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Mental Health/ #MusicMonday: on being a psychopath
Monday, December 9th, 2013 12:16 pm
So channel 4 did Psychopath Night, and put up a test on their website so you can see how many psychopathic traits you have. You can take the test here. The only reason I know about this is because I was chatting to someone last night who expressed surprise at getting 63% on it, and was mildly offended when I said I wasn't at all surprised.
I then had to elucidate further: I lived with a psychologist for ten years. I got tested a LOT. I know the signs and symptoms of a LOT of psychological problems. I know I have some interesting quirks. I also know I'm not a psychopath, although I bet I would score higher on an online test than the person I was talking to.
I took the test today. I got 85% on it. I was unsurprised, and not a little amused.
The problems with web-based agree/disagree tests are manifold and well known, but with this particular one, I think that my aspie traits combined with non-tradtional attitudes to a number of things, addiction to thrill-seeking, and my tendency to tick agree/disagree strongly rather than moderately would ring the alarm bells. But of course the defining trait of a psychopath is their inability to feel/express emotion. Anyone who has ever met me for more than ten seconds, or indeed read a few posts on this blog, knows that is NOT a trait of mine.
Psychopaths don't have panic attacks, don't self harm, don't wake up screaming in the night from post traumatic nightmares. I do. Plus, pychopaths are not necessarily bad people anyway. So I guess this blog post is meant as reassurance: if you take that test and score highly, don't fret.
ETA: Also:
I then had to elucidate further: I lived with a psychologist for ten years. I got tested a LOT. I know the signs and symptoms of a LOT of psychological problems. I know I have some interesting quirks. I also know I'm not a psychopath, although I bet I would score higher on an online test than the person I was talking to.
I took the test today. I got 85% on it. I was unsurprised, and not a little amused.
The problems with web-based agree/disagree tests are manifold and well known, but with this particular one, I think that my aspie traits combined with non-tradtional attitudes to a number of things, addiction to thrill-seeking, and my tendency to tick agree/disagree strongly rather than moderately would ring the alarm bells. But of course the defining trait of a psychopath is their inability to feel/express emotion. Anyone who has ever met me for more than ten seconds, or indeed read a few posts on this blog, knows that is NOT a trait of mine.
Psychopaths don't have panic attacks, don't self harm, don't wake up screaming in the night from post traumatic nightmares. I do. Plus, pychopaths are not necessarily bad people anyway. So I guess this blog post is meant as reassurance: if you take that test and score highly, don't fret.
ETA: Also:
