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There have been many studies on the attributes of a psychopath. Not yawning when another person yawns. Proneness to boredom. Being charming. Impulsive. And the list goes on. But with such a broad, sometimes vague list, how do you really differentiate between an actual psychopath and a person who, well, is just an odd little dumpling?

I came across an article recently that spoke about the characteristics of a psychopath, and I couldn’t help thinking – wait, some of these traits seem very similar to my personality. Does that mean I’m a psychopath?!

Case in point. I love me some black coffee, but preferring the bitter taste over a sweet taste is an indication of psychopathy. There’s also getting bored easily and having trouble maintaining a routine. That’s basically my life right there!

Another trait is being anti-social as a child. Do you ever see a quiet little kid in the corner who just sits and stares at what’s happening around them and avoids interactions with other kids unless basically being forced to – yea, I’m still living that life. Also, having a series of short-term relationships is another sign. Well… in my defense I got bored easily, but they were filled with good times, I swear!

Even my career choice of journalism couldn’t get away. Psychopaths are said to gravitate towards such jobs as CEO, lawyer, media (TV/radio), salesperson, journalist, police officer, surgeon, clergy person, civil servant and chef. This is because these jobs offer the opportunity to revel in power and be objective in their decision-making without needing to resort to feelings, so they’re drawn to those roles. Understandable I guess. But a chef, really?

There’s also taking  too many selfies. This one doesn’t apply to me, I find it rubbish. However, I do see a lot of selfies online. Actually, I know quite a few people who, when you look through their phone (don’t ask how i ended up looking through their phones or why), have over a hundred selfies in random poses. Does that make them psychopathic, or narcissistic, or… a psychopathic narcissist?!

After reading these studies I can’t help but look at these people a bit more closely when we’re hanging out. Sometimes i’d catch myself pretending to stifle a yawn just to see if they’d yawn back. I’d also find myself thinking back through my history with them to see if they’d been a rash, impulsive person who is secretly heartless. Were there any drowned puppies that I missed?!

Of course, the list of traits goes on and on. You can have a look here and see how many of these characteristics you can tick off.

Mind you, it wouldn’t just be one thing that ties a person to being referred to as a psychopath as there would have to be other attributes that add to the whole scope of things. But, how do we know? How do we know?

There’s a certain level of paranoia, misconceptions and judginess that goes along with having certain immediate information at our disposal. I may possibly be one of those paranoid, judgy ones. 

Still, take a closer look at yourself and those around you, dear friends, as you or someone you know could possibly be a psychopath. But hey, who am I to judge, I could be one too.