Description
Senior Sociopaths — How to recognize and escape lifelong abusers
By Donna Andersen, author of Lovefraud.com
What happens when sociopaths turn 50? The conventional wisdom among mental health professionals is that they burn out and no longer engage in antisocial behavior. It’s not true. Senior Sociopaths proves that sociopathic deceit and manipulation continues — or becomes worse — as the perpetrators get older.
Senior Sociopaths is the first book to examine antisocial behavior in the over-50 crowd. This is a far bigger problem than anyone realizes. In America, 14 million people over age 50 could be diagnosed with antisocial, narcissistic, borderline or histrionic personality disorders, or psychopathy. They are not locked up in jails or mental institutions. They live among us, scamming and abusing almost everyone in their lives.
This book is written for the millions of people who are trying to get along with a supposedly mature romantic partner, spouse, parent, family member, work colleague or neighbor, but face never-ending turmoil. It reveals hundreds of stories of shocking deceit and manipulation. Readers will learn that they’re not alone and they’re not crazy — they’re dealing with disorder. Readers will also learn how to escape and recover from the abuse.
“While the purpose is to debunk the myth that sociopaths ‘burn out’ in their senior years, this book is a must read for anyone interested in learning more about sociopathy at any age.” — Tiffany Kettermann, LPC, LMHC, MPA, MA
Senior Sociopaths is based on surveys of nearly 2,400 people who lived through the damage inflicted by these disordered people over age 50. They tell shocking, detailed stories about their entanglements, and offer advice on how to escape and recover.
The author, Donna Andersen, herself married a senior sociopath, although she didn’t know it at first. This man took $227,500 from her, cheated with six different women during their 2.5-year relationship, had a child with one of the women, and then 10 days after she left him, married the mother of the child. It was the second time he committed bigamy. Donna tells the whole wild story in her first book, “Love Fraud,” which was awarded five stars by the Midwest Book review. Because of her experience, Donna founded Lovefraud.com, which teaches people how to recognize and recover from these disordered individuals.
Senior sociopaths exist. They blend right into our society. And they continue their abusive behavior until the day they die.
Thoroughly understanding this will enable readers to make the best decisions to move forward in their own lives.
emilie18 –
Donna’s new book is “Senior Sociopaths — “How to recognize and escape lifelong abusers” . I highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with the misconceptions that “things will get better” as the abuser ages. I can testify that abusers hone their craft and only get better at what they do – lying, manipulating, gaslighting, belittling, verbal, emotional and physical abuse of all kinds. They have been doing these things for over 50 years – they are very adept. Donna does an amazing job of describing these abusers using the words of the people who have been victimized and of those who have found a way out. She covers many topics and bases all her conclusions on surveys and statistical data. Whether one is married to, dating, a child of, a step parent to, a friend of, or working with a disordered person she covers it with examples and explanations and great advice. I strongly recommend you read this book, and share it with anyone involved with a disordered person.
In fact, anyone over 50 (and even those younger!) will find it a fascinating and informative read. Thank you Donna – this is a MUCH needed book!
eleanoreliza1234 –
Imagine a well-groomed Senior, gray hair beautifully coiffed, delicately turning the Obituary pages of the local community paper as she sips her café latte. There she is, on the prowl in a new town for her next victim. “Ahhh, here’s a likely candidate,” she smiles, noting the name of a recent widower. Next, she looks him up in her well-practiced ways. After all, he has to qualify. All too soon she just happens to bump into him and sooner still, swallows her prey along with his house, wallet, and happiness. This is but one of the true stories provided in this riveting book authored by Donna Andersen, an expert in sociopathy who established her educational forum, Lovefraud.com, in 2005.
Not a fairy tale, but lived history, the author’s goal in writing Senior Sociopaths is clear – prevention of the destructiveness, the horror, and the grief caused by callous, unrepentant wolves in sheep’s clothing who couldn’t care less about you, your anguish, or your trauma.
Lovefraud.com, an organization dedicated to educating those impacted by conscienceless, unrepentant sociopaths, emphatically contested a published and hazardous notion endorsed by some psychologists, that sociopaths become less dangerous as they age; that they burn out and calm down. Alarmed at such harmful information, Lovefraud.com responded with a detailed peer-reviewed scientific survey based on senior sociopath data and designed several surveys to which over 2000 victims generously responded with their personal testimonies. The result is a unique, from-the-ground-up collaboration by victims of sociopaths who prove, without a doubt, there’s no ‘gentle aging’ by a sociopath.
Read details about the conscienceless nature of the sociopath, their calculated predation, their ability to make you look like the bad guy so effectively that you even doubt yourself. Learn about their capacity to lie and malign you, your children, (including their own kids) your family and friends, your doctor, your nursing home staff, and your lawyer. Yes, they may look ‘normal’ but they are missing a central ingredient to render them humane, namely, a conscience. Triumphant, there’s no shame about their ill-gotten gains. Their deceit is rewarded with a free ride in every evil way imaginable, including financial gain, your alienation from your children, quick – or slow – death, and even concealed murder. Not every criminal act is caught in this world, particularly when a perpetrator has years of well-honed expertise.
Brilliant, educational, and essential, these riveting personal testimonies detail what young sociopaths become as they age…. not milder and worn out, but sharper, dangerous, and worse.
The author underscores that no one hoodwinked by a charismatic, charming snake is to blame in any way. Never. Every victim is stunned, surprised, shocked, and appalled beyond human belief to realize the truth, that they’re trauma-bonded or ‘in love’ with or otherwise enmeshed with a sociopathic user and abuser. The costs are incalculable. For those without sources of education, their capture can be life-long.
The author does point out, however, that the bright red cloaks of those who’ve been neglected and abused as children are easily spotted by sociopaths, who, with their laser-sharp vision, notice their prey’s eagerness to share kindness with those who also ‘claim’ to have been similarly abused, hurt, or abandoned.
Be forewarned – the wolfe can spot your warm beating heart a mile away!
Even though I’ve read a ton about sociopathy, I nevertheless learned so much more in Senior Sociopaths. I felt comforted by all the authentic Lovefraud contributors who, like the author, Donna Andersen, know more because they’ve ‘been there!’ Read Senior Sociopaths – a riveting, and excellent educational warning!
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Senior Sociopaths helped my children understand the scope of their father’s mental disorders and the strategies needed to protect themselves from further devastation. It also enabled them to understand they are not alone in this battle. Thanks!!
Suzanne (verified owner) –
This book is very informative, and helpful in understanding toxic behavior, and ridding the source from one’s life.