Antisocial behavior is characterized in much the same way as psychopathy or sociopathy. Some studies report that harsh or inconsistent parenting can be a risk factor for antisocial behavior. [1] X Trustworthy Source Official UK government website Official website for the public sector of the UK government Go to source People who exhibit antisocial personalities tend to be cynical and unable to empathize with others, or recognize the suffering of others. Antisocial behavior is sometimes characterized by superficial charm, an inflated ego, and a general disdain for the feelings of other people. [2] X Research source Introverted behavior is a sign of a normal social temperament, characterized by a preference for solitude. Introverts are task-oriented, and typically more engaged in solitary reflection and less engaged by interacting with others. While introverts may seem to display some of the superficial characteristics of antisocial behavior, there is no direct link between the two. [3] X Research source
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Instead of going home and chatting with friends on Facebook or going out, do your homework, or come up with new ideas for streamlining processes at work. Better yet, stay late at the office, or head to the library to study. Work-obsessions don’t actually have to be work or school related. Find topics or hobbies that interest you and get lost in them. Spend your evenings building model trains or writing code or making synth epics instead of socializing.
If you live with your parents, make your room your sanctuary. Fill it with posters, books, and other decorations that you like and that will make you feel like it’s yours. Hang a “Do Not Enter” sign on the door and keep it sacred. If you live with roommates, try keeping your room as self-sufficient as possible, so you can avoid the common areas, if necessary. Get a mini-fridge for food and drink supplies, and get a hotplate, if possible. If you live alone, take the time to decorate your apartment or house the way you like it. If nobody else is going to be around, sometimes we think there’s no point in sprucing it up, but take the extra effort to make being home something special. Make it you.
Go to the library to sit and read the paper, instead of getting it delivered to your house. This is a solitary activity, but you can do it in public and get a little people-watching in to feel like you’re not completely alone. Go out to eat occasionally and sit at the bar alone. Bring a book, if you’re concerned about feeling embarrassed, even though there’s no need to be sheepish.
If you’re an outdoorsy type, get a dog to take with you on hikes and enjoy brisk walks together in the evenings. If you’re more of an indoors person, get a cat to curl up on your chest while you’re trying to work on the computer. If you don’t want the commitment of a bigger pet, consider a caged animal like a rabbit, bird, or other small furry pet that’s a little easier to care for.
Used closed body-language when you’re in public to communicate that you don’t want to be approached or engaged. Cross your arms, avoid eye-contact, and keep like you’re focused on something else. Don’t volunteer information about yourself, if it isn’t necessary. Be vague about who you are, what you do, and where you come from. If people ask you questions about your personal life, change the subject.
Don’t have birthday parties for yourself, spend time with a close friend, hanging out at home, or having dinner. If you’re invited to a party, make contact with the host and tell them you can’t come, but invite them for a one-on-one hang-out, if necessary. If you choose to date, make sure to be honest with people. If you’re dating someone who likes to hang out with people on a regular basis, that might be a deal-breaker for both of you. To combat social anxiety, try to understand the origins of that anxiety. Think about the variables that make this anxiety better or worse. Maybe you prefer less crowded environments to interact. You might find you are at your best when playing games with people you like. You should not treat social anxiety by avoiding it. The path through social anxiety can be like building muscle. You start with something light and manageable and build a progression to work toward your goal.
Make your other online accounts as various and randomized as possible, to keep yourself anonymous. Don’t use the same user names and passwords, and don’t use your real name to register for things. You’re not being anti-social if you stay at home on the occasional Friday night, live-Tweeting your TV binge. Increasingly, our social lives exist online, and if you want to keep people out of your business, you need to stay out of their business as well. No more Facebook snooping.
Google is your friend. If you don’t know how to do something, research it and try to figure it out on your own. At least get informed about topics before you take it to an expert, or someone who’s more experienced. You don’t have to interact with people at the body shop if you can change your oil properly, rotate your tires, and do other basic vehicle maintenance. You don’t need to go the farmer’s market if you can grow your own vegetables in your garden.
If you feel like someone’s too much in your inner life, encroaching on your solitude, cut it off abruptly, at least for a time, to put some distance back into things. In general, it’s helpful to live alone, so you’ve always got a home-base to return to. Of course, in the movie, De Niro gets too close to someone and rethinks everything. It happens, and it’s hard to be truly antisocial in the longterm.
Moving around also serves to help keep your life lively and interesting. If you live in the same house all the time, never see new people, and nothing changes, being antisocial could get pretty boring.
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People with antisocial personality disorder will often display an inability to show remorse, which can be a serious problem, and a distinct difference from introverts who apologize too much. If you’re actually unable to feel sorry for someone, it’s a sign of a serious psychological problem. If you think your antisocial behavior may be a problem and you wish to change, seek counseling immediately.
If you struggle to make friends in school, things can be a lot more challenging. Try to find a small group of people that you trust and enjoy to spend time with. Often, people who struggle with antisocial tendencies can thrive with a good group of friends. The “popular” kids at your school don’t make for ideal friends in every case. Ignore them and make a different group of friends. Antisocial teenagers commonly describe a disdain for the popular crowd, and it’s always more healthy to ignore that scene as much as possible.
Avoid group projects and collaborative efforts, which can cause conflicts for people with antisocial tendencies. Do your own work. Nod and smile to authority figures. You don’t have to like your boss, but if you want to keep your job, you need to keep your feelings under control. Avoid awkward confrontations. Have a variety of other hobbies and interests outside of work. If work proves to be a challenging social environment, make friends and spend time doing lots of things outside of work to help keep your personal time busy and engaged.
Do a quick run through the party, stay long enough for a snack and a free drink, make a break for the bathroom, then ditch out the backdoor and make your getaway. If you can’t sneak away, make up an excuse to leave, or don’t. You don’t owe anyone an explanation more complicated than, “Well, I’ve got to get going. Good party!”
Fake a phone conversation, if you need to. You don’t need to be a great actor to pick up your phone and say, “Mmhmm. . . yeah” once every 20 seconds or so.
Repeatedly lying or conning others Failing to plan for the future Overly aggressive behavior and recklessness Inability to keep a job Lack of remorse for behaviors
