All About Antisocial Personality Disorder and How to Overcome it with Psychological Therapy & Counselling

What is Antisocial Personality Disorder?

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) is a mental disorder (often called a personality disorder) characterised by a pattern of disregard for the rights of other people as well as difficulties maintaining or sustaining long-term relationships.

Along with a history of rule-breaking which may involve frequently breaking the law, a lack of empathy for other people’s feelings is also common which can often be seen in impulsive or aggressive behaviours.

It has been suggested that antisocial personality disorder often appears before the age of 8 and 80% of those diagnosed will have shown the symptoms of ASPD by the time they reach 11 years of age.

Antisocial personality disorder remains a controversial diagnosis because much of what are classified as symptoms appear to be based on social norms and opinions of what acceptable social behaviour ought to look like.

For example, both Muhammad Ali and Dr. Martin Luther King would have been diagnosed as mentally ill during the 1960’s (they both behaved in ways that those policing social behaviours would have deemed antisocial) which many people today might find a rather odd idea.

Antisocial Personality Disorder Symptoms

In order to meet the diagnostic criteria set out in the DSM manual, those with antisocial personality disorder must demonstrate at least three of the following behaviours:

• Failure to conform to social norms or laws.
• Deceitfulness and lying.
• Using aliases.
• Conning people for personal gain and pleasure.
• Impulsive behaviours.
• Irritability and aggressiveness.
• Reckless behaviors that disregard the safety of others.
• A Lack of remorse after hurting or mistreating somebody.

As with all mental health disorders, many of the symptoms associated with antisocial personality disorders can be seen across the entire population and do not indicate mental illness.

It is the frequency and severity of these symptoms that defines the difference between normality and pathology.

A certain degree of social conformance is, of course, necessary in order to maintain a social structure in which people can live their lives without fear but what is and what is not socially acceptable can be highly subjective.

Diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder

Technically, only a psychiatrist can diagnose an Antisocial Personality Disorder, but in the UK general practitioners have tended to diagnose mental health problems by using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

The DSM lists specific symptoms against a range of disorders and whenever a person meets this criteria, they are said to be suffering from that disorder.

Diagnostic procedures do NOT make use of medical testing (for example blood tests) in order to produce a diagnosis, but rather is an opinion based on the observation of certain behaviours in the person who is suffering.

Because of this lack of verifiable medical testing, diagnosis remains a controversial subject, particularly within the psychological community.

However, in the UK access to support services is often contingent on receiving a diagnosis, so in this sense, a formal diagnosis may be useful.

Counselling for Antisocial Personality Disorder

We offer a number of different types of therapy and counselling for Antisocial Personality Disorder and related problems.

Choosing the most suitable therapy depends on a number of different considerations including factors such as:

• How long you have had the problem.
• Your personal preferences.
• How your problem is affecting you today.

You can read more about the different types of therapy for Antisocial Personality Disorder on the following links:

• CBT for Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Counselling for Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Pluralistic Therapy for Antisocial Personality Disorder

Although all therapies use slightly different approaches, the one thing they all have in common is the relationship that is formed between the client and therapist.

Research suggests that this therapy relationship may be the most important factor in achieving a good therapy outcome.

Behaviour Change Framework – BCF

All of our counselling sessions and programmes are enhanced by applying the Behaviour Change Framework (BCF).

This scientifically proven protocol clearly defines the incremental stages of behaviour change that you need to go through in order to achieve long lasting and sustainable change.

Drawn from the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change (TTM), the framework provides a roadmap that not only gauges the current stage of progression through the change process, but also indicates if more change is required before entering the next phase of therapy or coaching.

In this way, we are able to ensure that you get the best possible level of support in overcoming your problems as well as ensuring that we don’t terminate the change process prematurely.

You can read more about the Science of Change here.

Arrange your FREE initial consultation here.

If you’d like to find out more about anti social personality disorder or recovering from any of your mental health problems then why not arrange a free initial consultation with us.

During this consultation we will discuss your particular issues and the different types of mental health counselling we offer (including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – CBT) without you having to commit to any counselling going forward.

The consultation lasts around 50 minutes and is a great opportunity to meet with either Paul or Joan and decide if you would like to proceed with any support.