SkinRipper here.

i really don't understand your condition,you say you cannot love anybody, but you got married,you must have had some type of feelings for this person at the time or did you get married to hide the condition,as if everything is normal,and then did you have feelings of love set in after you were married,it just seems contradictory,a person can love another person but they don't have to love everybody,so you must have compassion to love and care for your wife,you didn't say if you have children,if you do or did have a family,do you think you could love them,or would you be capable of hurting them, by just seeing them as objects.do you love your wife as a fellow human being or as an object and possession? that's what i think I'm trying to say.

Hi Skinripper,

Welcome to ATS.

Looking forward to your upcoming threads.

to all that have posted,

Many thanks for all your comments, some useful some plain ignorant and some show a lack of any form of social skills and only out to serve their own purposes.

I will be reading each and every comment and responding to those on here. But today i New Years Day and I am out with the wife and neighbor at a lights festival.

What I have written i exactly the truth. People can take it or leave it. You can sit their with your lack of knowledge and judge but I know if we met your comments would be more refrained. More cowardly as some of you are. I underwent medical test ordered by a court of law. Its funny how so many people think they know something because they are in their first year of medical retardation or because they have read a book. those people know NOTHING and are but mere inferior to everyone else. they are the people who will always be someones prey and always come off last.

Others on here have been great with their comments and I did not expect so many comments good or bad.

I merely came on here to talk to other people who are generally outcasts, looked at with raised Eyebrows because of their beliefs and conspiracy paranoia.

Ill be back on tomorrow as I think there are some open and interesting people. I like see what makes people tick, and I like to break that down for my understanding if possible. I do not claim to be an expert on anything but I do have a different perspective to a lot of the lower beings on here.

And to finish on, I have told you exactly what I was told by the Docs who tested me. Their words. Plus range of experts in the medical field who to their understanding of the subject classified me. the person who said that we do not know which part of the brain shows empathy and such is so wrong as their is stacks of test being done as we speak on these types of people that show the same lack of activity in the regions of the brain that I once described. My interpretation is basically that of the experts who tested me under imposition of a court of the United Kingdom. So check your facts first instead of thinking that a year in medical research programme gives you the answer. You are no different to an amoeba in my view.

P.S for those that keep spouting wrong info please read all my posts. I clearly say that I love my wife and give countless examples of how I do love her. But I also go on to say that quantifying love is impossible and your love is no better than mine. It no more factual than the existence of god. for those silly enough to believe.

Yep what good are sub-par tools. You remind me a bit of a cohort of mine. All of your post here are very interesting. I sense a bit more to your reasons for being here as more then just discussing you and your world view. What other cards are you holding back I wonder?

reply to post by TheSkinRipper


Clearly you are a Visitor. If we skin you we will see a lizard being underneath your fake human form.

I'm just kidding. Welcome to ATS.

By the way, there are many jobs and organizations in the world that require and even condition people to be psychopaths. When you join the military the first thing they do is pound out your emotions and make you able to kill at will with no regard to human emotion.

Yes, I believe the world is full of psychopaths - individual people and corporations and organizations and government entities.

Welcome to ATS SkinRipper - beware of those with cat avatars as they are mostly sane and will not fit in well with your scheme of things.

reply to post by TheSkinRipper


I am the one who said that we do not know what part of the brain is responsible for empathy and I will give you an example of why.

People with anti-social personality disorder are believed to have either been predisposed, or to have developed through time, a certain type of specific brain malformation within parts of their pre-frontal cortex and their hypothalamus.

But as I have said for about ten times now, correlation does not equal causation.

The thoughts behind the (pseudo)science of "addiction" are the same. What these malformations in the brain are referred to as, technically, is the Diathesis Stress Model theory.
And originally "addiction", which is another pop-psychology term that I despise, was related to the hypothalamus, but now it is thought to reside in the nucleus accummbens.
But it is all based upon correlations.

If you really want to know the truth about this then I will be happy to post one of my papers on the subject.

Just so you know that I am not full of crap, here is a snippet from one of my original papers dealing with childhood trauma, drug dependency and rates of co-morbidity.

Although the relationship between childhood trauma and dissociation has been recognized since the late 1800’s, research into the prevalence of childhood trauma and increased co-morbidity among individuals with diagnosed Axis I disorders did not begin until the late 1900’s (Ellason, Mayran, Ross, & Saintan, 1996). While the current research does not contradict the Diathesis-Stress Model Theory, it focuses on recognizing traumatic childhood environments as possible causal mechanisms for commonly diagnosed Axis I and Axis II disorders. These traumatic environments could also play a causal role in the development of controversial Somatoform Disorders not currently linked to, but not excluded from, a physiological diagnosis.
The first two studies presented in this paper compare methods used to ascertain the prevalence of childhood abuse and rates of co-morbidity among chemically dependent individuals, while the third study focuses on the prevalence of childhood abuse among individuals diagnosed solely with one of three chronic pain disorders. The first two studies present an increasing specificity in the methodology used to understand the prevalence of childhood abuse and co-morbidity among chemically dependent individuals, and the third study presents a group of individuals with prevalent childhood trauma that could be a causal factor in the development of possible Axis III disorders currently linked to an Axis I diagnosis. The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative meta-analysis of the three previous studies recognizing childhood trauma as the leading factor in the development of Axis I, Axis II, or possible Axis III disorders. While the Diathesis-Stress Model Theory focuses on environmental factors believed to cause certain mutations in genetically predisposed individuals, this paper presents evidence that the trauma itself plays a causal role in creating the morphogenetic changes that lead to the presence of Axis I, Axis II, or possible Axis III disorders.

reply to post by TheSkinRipper


very interesting. why did you go to see a doctor?

is it simply the detachment that makes you a "psychopath?"

the logical minded thinking? a combination?

what exactly qualifies someone as a "psychopath?"

u say you dont have the emotional connections.

do you have them with your wife? what if she cheated on you and left you for someone else? what if you had kids? would you feel "attached" to them?

what if they all left you? what if they were murdered? just tryin to figure it out.
peace

reply to post by TheSkinRipper


i have a million #ing questions. sorry, but you put yourself out there..lol

so did you develop into one or were you always a psychopath?

at what age did you notice something wrong?

are you religious? what are your views on afterlife and that sort of things?

what interests do you have?

how does sex affect you? like it love it?

have you seen american psycho? how much do you love that movie?

also, how did you end up making a connection with your wife?

since the feelings are so un emotional and detached...by your words

reply to post by TheSkinRipper


I haven't read the entire thread but I did read that you love your wife. Have you ever considered that you may be on the Autistic Spectrum instead of being a psychopath. The biggest tell-tale sign of being on the spetrum is a problem with Theory of Mind, which can explain your lack of emphathy. Do you have any opinion on it?

Welcome, SkinRipper.
Thanks for being so open with us.
Of course I would befriend someone who is diagnosed as a psychopath.
I don't have a problem with someone who lacks empathy.
I look forward to reading your posts.

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
What is truly surprising about this OP, is everyone's reaction to it. Someone comes along and states he's a psychopath, and what follows are pages of analysis, trying to discover if he is or not.

...yeah but its a conspiracy website - so, thats typical of the territory...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
It is, after all, a mental disorder born from a series of very unfortunate childhood events.

...sometimes thats the reason... sometimes they're born that way...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
Don't lose sight of the "learned behavior" quality of this personality disorder. He wouldn't slit your throat to take your car, because he fears being caught and he doesn't care for prison.

...i wouldnt presume that...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
He keeps his wife around because she does things to please him. He loves her because of what she does for him.

...possibly... ted bundy was engaged to be married back when folks thought he was a regular guy... he claimed he really loved her... luckily she bailed out... he married again and had a child after he was incarcerated in florida...

...i will agree with the op in that love is relative to the perceiver... its not just psychopaths or sociopaths who have bizarre or non-traditional perception of what love is... i think people who beat / whip their kids have a very confused concept of love but a lot of people think its normal... it used to be very common and legal for a husband to beat / whip his wife but nowadays most folks see that as abnormal behavior...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
It is, indeed, a somewhat rare disorder, but not enough that you guys should be so intense about whether he is, or he isn't.

...its not somewhat rare... its very common... theres lots of documentaries online about psychopaths functioning quite well in society... some are very successful...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
Why would someone with Narcissistic PD, come aboard, and announce they are anti-social?

...for the attention, obviously...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
Those with anti-social disorder can't feel YOUR pain.

...no one can really feel another person's pain... "i feel your pain" is a romantic notion thats become the incorrect definition of empathy... you can imagine what a person's pain might feel like but you cant actually experience their pain unless you share their brain...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
But they can certainly feel their own.

...yep - they have emotions - anger, fear, frustration, hatred, love, etc - and - they can certainly identify and relish your humiliation, pain and terror when they're inflicting it...

...lack of empathy does not mean lack of feelings... it means they dont give a damn about you or how you interpret your feelings... to them, you are either dust thats easily ignored or you are a plate holding food that they want...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
I'm just surprised at my ATS buddies for making a big deal of this. I personally don't see that it is.

...its an interesting subject, so its gonna bring out all kinds of questions... the op's delivery and some of his interactions with other posters encouraged doubt... thats purty normal for ats, imo...

reply to post by TheSkinRipper


"Many thanks for all your comments, some useful some plain ignorant and some show a lack of any form of social skills and only out to serve their own purposes."

By your own admission in your earlier posts about your total lack of emotion in choosing to do what suits you, and getting ahead in your business, you must greatly admire those of us who are making comments that serve our own purposes.

Hi SkinRipper!

Can I ask specifically about the reasons bringing you to ATS? What you aim to achieve from you time here?

I mean no disrespect, just very curious

All the best for 2011!

I don't think the high-functioning autistics are highly competitive, like SkinRipper. They do have intense focus and many are brilliant, so I don't believe competition is a trait.The amygdala is not affected in the autistics, but is affected in the psychopaths.

It seems, for most psychopaths, it's very difficult to maintain a 'normal' life and not have periods of deep degradation in the privacy of their own home. Doesn't seem to fit SkinRipper. I wonder, if most psychopaths are extremely arrogant?

I only wanted to bring this to the attention of the one poster suggesting autism and even though the frontal cortex is affected in both the autistic and psychopath, I think there is a difference between the two.

reply to post by satron


Given his poor communication skills and use of grammer, he must be somewhat retarded, given his elevated opinion of himself, which has no basis in fact or reality, and which doesn't appear to manifest through his written expressions in any way. My bet is he is very fearful, and that's the way he comes across, although he did have the wherewithall to talk about it openly. His apparent cruelty must be a defence mechanism, and a way to make himself of value, by devaluing others.

I am curious Skin, if you've ever been moved to tears over your ah condition, that's an interresting question I think.

What an interesting thread skinripper. I often wondering about myself if I could kill a person and not feel any remorse. Although you seem to have some empathy gene removed you give a good look on how you condition feels. Reminds me of this from cracked.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/3ccb4d6ca0b4.jpg[/atsimg]

Welcome to ATS and I look forward to future threads.

reply to post by Onboard2


The amygdala has been shown to be malformed in certain cases of those who have been convicted of criminal behavior while also being diagnosed with anti-social personality disorder. These are limited cases however and damage to the amygdala or certain areas of the pre-frontal cortex does not equate a causal nature for certain...
uhhhhh...... apathetic behavior, for lack of better verbiage.

Words like "psychopath" and "sociopath" are pop culture creations and do not have any legit standing in the psychiatric community; but as we have discussed earlier, the DSM, which is what is used when determining diagnoses, is flawed.
(those terms were used at one time however, just as paranoid schizoid was at one time a term, but it is now a subtype of dissociative identity disorder)

The DSM is basically the creation of Phd'd individuals who sit and vote on certain disorders.
Psychology is a "soft" science.
Nothing that is actually diagnosed can be quantifiable and verified.

The brain is a fascinating area, but what we know about its inner workings is in the most elementary of stages.
We have learned more about the brain and its networking of neurons through the study of artificial intelligence than we have by studying the brain itself.
Recursive algorithm programming is probably the most accurate representation of how the brain works over fMRI's.

When anyone looks at the data and does not speculate beyond the data, which is what EVERY psychologist is trained to do after being trained not to do it, then it becomes obvious that the Behaviorists have this right.

Sorry Skinripper, but you are not what you want us to believe.
I enjoyed participating in the thread however.

I will offer a word of advice for a noobie.
You can fool some of the people here some of the time, but you can't fool all of the folks here all of the time.

As much as I might complain about ATS, it is the gold standard when it comes to sites that allow people to engage in completely open intellectual discourse.
I would suggest just being yourself and people will pick up on who you are or who you are not.

Cheers and welcome to ATS.

reply to post by TheSkinRipper


You sound like a straight forward type of dude, but to tell you the truth all that you said in the op sounded pretty normal. You could of described about over 80% of the population in any city. Don't let the doctors fool you, your pretty normal, by the way how much did those diagnosis's cost? Because I remember a Simpsons episode were homer was declared insane, but he past some course, or test, I don't remember exactly how it went, but at the end he got a "not insane" certificate that he flashed around. Did you get any sort of certificate like homer did only saying your a Psychopath? If not did you at least get a lollipop when they diagnosed you? If so can anybody diagnose you, because here I go, my diagnosis...I dub thee pretty normal.