Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) Antisocial personality disorder is a rare but extremely serious mental illness. It is a chronic, long-term mental condition in which a person's way of thinking and observing situations/relating to others is dysfunctional and destructive. People with this disease do not know right from wrong and have no sense of remorse or any sign of guilt. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThe first version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders otherwise known as the DSM in 1952 listed sociopathic personality disorders. Individuals to be placed in this category were said to be "...ill primarily in terms of society and conformity with the prevailing social environment, and not only in terms of personal distress and relationships with other individuals." In 1968 Antisocial Personality was listed as one of the ten personality disorders and in 1980 the DSM included the full term antisocial personality disorder and, as with other disorders, there now existed a comprehensive list of symptoms focused on observable behaviors to improve consistency in diagnosis between different psychiatrists contributes to the development of this personality disorder. When there is a lack of supervision from parents or adult role models, the possibility of having antisocial personality disorder increases. People with ASPD have a relatively flat stress response and become less anxious than the average person, have difficulty maintaining daytime arousal, and also have a weak "startle reflex." This relative insensitivity may affect their ability to distinguish reward from punishment. Some symptoms of ASPD are deception such as lying or deceiving others for personal profit or pleasure, self-mutilation, irritability or aggression, poor or abusive relationships, inability to learn from others. negative consequences of the behavior and/or consistent irresponsibility or inability to maintain consistent work behavior. There are no specific medications for ASPD. Although some doctors prescribe psychiatric medications such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, or mood-stabilizing medications, psychotherapy is sometimes known to be used for ASPD. Psychotherapy is not always effective, especially if the symptoms are severe and if the person cannot admit that they are contributing to the problems. Severe cases of ASPD are rarely given parole, but believed to be through the use of drugs or attendance at psychotherapy courses can worsen diagnoses and drug abuse. Common sociopaths make up the majority of sociopathic personality disorders. They rarely use their conscience when making decisions that can affect other people. Many take pride in their anti-authoritarian nature. Typically, these people are satisfied with their lives and avoid any responsibility for their actions. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay About 3-5% of men and about 1% of women suffer from antisocial personality disorder, with much higher rates among the prison population. Some examples of people with ASPD are Jeffrey Dahmer (The Milwaukee Cannibal), Ted Bundy (The Killer), John Wayne Gacy (The Killer Clown), and Harold Shipman (Doctor Death).