Symptom Of Apd example essay topic

The true epidemiology of APD is unclear due to the nature of deceitfulness involved causing it to remain hidden in many people who have it. Also, many people who might be considered to have APD may only be exhibiting some aspects of antisocial behavior. In addition, not all people with APD will commit the violent crimes that ultimately reveal them. Currently, some experts believe that as much as 20% of the population of the U.S. may suffer from some type of mental illness. A more conservative estimate is about 12 - 15% when researchers narrowed their focus to only those having clusters of symptoms that occur over extended periods and actually impair a persons ability to function. APD has been found to occur in roughly 3% of males in the U.S. and about 1% of females.

In prison populations, however, APD is found to be evident in as much as 75% overall, with about 80% of male prisoners and about 65% of female prisoners having it. Individuals in lower income brackets and those residing in inner cities also tend to have higher incidence rates. Many other disorders are associated with and often confused with APD. Substance Abuse Disorder is one of the often confused disorders because the influence of drugs or alcohol can be a temporary cause of antisocial behavior. Conversely, substance abuse can be a symptom of APD. Therefore, in treating substance abuse, a determination of earlier antisocial behavior or Conduct Disorder in childhood must be made before a diagnosis of APD can be rendered.

Also, Schizophrenic or Manic episodes that include that include some antisocial behavior cannot be declared APD unless the symptoms are present at other times. Narcissistic, Histrionic, Borderline and Paranoid Personality Disorders also closely resemble APD, however each seems to lack the aggression factor that APD carries (again this can include things such as con games and does not necessarily mean violence). Other associated disorders include Depressive, Anxiety, Somatiform and Pathological Gambling Disorder. These can be experienced in addition to APD. Once again though, each of these on its own will lack the aggression seen in APD. As with so many mental disorders, there seems to be no single, clear cause or origin of APD.

Extensive research has been done and continues to be done but to little avail as of yet. However, some theories have developed. In the study of adopted children with APD and other disorders, both biological and environmental factors are indicated. Neglect or abuse in early, formative years causing attachment problems, broken trust issues and failure to learn how to give or receive love would appear to be a glaring cause. Especially when we think in terms of the disregard of the rights or feelings of others being a symptom of APD. Abuse has also been shown to cause violence in many adults who endured it as a child.

Neglect could also encompass the lack of moral teaching as a child being an origin of failure to follow societal norms and ignoring laws as an adult. Having parents who were substance abusers also appears to offer up a greater risk for developing APD, considering that those who are alcoholics or drug addicts are most often abusive or neglectful. Speaking as an adult child of an alcoholic parent I obviously do not have APD and can therefore deduce that there must be a combination of causes. Biological factors under consideration include inheriting a predisposition for APD, abnormalities in the brain and even physiological changes in the brain due to neglect. In the adopted child study, those who were adopted out from biological parents who had APD or other disorders still maintained the risk of development although, in this case, being adopted into an environment of nurturing lessened it. Some abnormality in the development of the brain and / or central nervous system is also suspect due to a study that showed persons with APD have lower electrical conductance of the skin in response to situations that would cause fear in a normal person.

Differences in the frontal and parietal lobes of some violent offenders studied in 1977 in Texas are thought to be yet another possibility in causing APD.