Sociopaths are more calculating, and have no regard for the welfare or pain of others. They are most likely to derive pleasure from their acts. Narcissists differ because their actions are usually targeted towards self-inflation, and any harm done to others is usually as a result of them pursuing some kind of goal. A person living with a narcissistic personality may also share certain similarities with a sociopath. Because of this, narcissism and sociopathy are often mistaken for one another. We’ll be looking at each personality type, their features, and what makes them different from one another. We’ll also take a look at possible similarities between each disorder, and common management techniques.
Narcissism
Like Narcissus in Greek mythology, a man who fell in love with his reflection, the narcissist is utterly in love with himself. Having a heightened sense of self may be understood, excused even—except with a narcissist, pursuing the life they believe is owed to them may come at the expense of others. A narcissist doesn’t care if they have to lie and scheme their way to a desired position, they are typically unconcerned about the needs of their partners in romantic relationships, and may feel slighted when praise or admiration isn’t showered on them for their achievements. Away from the view of others; however, when a narcissist is looking within, they may experience heightened feelings of shame, helplessness, and anger when difficulties crop up that interfere with a projected vision of themself. This disorder may lead to an increased risk of attempting or carrying out suicide. Narcissism is typically noticeable in two main forms: the grandiose narcissist who believes they are excessively important and the vulnerable narcissist who feels hurt and offended when they aren’t showered with admiration. Both forms of narcissism show a lack of empathy for others. The main types of narcissism a person may display include:
Overt narcissism, which involves obvious signs of grandiose, manipulative behaviorCovert narcissism, which involves more subtle signs of narcissism and deep insecurityMalignant narcissism, which is also accompanied by vindictive or sadistic behaviorsAntagonistic narcissism, which often involves intense competitivenessCommunal narcissism, which involves perceiving oneself as altruistic while behaving in the opposite
Narcissism Symptoms
Narcissism may be caused by a number of factors such as a difficult childhood where rejection was prominent, or cases where the individual involved had a fragile ego. Likewise, praising a child excessively during their formative years can lead to a heightened belief in oneself, encouraging narcissism. There are also suspicions that a genetic link may be to blame for this disorder. Whatever the cause, a person displaying the following traits may be said to have a narcissistic personality:
An arrogant attitude A strong lack of empathy A constant need for admiration A heightened sense of self-importance Envy towards others doing supposedly better Baseless assumptions that others are envious of their accomplishments An obsession with success, power, looks, and exorbitant wealth An exploitative personality, regardless of who gets trampled on
Sociopathy
One of the first things to know about a sociopath is that they feel very little remorse for their actions, no matter how they affect others. A sociopath will manipulate their way into a friendship or relationship purely for their own gain or amusement. These bonds may be painstakingly formed and then promptly neglected, whether or not they may cause harm to the other person. Sociopaths are easily identified by frequent run-ins with the law. They also have very few hang-ups about exploiting people purely for their own gain and have been known to have dramatic or volatile interactions when dealing with people. A sociopath is more likely to have difficulty holding a job and may be unable to form stable relationships.
Sociopathy Symptoms
A sociopath typically begins to symptoms of the disorder before the age of 18. This includes behaviors like:
Having a disregard for the law and engaging in acts that can lead to arrestUsing deceit to forge relationships, or to swindle others of their time or moneyHaving a persistent inability to plan aheadShowing a poor, non-committal attitude towards workDisregarding financial obligations like paying back debtsHaving no remorse after physically or emotionally hurting another person
Like narcissism, this personality disorder may be the product of genes. It has also been linked to poor childhood experiences where sexual or physical abuse was present. It may also be the result of early neglect. Environmental conditions like family relations and how well associations with peers are handled may also be responsible.
Narcissism vs. Sociopathy
In distinguishing between a narcissist and a sociopath, the motive behind their actions is usually an important place to look. For the narcissist—scheming, showering compliments, forging friendships, and otherwise manipulating others, are ultimately geared towards the ego and the expansion of self-importance. The narcissist is self-centered and carries out actions using tunnel vision focused solely on their own importance. People harmed by a narcissist’s actions are merely casualties in their journey to reaching their own goals. On the other hand, a sociopath will manipulate, harm, rob, and otherwise violate another person merely for the fun of it. A sociopath is not concerned with propping up their image, and will engage in games if it suits a larger objective being pursued. A sociopath feels no remorse or empathy for anyone wronged by their actions and might even derive pleasure from doing so. This differs from the narcissist whose aim isn’t directly to cause harm, but to appear as a grand personality. Because of the nature of their personality, a sociopath will find it difficult to maintain a job and will likely get in trouble with the authorities. This is in contrast to a narcissist who always wants to appear on top of their game, and will maintain a role that keeps them looking successful. Both personalities may be calculating, but a sociopath may rank higher. They will act without regard to how anyone may view them, while narcissists ultimately need admiration and are very interested in the impression they leave on others. It is also important to note that in some cases, a person may be both a narcissist and a sociopath. In these instances, they might be referred to as a narcissistic sociopath or a sociopathic narcissist. You can tell if someone is a narcissistic sociopath if they display many different symptoms of both narcissistic and antisocial personality disorder.
Similarities Between Narcissists and Sociopaths
In some cases, the lines may be blurred when attempting to distinguish between a narcissist and a sociopath. Both personalities have a noticeable lack of empathy when dealing with others. They are severely lacking in morality, and have no qualms about scheming against and controlling others to suit their agendas. To achieve their objectives, a sociopath or a narcissist can turn on the charm. In addition, exhibiting sociopathic or narcissistic traits usually increases the risk of developing a mood disorder, substance abuse, as well as holding suicidal thoughts, or committing suicide.
Treatment
Neither a narcissist nor a sociopath is likely to seek treatment for their personality. This may change where they exhibit traits of a mental illness like depression, anxiety etc. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Usually, this condition is diagnosed using detailed interviews and/or psychological testing by a mental health professional.
A Word From Verywell
When a person exhibits traits of a narcissist or a sociopath, this usually means they are calculating, empathy-deficient, and put their own interests above those of others. However, despite sharing similarities, these conditions are not the same. With serious cases leading to self-harm and harm to others, it’s important to note that both personalities may be improved through consistent therapy over a period of time.
