Understanding Personality Disorder and Pathways to Support
Some people struggle or have trouble recognising how their actions impact others. For some individuals, persistent patterns of behaviour can include disregarding rules, laws, and the rights of other people.
According to Healthdirect Australia, people with antisocial personality disorder may not care about rules, the law or the rights of other people, and they usually don’t feel bad for what they do. People with antisocial personality disorder are sometimes called ‘psychopaths’. They typically do not seek help on their own. Psychotherapy can be helpful for people with antisocial personality disorder, particularly when support focuses on behaviour patterns, relationships, and long-term coping strategies.
Antisocial personality patterns can vary between individuals. According to WayAhead, common symptoms and behavioural traits may include:
- Deceitfulness
- Non Conformity
- Impulsivity
- Aggression
- Irresponsibility
These behaviours can affect relationships, work, and daily functioning. People with these patterns may not experience guilt or remorse in the ways others do, and may find it hard to form trusting connections. Support can help not by “fixing” people, but by offering practical strategies to support emotional well-being, self-reflection, and healthier interaction with others.
Psychological support for antisocial personality disorder focuses on increasing awareness of behaviour and its impact, understanding emotional patterns, and gradually learning alternative ways of connecting with others. Psychotherapy does not “cure” someone, but it offers a framework for reflection, self-understanding, and skills development.
Therapy may explore:
- emotional awareness and regulation
- developing empathy and perspective-taking
- coping strategies for stress and impulsive urges
- patterns of thought, behaviour, and relationship cycles
Some people with antisocial personality traits also choose to engage a psychiatrist to explore whether medication alongside therapy might help manage co-occurring symptoms.
Psychologists Experienced in Alcohol Use Concerns
How This May Affect Everyday Life
Individuals with antisocial traits may interact with others in ways that feel threatening, dismissive, or unpredictable. This can lead to:
- Conflict or difficulty in relationships, including with partners, family and friends
- Struggling with authority, rules, or expectations in social or work settings
- Legal or financial problems arising from risky or impulsive decisions
- Tension within families or caregiving relationships
Family members and partners may experience ongoing stress, confusion, or worry about safety and well-being. In these cases, family-based support approaches can be important. For support in navigating relational strain, you may find Family Counselling helpful. Couples and connection challenges can be explored further at our Psychological Support for Relationships and Connection page.
When Antisocial Traits Intersect with Other Emotional Patterns
Patterns associated with antisocial behaviour can co-occur with other emotional experiences. For example:
- Aggressive responses when things do not go their way may link with difficulties managing anger. Support for this is outlined at Anger Management Psychology.
- Difficulties in regulating mood or responding to pressure may interact with experiences of stress, which can be supported through Stress Support or Relaxation Training to support nervous system regulation.
- Underlying self-esteem and identity patterns can also play a role, and strengthening a sense of self-worth is a focus of Self-Esteem and Self-Worth Support.
Where emotional and behavioural patterns co-exist with other mental health concerns, integrative support can be valuable.
Relationships, Peers, and Social Patterns
People whose behaviour shows disregard for others’ rights or feelings may find friendships, intimate relationships, and workplace relationships especially challenging. Difficulties connecting or sustaining mutual trust can be supported within a therapeutic context that focuses on understanding patterns of behaviour and building alternative approaches.
Support for interpersonal challenges is available through Psychological Support for Peer Relationship Difficulty.
Supporting Parents, Families and Children
When a family member shows persistent patterns of behaviour that affect the household, it can be stressful for partners, parents, caregivers and children. Therapy can help family members understand behavioural patterns, improve safety and connection, and reduce stress for everyone.
Parenting strategies and support are available through our Psychological Support for Parenting page.
If concerns involve children or adolescents who are impacted by broader family dynamics, specialised support may be found on our Child Psychology and Children and Adolescent Psychology service pages.
