Sadistic Personality Disorder

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.