Working for a Psychopath
A psychopath, sometimes called a sociopath, may not be a violent killer. Most psychopaths in society get on with life and do quite well, but they do a lot of damage to people around them en route. They often appear to have no conscience.
Interestingly and perhaps surprisingly to most of us, there are psychopaths in practically every occupation, but they have learned to contain their irrational, destructive impulses to some degree and work with the brain they have to stay on the right side of society and of the law.
Occasionally they get promoted, to such a degree, through ruthless hedonism that no-one can control their impulsive, irrational and destructive tendencies. This is when they are at their absolute best and at the same time MOST damaging.
The estimate is that this kind of brain occurs in around 1 in 150 people. Simply speaking the brain of a psychopath lacks the humanity centre that the rest of us have. This is the human part of our head as described by Professor Steve Peters. [read more here].
The Humanity Centre contains the areas that evoke such feelings as guilt, empathy and conscience. Psychopaths are typically just cold and calculating individuals that use others to their advantage.
There is a lot of evidence that this part of the brain is either absent or asleep. These people are typically destructive towards others and therefore learning to deal with them is essential and means we can walk away from encounters without being too badly hurt or damaged.
If you find yourself working for a psychopath or involved with someone who you suspect of as being a psychopath, always get advice – ask for other people’s opinions and find out about their past and past instances of such destructive behaviour. If you find yourself on the receiving end of their irrational and impulsive, destructive actions. Do not blame yourself, cut your losses if you can, share your experiences. You are not alone in having been deceived or mistreated. Don’t expect the psychopath to change, their brain is unfortunately hard-wired.
But remember…
…there is always…