Why Psychopaths and Sociopaths Are Going Viral

"Hi, I'm Vic and I'm a diagnosed psychopath."

There's a thumb-stopping TikTok video opening if we've ever heard one. But as creator @victhepath goes on to explain, it's technically a lie.

"Psychopathy can't actually be diagnosed," she says in one video. (The creator did not respond to multiple interview requests.)

In her TikToks, Vic shares that her official diagnosis is antisocial personality disorder, which is a mental health condition that can cause "manipulative, aggressive, or reckless" behaviors without remorse, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

(According to the Mayo Clinic, ASPD and sociopathy are essentially the same thing; the former term being the more commonly accepted modern usage. Psychopathy, on the other hand, is sometimes viewed as a subtype of ASPD or a severe form of ASPD, with an increased tendency toward violence, according to medical education publication StatPearls.)

But as @victhepath candidly notes, opening a video with "I was diagnosed with ASPD" is far less catchy intro. And the whole point of her social media presence is to get attention. She's one of a growing number of people — on and offline — detailing their experiences with ASPD in the hopes of challenging the stigma the condition still holds.

Cari Oliver, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and the founder and clinical director of Elysian Psychological Services.

Patric Gagne, PhD, a clinical psychologist, author of "Sociopath: A Memoir," and advocate.

For the most part, we've made huge strides in the way we talk about mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. But when it comes to ASPD, tremendous stigma and misunderstanding still exists, with pop culture representations suggesting that everyone under the ASPD umbrella is dangerous.

Case in point: Olivia Rodrigo sang about her horrible ex acting "like a damn sociopath." Conan Gray's song "Maniac" is about a dramatic falling out with an ex that got him labeled as a "stalker" and "psychopath." And although it's an older reference, the most enduring image of Alfred Hitchock's classic "Psycho" is that violent shower scene.

To be clear, the experts who spoke with PS for this piece emphasize that some people with more severe ASPD do have violent tendencies. One 2013 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that psychopaths represent about one percent of the population, but about 20 percent of prisons and 30 to 50 percent of all people who commit violent crimes.

But Cari Oliver, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and the founder and clinical director of Elysian Psychological Services, notes that data such as this may be partially skewed — and could reinforce the stigma around the mental health condition — because psychopathic traits are primarily measured in people in prison. As a result, many cases of people with higher-functioning ASPD who refrain from committing crimes don't get counted in these assessments. "When it comes to danger, anybody can hurt anybody, including people with ASPD. But just because people have ASPD, does not mean they're prone to violence," Dr. Oliver tells PS.

"The fact that these terms have become synonymous with evil, it makes sense," adds Patric Gagne, PhD, a clinical psychologist, author, and advocate who was diagnosed with sociopathic personality disorder, now known as ASPD, in her 20s. "The people who sit on the extreme side of the psychopathic spectrum have earned that reputation to a certain degree. But what I'm trying to get people to understand is the extreme examples make up only one part of the equation."

Dr. Gagne knew from an early age she didn't have the same ability to feel emotions as her peers. But she struggled to find information at her college library about sociopathy. And because media representation of psychopathy and sociopathy is so often sensationalized, she didn't know it was possible to live a fulfilling life post-diagnosis.

What's more, "it's really easy to write off a group of people for whom treatment is perceived to be impossible," she adds.

That's why she wrote a book about her experiences with ASPD: "Sociopath: A Memoir", which debuted in April 2024.

"My name is Patric Gagne and I am a sociopath," reads the opening line of the book, quickly going on to add that she has many other identifiers, including therapist, wife, mother, and friend.

Experts say there are pros and cons of continuing to use terminology like "psychopath" and "sociopath," which aren't medically accurate but are still what most people know best.

Dr. Gagne's rationale behind using the term "sociopath" over "ASPD" is similar to Vic's reasoning behind her standard TikTok intro of "I'm a diagnosed psychopath": Leading with more sensational statements tend to draw audiences in, and they have to grab attention in order to address widespread stigma. Sometimes the best way to raise awareness is with a flashy hook followed by compelling stories and accurate information.

But, ultimately, the terms are so stigmatized that encouraging people to use ASPD may be necessary in order to shift public perception around the condition. Dr. Gagne notes that some psychology experts have suggested referring to the personality disorders as "low affect" or "low emotion" disorder to more accurately describe what they do and to lessen the negative association.

"It doesn't bother or affect me personally, but it affects my ability to speak to it without a reaction from someone else," Dr. Gagne says. "I can't remember the last time that I've heard (psychopath) used for anything other than an insult, and I understand why that's happened, but let's do something so that these individuals receive the help they need."

While increased visibility for those with ASPD can be beneficial, Dr. Oliver warns against drawing too many conclusions from a few TikTok videos or one-off articles. If you think you may have traits of ASPD, or know someone who does, she recommends seeking professional medical advice.

"Any time someone takes to social media and their entire content is about a pretty sensational topic, it can be very educational for the public," Dr. Oliver says. "On the other hand, whenever people do that, they have one lens and it's theirs. I can't tell you how many times people's lives have been impaired because they . . . misdiagnose themselves."

Still, having greater access to information about these conditions is a great first step and a welcome change, Dr. Gagne says.

"I don't want to minimize sociopathy," Dr. Gagne says. "There are extreme examples on the spectrum, but by only focusing on that extreme, we continue to exacerbate the problem. It's so important to acknowledge that there are individuals who sit on the mild to moderate side for whom treatment is possible and should be explored. . . . That's really what my goal is: to let people know that there's hope for disorders like this."

Hannah Yasharoff is a journalist based in Washington DC specializing in entertainment, wellness, and lifestyle topics. Previously, she was an entertainment and wellness reporter at USA Today for more than five years before serving as a health and wellness reporter for The Messenger.