Emptied Souls

Several years ago, as a clinician, the only population I had little interest in treating, was that of Antisocial Personality Disorder/Psychopathy, and Sociopathy, and Malignant Narcissism. Why?  The above sentence reveals one reason..."treating". "Treating", and the personal value of the therapist as regards therapy.


Individuals who are assigned that label, at this point in history, cannot really be treated, per se.  The best that can happen is that they are "treated" along a continuum into functionality, i.e., almost a "reverse therapy" which is to evaluate their behaviors, their lack of remorse and conscience,  their ability to "feel" , and the areas and degree to which they can increase functioning in this world.


The continuum  and range is so broad that, for the most part, the only folks that therapists can discuss with, thus learn from....are other therapists who "get" the breadth and depth of these personality disorders. For example, the terms themselves sound extreme enough that the lay person thinks one is being over-reactive when they use one of those terms, so minimize the entire conversation or diagnosis. When asked how they might "picture" the diagnoses, they inevitably jump right to the worst-case scenario.


"I, Psychopath" is a 60/80 min international documentary about psychopathy co-produced by Magic|Real Picture Company and Liberty Productions (aka Fibro Majestic Films) for CBC NewsworldCanada, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Arte Germany. 

The film follows narcissist and suspected psychopath Sam Vaknin, well known author of the book, Malignant Self Love – Narcissism Revisited, on his journey into diagnosis. Vaknin, a high achieving financial analyst and businessman has been an advisor to governments and large corporations. He has achieved more than most people do in life having won and lost prestige, fortune, friends and love, not once, but numerous times. 

In 1995 Vaknin’s world came crashing down around him when he was tried and sentenced to jail for his involvement in the attempted takeover of the Israeli Agricultural Bank. Now, aged 46, the analyst in Vaknin sees that the statistics stack up against him and realises that his behaviour is at the core of all his problems. 

Vaknin’s journey into diagnosis takes us to the leaders in the field of psychopathy and explores the complexity of this personality disorder which covers a broad spectrum of behaviour that takes in the emotional, the corporate and the criminal, yet is little understood outside the classic image of the psychopath as serial killer. 

As Vaknin visits psychopathy experts around the world he will undergo a battery of tests to see whether he fits the criteria and traits of a psychopath. For example, he'll complete the Psychopathy Checklist and the Psychopathic Personality Inventory. He’ll undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging as part of a fear conditioning study and have his full brain scan evaluated for structural abnormalities which have been implicated in anti-social behaviour. 

Along the way we meet with academics and scientists to discuss current areas of research such as The Moral Brain, the successful vs the unsuccessful psychopath, neuroethics and the law, the efficacy of testing and of treatment and gain a clearer understanding of the effects of psychopathy on the psychopath and on the people they come in contact with. Vaknin will have the opportunity to debate with and challenge the scientists and their assumptions. 

We also meet Vaknin’s wife, Lidija Rangelovska, who is contemplating having a child, how does Vaknin’s narcissism and suspected psychopathy impact on her decision whether to have a family, how will it affect their child ? 

If Vaknin rates a score on the Psychopathy Checklist, he will need to decide whether to accept the label “psychopath” and what that might mean for his future and for the rest of us. 

"I, Psychopath" is a journey around the world, but it's also a journey deep into the mind.