The Empathy Trap

Book excerpt: Sociopathy affects an estimated 1- 4% of the population, but not all sociopaths are cold-blooded murderers. They're best described as people without a conscience, who prey on those with high levels of empathy, but themselves lack any concern for others' feelings and show no remorse for their actions. Drawing on real life cases, The Empathy Trap: Understanding Antisocial Personalities explores this taboo subject and looks at how people can protect themselves against these arch-manipulators. Topics include: - Defining sociopathy, and related conditions such as psychopathy, narcissism, and personality disorder - How sociopaths operate and why they're often difficult to spot - Identifying sociopathic behavior - The sociopath's relations with other people and why they often go unpunished - Coping with the aftermath of a destructive relationship - Re-establishing boundaries and control of your life - Practical advice for keeping sociopaths at bay - Resources and further help.