--- title: How to Deal With a Psychopath and Toxic People description: Now full-blown psychopaths are about 1% of the population. So that’s 3 million in the US alone. canonical: https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-10-18T09:00:18.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T10:17:10.666Z article:section: Ideas og:title: 5 Ways to Deal With a Psychopath og:description: Experts bet you encounter a psychopath more often than you think og:url: https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 5 Ways to Deal With a Psychopath twitter:description: Experts bet you encounter a psychopath more often than you think twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 5 Ways to Deal With a Psychopath ## Video: Forgiving Other People Is Good for Your Health [Watch (HLS stream): Forgiving Other People Is Good for Your Health](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/xS4ZKZNa.m3u8) (0:45)  _Published 2016-06-16. Being forgiving to yourself and others can protect against stress and the toll it takes on mental health, according to a new study in the Journal of Health Psychology._ by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Oct 18, 2016 9:00 AM CUT by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Oct 18, 2016 9:00 AM CUT I know what some people are thinking: _I’m never going to deal with psychopaths. This is just more sensational clickbait junk._ Wrong. The experts are betting you probably encounter a psychopath every day. In fact, a lot of what you think you know about psychopaths is very wrong. Yes, psychopaths are more likely to be in jail than most people — but the majority of them aren’t. There’s a whole class of people who don’t have a conscience or feel empathy, and in all likelihood you deal with at least one all the time. And they probably make your life miserable. They’re “subclinical psychopaths.” With biology, you either have tuberculosis or you don’t. Black and white. There’s no “kinda.” In psychology there’s a lot of “kinda.” People with subclinical psychological disorders are like this. Not bad enough to go to prison, but plenty bad enough to make your life awful. The Machiavellian manipulators at work who do all kinds of nasty — but without leaving fingerprints. The bad boyfriends and girlfriends who drive you crazy — sometimes quite deliberately. Think Frank Underwood in “[House of Cards](http://geni.us/houseofcards "undefined")” — but without the murder. And research shows [many US presidents have had psychopathic traits](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/do-psychopaths-make-good-us-presidents/ "undefined"). Which profession has the most psychopaths? The answer is: [CEOs](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/professions-most-fewest-psychopaths/ "undefined"). Yup, studies show there are a [disproportionate number of psychopaths](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/05/are-there-too-many-psychopaths-in-corporate-a/ "undefined") in corporate America. (In fact, some psychopathic traits are [more common in CEO’s](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/ceos-psychopaths/ "undefined") than in mentally disturbed criminals.) But nobody in HR tells you you might be working with some really awful people, let alone how to survive next to them. Corporations say things like, _“We do not tolerate abusive or disrespectful treatment. Ruthlessness, callousness, and arrogance don’t belong here.”_ That’s from [Enron’s 1998 Annual Report](http://picker.uchicago.edu/Enron/EnronAnnualReport1998.pdf "undefined"), by the way. Alright, we got some learnin’ to do. Let’s find out from research and experts what the real deal is with psychopaths, and what you can do to protect yourself from these very toxic people… ## What Is A Psychopath? Psychopath. Sociopath. For our purposes they’re the same. And don’t get them confused with “psychotic.” Psychotic means you’re seeing elves and unicorns. Psychopaths see the world quite clearly. Perhaps too clearly. As [Ronald Schouten](http://geni.us/almost "undefined"), professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School explains, they don’t let pesky things like conscience or empathy get in the way. Because they don’t possess either of them. From [Almost a Psychopath](http://geni.us/almost "undefined"): --- > “” --- No, they don’t all have cold, dead eyes and wear a hockey mask. Many are witty and quite articulate. They’re narcissistic and impulsive. And because they lack empathy they see other people as objects to be used. Just because they don’t feel empathy doesn’t mean they don’t _understand_ it. And many get quite good at faking it. All the better to manipulate you to get what they want. Neuroscience research shows the emotional centers of their brains don’t respond the way yours do. From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- But it’s worse than that. As [Ronald Schouten](http://geni.us/almost "undefined") reports, when neuroscientists did a PET scan of psychopaths after giving them amphetamines, the nucleus accumbens section of their grey matter produced _four times_ as much dopamine. Translation: rewarding stuff is far, far more rewarding to them. So you consider doing something mean and your conscience slams the brakes. But psychopaths’ brake line has been cut. And stuff they want is four times as rewarding to them. So someone also put a brick on their accelerator. Some people might think: _I have done bad things. And I find some things really rewarding. Oh my god! I’m worried that I’m a psychopath!_ If you’re worried that you’re a psychopath, you’re not a psychopath — because psychopaths don’t worry. From [The Psychopath Test](http://geni.us/ptest "undefined"): --- > “” --- So how do we make these people better? We don’t. In fact, treatment makes them _worse_. Teaching them about empathy doesn’t make them more empathetic. It just teaches them how to fake it better. They see treatment as “finishing school.” Violent psychopaths given counseling were 20% more likely to re-offend. From [The Psychopath Test](http://geni.us/ptest "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn the seven-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2016/01/morning-ritual/ "undefined").) Okay, but this sounds extreme. And it is. You probably don’t know any full blown psychopaths, impulsively going after whatever they want with no conscience to rein them in… But you probably do know a “subclinical” psychopath or two… **_Read more:_** [_How To Get People To Like You: 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior Expert_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/10/how-to-get-people-to-like-you/ "undefined") ## Subclinical Psychopaths So what happens when you dial down the psychopathy a bit, turn off the impulsiveness and add in a little conscientiousness so they can graduate law school or business school? You get a psychopath who blends in at work just fine. And they chase their rewards, ignore morality and are quite good at covering their tracks. [Robert Hare](http://geni.us/without "undefined"), the criminal psychologist who developed the test used to evaluate psychopaths explains: --- > “” --- And how many people like this are running around? Now full-blown psychopaths are about 1% of the population. So that’s 3 million in the US alone. But subclinical psychopaths? Schouten says they’re more like 5-15%. From [Almost a Psychopath](http://geni.us/almost "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn how to deal with a narcissist, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2016/01/how-to-deal-with-a-narcissist-2/ "undefined").) So subclinical psychopaths aren’t chopping people up with an axe. But they are ruthlessly going after what they want without any concern for those around them. How do they do it? If they’re breaking hearts and infesting corporations, how do they not get caught? **_Read more:_** [_New Neuroscience Reveals 4 Rituals That Will Make You Happy_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/09/make-you-happy-2/ "undefined") ## How Do Psychopaths Get What They Want? Hare says that whether subclinical psychopaths are screwing up your love life or your workplace, they usually follow a three step process: 1. They assess the utility, weaknesses and defenses of those around them, 2. They manipulate others to bond with them and get what they want, 3. They abandon their targets and move on… Or, in a corporate environment, often move _up_. From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- If they invade your personal life, they turn on that artificial empathy and charm. They listen to hear what you think of yourself and reinforce that. The message? _I like who you are_. Then they pretend they share similar qualities. Message? _I am just like you_. It’s not much different at the office. They get to know everyone and use that fake empathy to make a good first impression and quickly figure out who has the power. From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- Turns out it’s quite easy for them. Their thrill seeking nature is mistaken for prized employee qualities like “high energy” and being “action oriented.” And their lack of feelings? Oh, in the business world we call that “ability to make tough decisions.” Or someone who is “cool under fire.” You know… the stuff leaders are made of. And then they go to work making sure they look good, their rivals look bad and that all the evidence is well hidden. From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- If they’ve invaded your personal life, they use that bonding to start getting what they want from you. In the workplace they quickly distinguish between “pawns” and “patrons.” Pawns are the co-workers and subordinates they manipulate like chess pieces. Patrons are upper management who they get close to for help climbing the corporate ladder. Maybe someone does catch on to their schemes. But did the whistleblower spend time making sure upper management likes and trusts them? Because the psychopath did. Guess who senior management trusts? From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn how to be happier and more successful, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/ "undefined").) Now is not the time to stop reading. As Yoda said, “If you end your training now – if you choose the quick and easy path as Vader did – you will become an agent of evil.” So if psychopaths are so good at covering their tracks, how do we spot them? ## How To Identify A Psychopath Now don’t go falling into the trap of playing amateur psychoanalyst, calling everyone who has ever been mean to you a psychopath. But, that said, this is an area where the research says you actually might be able to “[trust your gut](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/10/would-you-know-a-psychopath-if-you-saw-one/ "undefined").” Studies show psychopaths really do make some people feel queasy. Why? The researchers suspect it might be an evolutionary response to an “intraspecies predator.” From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- (Sad part is that psychopaths have a “Spidey-sense” too. Research shows they actually can tell which people are vulnerable targets, [just by looking at them](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/10/can-psychopaths-assess-vulnerability-just-by/ "undefined").) Beyond that, be skeptical of people who aggressively turn on the charm. If someone is going out of their way to flatter you, ask yourself “Why?” And you know that old saying about not trusting people who are nice to you but mean to waiters at a restaurant? Turns out it’s true. Psychopaths and narcissists are extremely status conscious with a strong tendency to “kiss up and kick down.” From [Without Conscience](http://geni.us/without "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn a Navy SEAL’s secrets to grit and resilience, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/01/grit/ "undefined").) Alright, so you’re pretty sure this new person in your life or that new co-worker at the office is manipulative and playing puppet-master. How do the experts recommend you deal with them? ## 1) Don’t. The End. Oh, if only it were that easy… All the resources I looked at had the same primary suggestion: just get the heck away from them. If it’s your personal life, that’s do-able. At the office, that may not be an option. Companies can avoid hiring subclinical psychopaths in the first place by using multiple rounds of structured interviews. Flexible interviewing procedures allow charming predators too much room to use their powers of influence. And check references. Psychopaths lie on resumes. A lot. But if you have to deal with them as an individual, and you can’t get away, don’t play their games. They’re better at this than you are. They’ve done it before. Harvard psychologist Martha Stout says you might think you’re being a hero but you’re actually charging into an ambush. From [The Sociopath Next Door](http://geni.us/sociopath "undefined"): --- > “” --- Even if you win, guess what? Now you’re using manipulative games. Stanford professor [Bob Sutton](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/11/scaling-up-excellence/ "undefined"), author of [Good Boss, Bad Boss](http://geni.us/goodboss "undefined"), tells all of his students: --- > “” --- (To learn how to stop being lazy and get more done, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/ "undefined").) But what’s the attitude most people get wrong when dealing with a possible psychopath? **_Read more:_** [_New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/ "undefined") ## 2) Accept That Some People Are Just Bad News You might believe all people have good in them. Or that every person can be fixed. Or that they’d be better if… That’s not going to fly here. Sorry. From [The Sociopath Next Door](http://geni.us/sociopath "undefined"): --- > “” --- You can’t change them. What you can do is get to know how they work and get to know yourself better. Know where your vulnerabilities lie. Because psychopaths are experts at figuring them out. Address your weaknesses before they exploit them. From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn the four rituals neuroscience says will make you happy, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/09/make-you-happy-2/ "undefined").) Often a subclinical psychopath is telling so many lies it can be hard to see straight. How do you keep your head clear? ## 3) Pay Attention To Actions, Not Words This is another one all the sources agreed on. Don’t listen to the excuses, rationalizations or outright lies. Don’t listen to what they _say_ they will do. Pay attention to what they do do. Harvard’s Martha Stout recommends using the “Rule of Threes” to tell honest mistakes from manipulative behavior. From [The Sociopath Next Door](http://geni.us/sociopath "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn what psychopaths can teach you about being a happier person, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/04/psychopaths/ "undefined").) Okay, you’re on to them. But they’re a vindictive bunch. How do you protect yourself from retaliation at work? ## 4) Build Your Reputation And Relationships The psychopaths at work are always recruiting unsuspecting “patrons” in upper management to unknowingly provide cover for them when rumors about their shady behavior start to circulate. And they’ll also be leveraging these relationships to spread disinformation and lies about anyone who gets in their way or poses a threat. And that might include you. So make sure to build your own relationships and keep a reputation as a hard worker. Be above reproach. Don’t be a complainer. That way when you do complain — senior people listen. From [Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work](http://geni.us/snakes "undefined"): --- > “” --- And if you’re dealing with a possible psychopath in your personal life, relationships are just as important. Friends can often be more objective than you can. When multiple confidantes say “He/She is no good” you might want to listen. (To learn the eight steps to getting the perfect mentor for you, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/02/mentor/ "undefined").) Alright, you’ve tried everything but you still need to work with them. What’s the best way to do that? ## 5) Win-Win Agreements Psychopaths are aggressive personalities. They want to win. If you can make it so it’s easier and more enticing for them to work with you than to try to subvert you, you might be able to keep their ruthlessness in check. From [In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People](http://geni.us/sheep "undefined"): --- > “” --- (To learn FBI hostage negotiation techniques that will get you what you want, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/06/hostage-negotiation/ "undefined").) Alright, we’ve covered a lot. Let’s round it up and learn the most important thing you need to remember for the long term so a psychopath doesn’t really screw up your life… ## Sum Up Here’s how to deal with a psychopath: * **Don’t.** 1) Run. 2) Are you sure you can’t run? * **Accept that some people are just bad news:** A tiger is not a good house pet. And you will not change that fact. * **Pay attention to actions, not words:** No excuses. No BS. Use the “Rule of Threes.” * **Build your reputation and relationships:** You need a good defense and good advice. * **Win-win agreements:** Make it easier to go through you than to destroy you. When in the middle of a deathmatch with a ruthless monster of a human being, being cynical is like having ESP. A jaded perspective can keep you one step ahead of them. But in the long term it can be toxic. Don’t give up on all people just because you dealt with a really bad one. Mother Nature has a sense of humor. On one hand you have psychopaths, who have zero empathy. On the other hand, there are people with Williams Syndrome. They have too much empathy. They trust everyone. They [love everyone](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126224885 "undefined"): --- > “” --- Some people are too good, some too bad. And most of us are somewhere in the middle. Don’t let a bad experience with one person ruin the party. From [The Sociopath Next Door](http://geni.us/sociopath "undefined"): --- > “” --- To have a happy life and a productive career, you may need to give up on _particular_ people. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on people. **Join over 275,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**.** [_This article originally appeared on Barking Up The Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2016/10/how-to-deal-with-psychopaths/ "undefined")_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/"},"headline":"5 Ways to Deal With a Psychopath","datePublished":"2016-10-18T09:00:18.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T10:17:10.666Z","description":"Experts bet you encounter a psychopath more often than you think","url":"https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/","keywords":["Psychology"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/","name":"5 Ways to Deal With a Psychopath"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Forgiving Other People Is Good for Your Health","description":"Being forgiving to yourself and others can protect against stress and the toll it takes on mental health, according to a new study in the Journal of Health Psychology.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/xS4ZKZNa/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-06-16T17:39:37.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/xS4ZKZNa.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/","duration":"PT45S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4533133/5-ways-to-deal-with-a-psychopath/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```