Surviving the Female Psychopath

Psychopathy

Craving Love Can Produce a Toxic Relationship

Winifred Rule on June 9, 2025

Craving love can create a toxic relationship with a psychopath. This can happen within close family relationships—partner to partner, parent to child, or even child to parent.

Craving love can create a toxic relationship with a psychopath. This can happen within close family relationships—partner to partner, parent to child, or even child to parent.

Psychopathy

The Psychopathy Checklist's Use in the Legal System

Winifred Rule on May 12, 2025

The violent risk potential of a criminal can be measured using the Psychopathy Checklist developed by Robert D. Hare. This measure affects bail, sentencing, parole, and more.

The violent risk potential of a criminal can be measured using the Psychopathy Checklist developed by Robert D. Hare. This measure affects bail, sentencing, parole, and more.

Psychopathy

Beware of Power Struggles With Psychopaths

Winifred Rule on April 10, 2025

Power struggles with psychopaths are guaranteed to trigger confusion and pain, as the psychopath uses deceit and other tactics to dominate, control, and win.

Power struggles with psychopaths are guaranteed to trigger confusion and pain, as the psychopath uses deceit and other tactics to dominate, control, and win.

Psychopathy

Deception: The Psychopath's Major Tool

Winifred Rule on March 7, 2025

The female psychopath employs various ruses and schemes as she deceives unwitting targets. Flamboyance plus seduction or use of a "poor me" attitude and demeanor are typical.

The female psychopath employs various ruses and schemes as she deceives unwitting targets. Flamboyance plus seduction or use of a "poor me" attitude and demeanor are typical.

Psychopathy

A Psychopath's Victim Often Stands Alone

Winifred Rule on February 10, 2025

Faced with the lies of the scheming psychopath, many victims of psychopaths often find that they are alone, unbelieved, and even scorned by those who believe the psychopath's lies.

Faced with the lies of the scheming psychopath, many victims of psychopaths often find that they are alone, unbelieved, and even scorned by those who believe the psychopath's lies.

Psychopathy

Why Is It So Hard to Spot a Psychopath?

Winifred Rule on January 13, 2025

The psychopath preys on others like a spider entrapping its prey in a web. The psychopath can be so convincing that people are duped by this most persuasive and fluent liar.

The psychopath preys on others like a spider entrapping its prey in a web. The psychopath can be so convincing that people are duped by this most persuasive and fluent liar.

Jealousy

Envy Fuels the Psychopath

Winifred Rule on December 3, 2024

Envy, not jealousy, drives much psychopathic behavior. When a psychopath acts out of envy and succeeds in dominating someone or acquiring something, she quickly bores once done.

Envy, not jealousy, drives much psychopathic behavior. When a psychopath acts out of envy and succeeds in dominating someone or acquiring something, she quickly bores once done.

Psychopathy

Are Psychopaths Fearless?

Winifred Rule on November 11, 2024

Multiple factors shape what most see as a psychopath's fearlessness.

Multiple factors shape what most see as a psychopath's fearlessness.

Psychopathy

The Direct and Indirect Costs of Psychopaths on Society

Winifred Rule on October 15, 2024

The cost of psychopathic damage is exorbitant and largely incalculable, although estimates of direct costs in the U.S. approach $1.6 trillion annually.

The cost of psychopathic damage is exorbitant and largely incalculable, although estimates of direct costs in the U.S. approach $1.6 trillion annually.

Psychopathy

'Baby Jane': Sibling Rivalry or Psychopathy?

Winifred Rule on September 9, 2024

In "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?," the emotional and psychological torture inflicted by Jane on her sister, Blanche, is vintage psychopathy.

In "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?," the emotional and psychological torture inflicted by Jane on her sister, Blanche, is vintage psychopathy.

Psychopathy

Signs of Psychopathic Behavior in Childhood

Winifred Rule on August 6, 2024

Signs of psychopathic behavior often emerge early in childhood and may even be evident in the behavior of some infants.

Signs of psychopathic behavior often emerge early in childhood and may even be evident in the behavior of some infants.

Psychopathy

The Fate of Children With Psychopathic Mothers

Winifred Rule on July 16, 2024

Psychopathic mothers can cause physical injury, emotional turmoil, and psychological anguish. Not even the prospect of death changes how they relate to their adult children.

Psychopathic mothers can cause physical injury, emotional turmoil, and psychological anguish. Not even the prospect of death changes how they relate to their adult children.

Psychopathy

Is Psychopathy Treatable?

Winifred Rule on June 3, 2024

Much confusion exists about the treatability of psychopathy. What underlies this confusion—and are there treatment options that may provide benefit to the individual and society?

Much confusion exists about the treatability of psychopathy. What underlies this confusion—and are there treatment options that may provide benefit to the individual and society?

Psychopathy

The Challenge of Self-Diagnosis Among Psychopaths

Winifred Rule on May 7, 2024

Psychopathy is a serious diagnosis and it is wrong to minimize this most dangerous personality disorder, so beware of "good" or "reformed" psychopaths.

Psychopathy is a serious diagnosis and it is wrong to minimize this most dangerous personality disorder, so beware of "good" or "reformed" psychopaths.

Family Dynamics

The Danger of Life with a Psychopathic Sibling

Winifred Rule on April 12, 2024

Personal Perspective: Sibling abuse is the most common form of domestic abuse. There is, however, virtually no discussion of how a psychopath impacts her siblings.

Personal Perspective: Sibling abuse is the most common form of domestic abuse. There is, however, virtually no discussion of how a psychopath impacts her siblings.

Psychopathy

The Psychopath: A Rebel Without a Cause?

Winifred Rule on March 11, 2024

Psychologist Robert Lindner's groundbreaking use of hypnoanalysis in the mid-1940s suggests that superego stunting may undergird psychopathy.

Psychologist Robert Lindner's groundbreaking use of hypnoanalysis in the mid-1940s suggests that superego stunting may undergird psychopathy.

Psychopathy

Can a Psychopath Actually Experience Joy?

Winifred Rule on February 7, 2024

Psychopaths do not experience pleasure by empathically responding to the joy in others. Their perception of pleasure in others arouses only envy and greed in themselves.

Psychopaths do not experience pleasure by empathically responding to the joy in others. Their perception of pleasure in others arouses only envy and greed in themselves.

Psychopathy

How Their Words May Reveal a Psychopath

Winifred Rule on January 8, 2024

One cannot use verbal clues alone to spot a psychopath, but careful and discerning attention to speech details may provide some protection and early warning of one.

One cannot use verbal clues alone to spot a psychopath, but careful and discerning attention to speech details may provide some protection and early warning of one.

Psychopathy

How Psychopaths Can Trigger Fear of Annihilation

Winifred Rule on December 4, 2023

The victim of a psychopath may experience an all-pervasive feeling of being devalued, of losing control, with unbearable anxiety.

The victim of a psychopath may experience an all-pervasive feeling of being devalued, of losing control, with unbearable anxiety.

Psychopathy

Tom Ripley's Psychopathic Game

Winifred Rule on November 13, 2023

We can learn much about psychopathology by studying characters drawn from novels. Tom Ripley, from "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith, is one such character.

We can learn much about psychopathology by studying characters drawn from novels. Tom Ripley, from "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith, is one such character.