What Are the Treatments for Sociopaths?

According to Wisegeek.com, there is no cure for sociopathy. However, a combination of medications, therapies and physical treatments may help alleviate the symptoms that a sociopath may exhibit. Treatment is vital, as sociopaths can sometimes pose a danger to themselves as well as society.

The Facts

• The terms "sociopath" and "anti-social personality disorder" are often interchangeable. The disorder is characterized by a general lack of concern for rules and the rights of other human beings. Such individuals are not usually diagnosed until the age of 18, although, according to ACCG.net, symptoms can usually be detected by 15 years of age.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of anti-social personality disorder vary between individuals. Common symptoms exhibited by sociopaths include: a nonchalant attitude regarding the rules of society and individuals' rights; repeated crimes; child and spousal abuse; violence; excessive irritability; and the lack of ability to hold down a job. However, not every sociopath exhibits violent behavior. Also, many sociopaths have other illnesses, such as depression, alcoholism, drug addiction and schizophrenia, which can make the disorder difficult to treat.

Medicinal Treatments

• Medicines may be prescribed for sociopaths, but they work by relieving other underlying problems, such as depression, and do not directly cure the disorder. For this reason, the usage of drugs to treat anti-social personality disorder remains controversial, as they do not provide a long-term solution. Often times, sociopaths who undergo therapy are given anti-psychotic medications, called neuroleptics, to control aggressive behaviors.

Therapeutic Treatments

• There are three types of therapeutic treatments used in the treatment of anti-social personality disorder: psychotherapy, behavioral therapy and cognitive therapy. In some cases, therapy types are combined. Psychotherapy works in an effort to reconstruct the individual's personality. Behavioral therapy is administered in the theory that the sociopath's behavior is a result of environmental factors that first started during childhood. These environmental factors are identified during behavioral therapy sessions, as well as ways to cope with them. Cognitive therapy works by changing the way a patient thinks about external factors, such as the law.

Physical Treatments

• Physical treatments are the method of sociopath treatment which is used least. Such physical treatments include neurosurgery and shock therapy, also known as electro-conclusive therapy. Shock therapy is an extreme measure that is used primarily to help treat depression associated with anti-social personality disorder. Neurosurgery is primarily used to treat brain trauma victims who develop anti-social personality disorder.