What Is It Like to Be a Sociopath? “I Don’t Feel Guilt, Jealousy or Remorse"

This week I'm joined by Patric Gagne, author, self-identified sociopath and one of the most disarmingly honest voices on what it actually means to live with a personality most people fear and misunderstand.

We explore sociopathy, empathy, emotion and what understanding the sociopathic mind can teach all of us about how we think, feel and make decisions.

Patric Gagne is the author of Sociopath, a candid and surprisingly warm account of what life looks like from the inside of a personality disorder that pop culture has defined almost entirely through its most dangerous extremes. Unlike the sociopaths you see in crime dramas, Patric is self-aware, articulate and genuinely interested in changing the narrative around what sociopathy actually is and who it actually affects.

What we explore together:

What sociopathy actually is and why the pop culture version is almost entirely wrong
Why not all sociopaths are dangerous and what the spectrum really looks like
The difference between inherent emotions and social emotions and why it matters
Why Patric doesn't need guilt or shame to know right from wrong
How sociopaths experience relationships, love and connection differently
What the sociopathic mind can teach neurotypical people about emotional regulation
What it means to live well as someone whose brain works fundamentally differently

Love, Sarah Ann 💛

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction02:55 What sociopathy actually is and what it isn't05:54 Why sociopaths don't need guilt to know right from wrong09:07 The difference between inherent and social emotions12:00 How Patric learned to understand empathy15:04 What relationships look like for a sociopath18:00 Love, connection and what Patric actually feels21:02 How Patric masks and why24:08 The sociopathy spectrum and where most people fall27:04 What the most dangerous sociopaths have in common30:05 Can sociopathy be treated or changed33:02 What neurotypical people can learn from sociopaths36:00 Decision making without emotional interference39:07 Patric's childhood and when she first noticed she was different42:00 How Patric manages relationships long term45:08 What sociopathy looks like in the workplace48:00 The ethics of sociopathy51:07 Fear, risk and how Patric experiences danger54:06 What Patric actually wants from life57:07 What living well means to a sociopath60:00 Final thoughts on understanding ourselves better