.”
Women with psychopathy are often good leaders, but not for their subordinates. Female psychopaths make cruel and authoritarian rulers. The fate of the entire company also depends on the woman’s personal goals. If it is beneficial for her to destroy production, she will do so. And appealing to her conscience or compassion will be useless.
10 signs of a female psychopath:
- increased emotionality;
- rudeness and coldness;
- reluctance to have children;
- a pronounced desire to build a career;
- need for passions;
- tendency to create scandals and hysterics;
- inability to compromise;
- propensity for risk and adventure;
- inability to love;
- rancor and a tendency to offend others.
Other signs of psychopathy in women:
- intolerance to rules and restrictions;
- demanding of others;
- the habit of criticizing everyone and everything;
- jealousy;
- suspicion;
- isolation;
- lack of close friends.
All psychopaths are united by their denial of social norms. But if for some women this takes on shades of feminism, the rejection of stereotypes of femininity (heels, makeup, lightness and coquetry), then for others it takes the form of promiscuity. These features of psychopathy in women are also noticeable in external signs: a complete lack of makeup and discreet clothing or, conversely, bright makeup and provocative outfits. Representatives of the latter type know how to attract a man's attention. However, they are promiscuous and are not capable of close, long-term relationships.
Signs of psychopathy in women in behavior, examples:
- makes a scandal over an unwashed cup, and the next day, regarding the same thing, he says with a smile: “Okay, I’ll wash it myself”;
- in a shopping center he disdainfully tells the mother of a crying child: “Woman, shut up your offspring”;
- sees that a man has liked someone on a social network and starts a scandal (mega level: creates a fake page, lures the man in, and then starts a scandal).
Important! If a psychopathic woman needs to pretend to be tender, caring, feminine, then she will do it. She can even give birth to a child, but she will not take care of it - she will give it to her mother or nanny. If a child remains with a psychopathic mother, then he will inevitably develop mental disorders.
A look from the inside
Hysterical psychopaths are very trusting, suggestible, and are easily drawn into deception. Often they do not have their own opinion, giving in to someone else’s. They easily get involved in adventures. Endowed with a rich imagination, it is difficult for them to separate reality from fantasy, so they are often accused of lying.
People with hysterical disorder do not like to work, especially where high professionalism, refined skills and perseverance and effort are required.
The woman, in her words, developed a tremor (trembling) throughout her body, her legs gave way, her tongue fell out, she mumbled and growled, and there was a short-term loss of consciousness while working in the garden. The reason, in her opinion, was fatigue and overwork.
Such individuals choose easy, uncomplicated work. They love to attend social events and talk about beauty. They prefer a hedonistic lifestyle, seeking to gain benefits and pleasure.
There is an opinion about hysterical psychopaths as immature, frivolous, “empty” individuals.
The thinking of a patient with histrionic disorder is called “wishful thinking,” known as wishful thinking. His mental activity is driven by his own desires. They take over the mind so much that they can distort thoughts so that they do not correspond to reality. In other words, everything that goes against what he wants is ignored. Everything he wants is correct, the rest is complete delusion, incorrect, insignificant.
People with hysterical disorder love to extol themselves and exaggerate their merits. They try to appear super-erudite and gifted, using a few simple pieces of knowledge. They boast about meeting famous people.
The Russian poetess Zinaida Gippius, the decadent Madonna as her contemporaries called her, suffered from this disorder. “I love myself like God,” says Zinaida Nikolaevna in one of her poems called “Dedicated.”
The poetess expressed her desire to amaze and conquer in everything. She put on such bright, expressive makeup that her face looked like a mask. It looked very unnatural and atypical for the late 19th century. Gippius' movements were affected by mannerism and absurdity. She was ready to go to any lengths to attract attention and admiring glances.
Having been married for 10 years, Zinaida Nikolaevna remained a virgin, which she flaunted at every opportunity. She considered herself bisexual: “in my spirit I am more of a man, in my body I am more of a woman.” Some contemporaries considered her a hermaphrodite.
Hysterical individuals with pathological fantasies are dangerous to society. They make excellent swindlers, healers, and fortune tellers. At a young age, they are so immersed in their fantasies that they invent non-existent situations: how they developed secret weapons, carried out complex operations, are able to confess to a murder they did not commit.
Causes
Psychopathy can be congenital or acquired in early childhood. In the second case, their development is determined by the costs of family upbringing: authoritarianism, overprotection, permissiveness, connivance and neglect.
Other negative factors in the development of psychopathy in a girl:
- family dysfunction (alcoholism, tyranny, asociality, poverty);
- injuries and infections suffered during fetal development or in the first years of life;
- congenital abnormalities in brain function.
Symptoms
Symptoms of psychopathy in women:
- lack of empathy;
- tendency to conflict;
- the desire to shift responsibility for one’s actions;
- passion for pleasure and zealous desire to satisfy one's needs;
- inability to build constructive relationships;
- undeveloped instinct of self-preservation;
- denial of social norms and rules;
- aggression and outbursts of rage.
The destructive influence of a woman is not as noticeable as the influence of a psychopathic man. This is what makes it more dangerous. For many years, none of your loved ones or colleagues may even realize that they are dealing with a psychopath. Most female psychopaths, due to the natural plasticity of the brain, adapt well to society.
Hidden psychopaths
This is what happens outside the prison. It has been proven that one in a hundred people fits the description of the behavior of a psychopath. And it’s not a fact that this person is not a woman. Unlike men, who are much more likely to show aggression and demonstrate psychopathic tendencies, representatives of the fairer sex often behave rather reservedly. They can hold any position, be your neighbors or relatives, dress normally and behave calmly. But at the same time, they remain no less dangerous to others than men or other mentally ill people.
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Types of psychopathy in women
The following types of psychopathy occur among women:
- Hysterical. Such a woman turns life into a game and constantly attracts attention to her person. It doesn’t matter to her in what light and by what principle she will be remembered, the main thing is that they talk about her. A hysterical woman, like no one else, needs emotions, admiration, and constant nourishment from other people. If this is not the case, then she becomes furious.
- Paranoid. An arrogant and stubborn woman who does not recognize other people's opinions. In order to achieve her goals, she is ready to go over her head. Has a keen sense of justice. A paranoid woman does not trust people and often finds herself at the center of scandals. Characterized by jealousy, rancor, suspiciousness, and vindictiveness. I'm sure there are many enemies around her.
- Schizoid. The most reserved type. Nobody knows what's going on in her head. Unsociable, loves solitude and fantasy. She is prone to despotism, but she zealously defends her personal boundaries. If someone tries to invade her world, a schizoid woman reacts to this very painfully.
- Excitable. Such a woman is prone to outbursts of aggression. Moreover, it is impossible to make a list of common irritating factors and predict her reactions and behavior. She gets excited for any reason, and if there are no real reasons, then she invents them. The outbursts quickly pass, the woman smiles, becomes affectionate and behaves as if nothing had happened. He's not going to apologize. He loves to argue for the sake of arguing; he defends his opinion by hook or by crook.
- Asthenic. The most vulnerable, weak type. He cannot do anything without the help of strangers, pretends to be a victim, blames others for his troubles, does not know how to make decisions, and constantly asks for advice. This is an anxious type who does not take criticism well and is prone to passive aggression. Everyone around her suffers from chronic feelings of guilt and anxiety. Anyone who tries to help an asthenic woman always turns out to be wrong and guilty. And she will stubbornly remind you of this.
- Affective. This type has two opposing subtypes: hypothymic and hyperthymic psychopathy. In the first case, a person is distinguished by isolation, silence, and a pessimistic vision of the world. A hypothymic woman constantly complains and infects others with her pessimism. A hyperthymic woman, on the contrary, is distinguished by nauseating, irrational optimism, excessive sociability, intrusiveness, hyperactivity and self-confidence. He often takes on things that he cannot handle, deceives, and does not keep promises.
- Unstable. Such a woman has no opinion and is characterized by weak willpower. It is easy to convince her, lead her away, change her. She is always under someone's influence. Most often, we are talking about addictions, fraud, antisocial and illegal acts, etc. Likes to spend money and live to the fullest, but does not like to study, work, or make plans. Lives one day at a time. A woman with unstable psychopathy is like a poorly raised child.
Important! All types have a common feature - they spare no one on the path to personal happiness. If necessary, they will destroy and break even a loved one.
Mania
The following clinical signs are characteristic:
- excited state;
- constant, often completely inappropriate emotional upsurge;
- motor excitement;
- talkativeness;
- irritability and anger;
- sleep disturbances, and the patient does not experience fatigue even after a short rest;
- increased appetite;
- increased sexuality, promiscuity in sexual relations.
But against the background of a general physical and emotional upsurge, they pay attention to absent-mindedness and impatience. Patients are full of plans, but extremely rarely implement them to the end, being distracted by something else. Delicacy and tactfulness are lost in communication.
Due to inadequately high self-esteem, patients are very jealous of the results of their activities, cannot tolerate criticism at all, and react very aggressively to any comments.
Rules of conduct with a female psychopath
Psychopathy is not a character trait, but a serious problem. It is better not to have any relationship with such girls. However, some men choose them for affairs because psychopathic women behave provocatively and offer passionate relationships.
How should men behave with such women so as not to die? You must adhere to the following rules:
- Do not go into details of your personal life. You can safely invent stories about yourself, the main thing is not to talk about your most precious and secret things, and not to introduce them to your loved ones.
- Not only psychologically, but also legally protect yourself. This rule is especially true for wealthy men. Female psychopaths are often on the lookout for someone they can rip off.
- Never argue, never try to appeal to conscience or rationalism. Psychopaths are okay with the latter, but only personal interests are important to them.
Important! Due to the abnormal functioning of the frontal lobes of the brain, a psychopathic woman cannot control her behavior or become more humane through an effort of will. Therefore, you should not expect much from this relationship, play the rescuer or hope that everything will work out on its own.
Is it possible to get rid of this problem
Only a professional can treat a personality disorder; no self-medication is even suggested. It’s bad if a girl doesn’t recognize her condition and considers those around her, who are trying to help, to be her worst enemies.
Attention! Psychopathy is studied and treated by psychotherapists and psychiatrists. Sometimes, when the acquisition of a mental disorder is a consequence of a traumatic brain injury, the help of surgeons and neurologists is required.
Therapy is based on group or individual sessions to promote deep understanding of the diagnosis and self-acceptance in order to facilitate the healing process. In cases where a visit to a psychiatrist does not bring the desired result, or the case is particularly severe, medicinal effects on the body are used, using prescription drugs belonging to the group of antidepressants or psychotropic drugs.
Psychopathy is, first of all, a disease that the patient himself is not able to overcome. Often treatment does not bring any results. Although the percentage of such people is small, there is still a risk of encountering them in life. Don't feel obligated to help. In this situation, it is more rational to save yourself and your environment.
Diagnosis and treatment
Only a psychotherapist can cure psychopathy. Self-medication is not appropriate here. Moreover, no one and nothing will help a psychopathic woman if she herself does not want it. To heal the client, psychologists use sessions of individual and group psychotherapy and hypnosis. As an auxiliary treatment, medications (antidepressants, tranquilizers, antipsychotics) are prescribed for a short period.
Sad statistics
We didn't talk much about female psychopaths. The exceptions are: Kathy Bates in Misery, Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction and Amy Dean in Gone Girl. In the literature, images of ladies of similar behavior are also rarely considered. However, according to research, more than 17% of women in prison meet the criteria for psychopathy (in contrast, men in this category are 30%). Agree that this is a fairly large number, equal to almost a fifth of all women imprisoned.
