• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Lovefraud | Escape sociopaths – narcissists in relationships

How to recognize and recover from everyday sociopaths - narcissists

  • Search
  • Cart
  • My Account
  • Contact
  • Register
  • Log in
  • Search
  • Cart
  • My Account
  • Contact
  • Register
  • Log in
  • About
  • Talk to Donna
  • Videos
  • Store
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • News
  • Podcasts
  • Webinars
  • About
  • Talk to Donna
  • Videos
  • Store
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • News
  • Podcasts
  • Webinars

Lovefraud Blog

You are here: Home / Lovefraud Blog

BodyMind

February 13, 2008 //  by DrSteve//  54 Comments

Last week I asked whether there might be physical consequences to life with a psychopath. Judging from the many and fascinating reader responses it seems that many people suspect that these relationships have indeed affected their health. Boldily pains, chronic anxiety, eating disorders, weight fluctuations, difficulties with sleep, headaches - all these and more either started or worsened at the time of the relationships. Some ailments straight away resolved themselves when the relationship ended, others linger. Before I give a brief conceptualisation of a linkage between life events and physical health I must clarify terms. I am not talking here about hypochondria, imagining and and …

BodyMindRead More

Category: Recovery from a sociopath

If you’re vulnerable, sociopaths will pounce

February 11, 2008 //  by Donna Andersen//  141 Comments

Last week Lovefraud posted a new True Lovefraud Story about a con artist named Dennis SanSeverino. The creep pretended to be loving and rich long enough to convince his victim to trust him. Then he took her home and inheritance. This story is a classic case of a sociopath targeting the vulnerable. When the victim, Trish Rynn, met SanSeverino, she had just endured a difficult breakup with her boyfriend. In the months that they got to know each other—Rynn initially refused his many dinner invitations—he must have been listening intently as she chatted about her life. Rynn's ex-husband was physically abusive. After the marriage ended, Rynn spent 10 years in court fighting child custody and …

If you’re vulnerable, sociopaths will pounceRead More

Category: Explaining the sociopath

Retired racers, PTSD and depression

February 8, 2008 //  by Liane Leedom, M.D.//  33 Comments

In the beginning of January, our family took in a foster child. This boy is a 3-year-old retired racing greyhound. His behavior over the last 6 weeks has reminded me of my own journey of healing and teaches us about the biologic nature of psychological symptoms. There is no doubt that this poor boy suffers from PTSD. Furthermore, the PTSD has caused depression and has prevented him from being able to enjoy his life. As part of a conscious program to teach empathy and caretaking to the children, we've fostered many dogs over the last 4 years. Although each dog had a sad story to tell, none came with the combination of symptoms Mr. Goodstuff suffered. I have never seen a dog as fearful …

Retired racers, PTSD and depressionRead More

Category: Recovery from a sociopath

Might there be physical consequences to life with a psychopath?

February 6, 2008 //  by DrSteve//  82 Comments

Several readers of Lovefraud have mentioned medical problems that arose in their lives with psychopaths. These readers are convinced that the psychological stress and pain of these relationships translated themselves into physical ailments. Some of these symptoms disappeared when the psychopath disappeared, some didn't. Here are a few recent comments: When I parted from him, physically I felt so raw and sore, I looked like I had been in a boxing ring. My health was poor and I couldnt even have the osteopath touch me, I said I felt like I had been stabbed all over. All though he never laid a finger on me, he gave me plenty of mental and emotional abuse. I have a feeling its 2 years of being …

Might there be physical consequences to life with a psychopath?Read More

Category: Recovery from a sociopath

Sociopaths and sex: neither straight nor gay

February 4, 2008 //  by Donna Andersen//  171 Comments

Many women have written to Lovefraud about husbands who they've come to believe are sociopaths. They were astounded to discover that, not only was the husband cheating, but he was having sex with men. Lovefraud reader eyeswideshut writes about this in a recent comment to the post, After he's gone: looking at the sociopath through open eyes. She asks:   Now that I know he is also gay, is sociopathic tendency in married gay men not common as well? When I read the stories of the women in the book ("Straight Wives"), many of the men sound like sociopaths as well. Have you studied this phenomenon? Is it possible that gay men who choose to live the lie of married life are likely also …

Sociopaths and sex: neither straight nor gayRead More

Category: Explaining the sociopath

When the sociopath is gone: Pain is temporary

February 3, 2008 //  by M.L. Gallagher//  331 Comments

Lance Armstrong said, “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” When I was in an abusive relationship with a sociopath, the pain was overwhelming. I quit trying to get through it and gave into it. I quit and felt like it would last forever. "Nothing lasts forever - not even your troubles" so said psychologist, Arnold H. Glasgow. Trouble is, when I'm in trouble I 'always' think in absolutes, like never and forever. When I'm in never and forever land, I tell myself tomorrow is too far away to even bother caring about what happens today. I tell myself …

When the sociopath is gone: Pain is temporaryRead More

Category: Recovery from a sociopath

Aristotle: Sociopath or Machiavellian?

February 2, 2008 //  by Liane Leedom, M.D.//  6 Comments

This week, I am departing from the usual and sharing an essay written by someone else. My daughter turned 17 this week and is applying to start college early. I have often felt sorry for her because she has had to endure my pontificating on the nature of humanness. As part of her application she was asked to comment on a quote from Aristotle. I was shocked at the level of insight she had into the implications of the quote. I was mostly surprised that her response indicates she does indeed listen when I speak! She wrote this essay without any help from me. It sounds like Aristotle was rather like a sociopath, or in the very least, like a Machiavellian in his views. I'll let you …

Aristotle: Sociopath or Machiavellian?Read More

Category: Explaining the sociopath

Iagoism: Or, passive aggression is still aggression

January 30, 2008 //  by DrSteve//  27 Comments

In Shakespeare's Othello, perhaps the most unwatchable/watchable play there is, Othello murders his wife Desdemona believing as he does that she has cheated on him with Casio. It's an awful business; for one thing, she's entirely innocent. How does it come about that noble Othello's moral vision is so entirely clouded that he commits this heinous act? Well, he needed some help in breaking that terrible taboo. The help comes from Iago who subtly poisons Othello's mind. Two questions emerge: How does Iago do it and why? Let's start with the second question first. Why does Iago destroy Othello (and Desdemona too, let's not forget)? This question has puzzled scholars through the ages. Iago …

Iagoism: Or, passive aggression is still aggressionRead More

Category: Seduced by a sociopath

When dealing with a sociopath, you must save yourself

January 29, 2008 //  by Donna Andersen//  22 Comments

Yesterday was a tough day at Lovefraud. First thing in the morning, I got a call from a woman I'd spoken to before. She was hysterical. From what she'd told me previously, it sounded like she was dealing with three sociopaths—her husband, her oldest son, and a guy she had an affair with. Initially, her husband had condoned the affair. Then he left her. Then he returned. Then he smeared her with her family and friends. The oldest son was violent. "You have to get out," I advised. "I don't have any money," she whined. "My husband hid the checkbook." "Is your name on the account?" I asked. "Yes." "Then go to the bank, withdraw money and leave." Then she started telling m …

When dealing with a sociopath, you must save yourselfRead More

Category: Explaining the sociopath

Questions that best identify sociopathy in a person

January 25, 2008 //  by Liane Leedom, M.D.//  67 Comments

It really bothers me that researchers haven't developed a measure to help people figure out if their loved ones are sociopathic. Instead, measures have been developed and the public is told NOT to use them to “diagnose” anyone. What good is research if it doesn't teach people how to protect themselves? It would not be too difficult to identify a group of sociopaths, then determine a few easy questions related to the disorder most of the sociopaths answer yes or no to (that is sensitivity). The questions would be even better if non-sociopaths were unlikely to give the same response (that is specificity). In a recent study (Comp. Psych. 48, 529), Dr. Heather Gelhorn and her colleagues from th …

Questions that best identify sociopathy in a personRead More

Category: Explaining the sociopath, Scientific research

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 299
  • Page 300
  • Page 301
  • Page 302
  • Page 303
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 321
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Shortcuts to Lovefraud information

Shortcuts to the Lovefraud information you're looking for:

Explaining everyday sociopaths

Is your partner a sociopath?

How to leave or divorce a sociopath

Recovery from a sociopath

Senior Sociopaths

Love Fraud - Donna Andersen's story

Share your story and help change the world

Lovefraud Blog Recent Comments

  • recovery46 on LETTERS TO LOVEFRAUD: He assured me he would never, could never hurt me like that again: “Bernice—it’s 2025 and my experience with the spath was EXACTLY the same! I kept rereading bc all the details were…”
  • sept4 on LETTERS TO LOVEFRAUD: Letting go of monetary justice is releasing the ties that bind: “This is what I actually struggle with most now that I am a decade out of divorce. I did not…”
  • Donna Andersen on 10 Crucial strategies for leaving the sociopath: “Good point! Thank you”
  • sept4 on 10 Crucial strategies for leaving the sociopath: “All very true and very good advice. I would like to add that too can always call police if you…”
  • eleanoreliza1234 on When bad behavior shows symptoms, not flaws  : “What a beautifully composed response by Emilie 18! Reassuring to know that others have experienced the same. Thank you, Emilie.”

Lovefraud Blog categories

  • Explaining sociopaths
    • Female sociopaths
    • Scientific research
    • Workplace sociopaths
    • Book reviews
  • Seduced by a sociopath
    • Targeted Teens and 20s
  • Sociopaths and family
    • Law and court
  • Recovery from a sociopath
    • Spiritual and energetic recovery
    • For children of sociopaths
    • For parents of sociopaths
  • Letters to Lovefraud and Spath Tales
    • Media sociopaths
  • Lovefraud Continuing Education

Footer

Inside Lovefraud

  • Author profiles
  • Blog categories
  • Post archives by year
  • Media coverage
  • Press releases
  • Visitor agreement

Your Lovefraud

  • Register for Lovefraud.com
  • Sign up for the Lovefraud Newsletter
  • How to comment
  • Guidelines for comments
  • Become a Lovefraud CE Affiliate
  • Lovefraud Affiliate Dashboard
  • Contact Lovefraud
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2025 Lovefraud | Escape sociopaths - narcissists in relationships · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme