Have you been continuously noticing someone displaying unusual behavior, feelings and thoughts that are socially unacceptable? This person may be a victim of one of the many personality disorders. Odd, unusual, abnormal and eccentric behavior, erratic emotions and thoughts - these are all the traits of a personality disorder. Amongst the many personality disorders, some are antisocial personality disorder (APD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), histrionic personality disorder (HPD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), sadistic personality disorder and multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder (DID).
Talking about sadistic personality disorder, this disorder had appeared in the appendix of the revised third edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R). However, the present version of DSM (DSM-IV) does not include this disorder. Hence, it is not regarded as a valid diagnostic category anymore. Sadist personality disorder can be defined as a pattern of gratuitous cruelty, aggression and demeaning behavior indicating a lack of empathy for other people. A sadistic person leaves no stone unturned when it comes to humiliating people in front of others. Be it the subordinates, children, students, prisoners, patients or spouses, not even a single person is spared from a sadist’s controlling behavior.
All these people are likely to suffer the sadist’s “control freakery” or exacting “disciplinary” measures. Much against the psychopaths who use the physical force to showcase their crime, sadists confine their aggressiveness to social gatherings, such as family or workplace only. Often fascinated by gore and violence, sadists turn out to be vicarious serial killers. Hitler is the best historical figure that best fits this disorder. Such people love death, torture and marital arts in every form. To know the different characteristics of a sadistic personality disorder, glance through the lines below.
Characteristics Of A Sadistic Person
- A sadistic person does not hesitate in humiliating people in front of others. The disgrace that he puts down on other person makes him feel unstoppable and supreme.
- He treats all the people under his control, irrespective whether the other person is a child, student, patient or prisoner, unkindly and harshly. All that he aims for is an unchallenged dominance in the relationship. Anyone who tries to lose free is treated in a callous manner.
- A sadist finds pleasure in harming or causing pain to others by lying without any motive behind achieving any other goal. The harm that he inflicts upon the other person makes him feel invincible and contented.
- Unlike normal people, a sadistic person frightens and terrorizes people for the sake of getting his work done.
- He often restricts the freedom of people with whom he shares a close relationship. For example, the spouse is not allowed to leave the house premises unaccompanied or the teen-age daughter is not permitted to attend social functions. Such is the person’s controlling nature that nobody is allowed to have his/her say. For a sadistic person, his is the final word and ultimate law. It must be obeyed, no matter how outrageous and senseless it may be.
- A sadistic person is highly enthralled by violence, weapons, martial arts, injury, death or torture. He/she channelizes the killer instinct in socially acceptable ways such as "studying" and admiring historical figures such as Hitler.
- He does not falter from using cruelty or violence for establishing dominance in any relationship. The ultimate goal is to have full and undivided control over the person or the situation.
