Can a Child Be a 'Psychopath'?

by SodaHead News Posted 2012/05/15 13:00:00

Related Topics: psychopath, psycho, ADHD, Depression, parents, Dark Side, Florida, Image

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	Yes	776 votes	94%
	No	50 votes	6%

When the parents of 9-year-old Michael took their son to a Florida researcher for help with his behavioral problems, they couldn't have expected the diagnosis he received. For six years, they'd gone through "A.D.D.," "depression," "O.C.D.," you name it, but when Dan Waschbusch examined Michael's behavior -- sudden shifts from violent agression to "calculated charm" -- he picked the word "psychopath."

The most striking thing about Michael's behavior is his ability to mask his dark side with calm, intelligent conversation -- something that isn't common in 9-year-olds. Psychologist Mark Dadds explains, "No one is comfortable labeling a 5-year-old a psychopath, [but] the research showing that this temperament exists and can be identified in young children is quite strong." But should a kid ever be labeled a "psychopath"?

+37

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JanHopkins 2012/05/15 14:18:33

Yes

+15
Yeah. Some kids are born that way and the sooner it is diagnosed the sooner measures can be taken to insure it doesn't get out of control.
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More polls by SodaHead News

Eliot Loney 2012/05/15 20:11:26 (edited)

Yes

I was, wait I still am HEHEHE.

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anne.k.murphy 2012/05/15 20:11:17

Yes

+4
Psychopaths are born, not made. Not all psychopaths end up being serial killers though. Psychologists have discovered that psychopaths can often be found in politics and big business.

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Your friendly neighborhood ... 2012/05/15 20:06:41

Yes

+3
Mental issues come in all ages.

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4099aj to Your fr... 2012/05/15 21:21:57

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NinaDoctor 2012/05/15 20:01:03 (edited)

Yes

+1
It's who he is, I guess. Some people are born to be masterminds, but as children they don't know how to cope. I would call them genius, also. Beyond just smart. But yes, even children can be psychopaths.

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Professor Wizard 2012/05/15 19:56:20

Yes

+2
Some people are made a psychopath...

Others are BORN a psychopath... so those that are born a psychopath, age has nothing to do with it.

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Amy ♥ ... to Profess... 2012/05/15 21:00:23

+1
I dont think u can be MADE into a psychopath ... no offense ... someone can go on a psychotic rampage .. does not mean they were a psychopath by definition ...

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4099aj to Amy ♥ ... 2012/05/15 21:22:36

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dennisg40 2012/05/15 19:54:48

Yes

+4
Psychopath is not a term used much any more as it seems to be outdated but people like this now are called sociopaths and that means someone born without a consciense. So if people can grow and be a sociopath most likely they were that as a child.

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You Know IT 2012/05/15 19:46:01

Yes

+3
age means nothing when you are dealing with behavior. if anything though it'd be easier for a child to be a psychopath with all the influences on t.v and news, and movies and games, but i dont blame those of course it comes down to the parents and how they deal with their kid and the environment

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benjamin beggs 2012/05/15 19:44:09

Yes

+1
Anyone can be

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bob h. 2012/05/15 19:43:47

Yes

+1
Of course. It is what it is. The kid might go into politics; become the 2nd Karl Rove,

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4099aj to bob h. 2012/05/15 21:23:54

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LILY 2012/05/15 19:39:23

Yes

Yes!!!! when they have tendencies of hurting people "watch out!!" I think something goes or went wrong with their development. Really there is no Age that can be placed.

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relic 2012/05/15 19:35:52

Yes

+2

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Farnsworth to relic 2012/05/15 20:59:00

+1
OH SNAP!

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ellomotto 2012/05/15 19:21:44

Yes

+2
Jack and Roger...*shudders*

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Farnsworth to ellomotto 2012/05/15 21:01:04

+1
very disturbing.

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Stan Kapusta 2012/05/15 19:21:43

Yes

It doesn't discriminate age.

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Flamingolady 2012/05/15 19:19:17

No

I honestly have no idea if it is even possible to diagnose a 9 year old with a mental illness like this. There are instances, however that would warrant some sort of major mental illness diagnosis.

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MOMMA THOMAS 2012/05/15 19:18:00

Yes

+1
SERIOUS "BAD SEEDS," YES.

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Centrist_Bill 2012/05/15 19:17:02 (edited)

Yes

+1
Ive seen one and she was in the system by age 5 after stabbing someone. I cant wait to see if we get a Scientologist on this one!!!

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Incognito to Centris... 2012/05/16 15:54:23

https://whyweprotest.net/asse...

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Centris... to Incognito 2012/05/16 19:02:47

+1
LMAO. Thanks.

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Incognito to Centris... 2012/05/16 21:40:40

You're welcome.

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Brad Kirkegaard 2012/05/15 19:15:59

Yes

Most def I was one !!!!

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TruBluTopaz 2012/05/15 19:15:44

Yes

+2
Ted Bundy demonstrated such attitudes early as did other serial killers. Psychopaths and sociopaths have little if any empathy for others. They are the ultimate narcissists and will do or kill anyone or anything that gets in their way. I've only experienced one one time and I swear we will one day see that kid on American's Most Wanted or some similar show. He tracked down where my daughter worked and followed her to work and school. He would tell me he was going to date her. He was menacing and scary. Luckily my daughter's not a shy flower and she wouldn't put up with his antics.

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Stan Weinstein 2012/05/15 19:15:03

Yes

+2
I'll bet if Casy Anthony was diagnosed at 9 she would have been found to be a psychopath.

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Gahnzo 2012/05/15 19:14:34

Yes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?... ROCKY HORROR---EDDIE

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Nimara 2012/05/15 19:14:17

Yes

+1
Take a look at the parent...then look at the child...

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" DAMMITZ

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sue 2012/05/15 19:10:56

Yes

yes if its a brain disorder that a child is born with then its likely to reveal itself at an early age.

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Willski 2012/05/15 19:06:55

Yes

perfectly possible. and apparently applicable.

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Frank 2012/05/15 19:05:24

Yes

+1
Psychopath is just a word like Depression, Schizophrenia, Bi-polar, Anxiety, OCD, Split Personality, etc.. Each illness has specific symptons, and symptoms can overlap. For a Doctor to say he's a Psychopath is carrying it a little bit far out, especially when he's just 9 years old. They are all illnesses where the chemicals in the brain aren't transmitting correctly, thus causing symptoms, and based on the symptoms an evaluation is given by the doctor. In a lot of cases medication can help, and in some cases it doesn't.
Basically the kid is suffering with a mental illness that needs to be treated with proper medication, and family care.......

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DanC to Frank 2012/05/15 19:16:09

>>>ach illness has specific symptons, and symptoms can overlap. <<<
There's virtually zero science in psychiatry. All those illnesses are invented by a bunch of individual at the APA and voted into existence. Or out of existence, as it happened with homosexuality, due to lobby pressure.
Scientific medicine, doesn't work like that. You don't invent and don't vote real diseases like diabetes, cancer, infection with HIV into existence or out of existence. Also, you don't use relative and totally subjective concepts, like good, bad, somewhat stressful, less stressful, but clear measurements of real things, like blood pressure and so on.

It's really shocking to see how clueless most people are about science and medicine in general.

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Anariashki 2012/05/15 18:54:40

Yes

+1
We have this weird social tendency to both acknowledge children's abilities in our expectations of them and deny their agency in everything else. Some kids I know are master manipulators, way beyond the level of using cuteness to trick people into giving them stuff.

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DanC to Anariashki 2012/05/15 19:31:49

How about the social tendency to believe everything you're told if it comes from a perceived authority or it appears to have "common sense", without checking yourself whether it's true or not?

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suomynonA 2012/05/15 18:52:36

Yes

+1
"mask his dark side with calm, intelligent conversation"

Today I learned I am a psychopath too.

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Jimbo 2012/05/15 18:52:19

Yes

Sadists get pleasure from seeing other suffer. While psychopathic behavior in kids is rare, I'm sure it happens.

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Ray the Dog! 2012/05/15 18:49:06

Yes

+1
I am not a psychiatrist. However, I do believe that some children (and we all know of numerous examples we have read about))can display some very alarming behavioral traits -often from a very early age- that are definitely in need of professional help if they are to avoid possibly 'drifting into' full blown 'psychopathy'

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Kevin 2012/05/15 18:40:08

Yes

+1
Age has nothing to do with it. It seems to me that it is happening all too often these days.

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