Understanding and Treating Antisocial Personality Disorder

The very essence of antisocial personality disorder precludes many sufferers from seeking help for their condition. However, once help is sought, several treatments are available to better manage sociopathic behavior.

Medication

• While no medication exists specifically for treatment of sociopathic symptoms, drugs such as lithium carbonate and phenytoin have been used to control the aggression that can accompany the disorder.

Psychotherapy

• Psychotherapy works best if focused on the consequences of your negative behavior. You might not understand that stealing is wrong but won't do it because you don't want to go to jail, for example.

Education

• A qualified therapist can educate you (and the important people in your life, so you can all understand the nature of sociopathic behavior) and enable you to be active in and understand your treatment.

Anger Management

• A mental health professional can teach you techniques to manage the anger and aggression you may experience with antisocial disorder, leading to improved interpersonal relationships.

Treating Comorbid Disorders

• Treating other disorders like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or anxiety, which may occur alongside antisocial personality disorder, can often reduce your sociopathic symptoms and make treating underlying issues easier.