Outstanding the sociopath next door : how to protect yourself against a ruthless manipulator / Martha Stout

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Prologue: dueling with the devil -- A hole in the psyche: understanding sociopathy -- When the sociopath belongs to you: children without conscience -- Human evil at work: sociopathic coworkers, bosses, and professionals -- The sociopath in court: fighting for child custody -- The iciest of all: assaultive and homicidal sociopaths -- Transcending the sociopath's effects: ten key guidelines -- Sociopath or narcissist?: recognizing narcissistic personality disorder -- Sociopathy at the institutional level: corporations and governments -- The nature of good: compassion, forgiveness, and freedom -- Notes -- Acknowledgments -- Index.

"From Dr. Martha Stout's influential work The Sociopath Next Door, we learned how to identify a sociopath. Now she tells us what to actually do about it. Using the many chilling and often heartbreaking emails and letters she has received over the years, Dr. Stout uncovers the psychology behind the sociopath's methods and provides concrete guidelines to help navigate these dangerous interactions"-- Provided by publisher
Organized around categories such as destructive narcissism, violent sociopaths, sociopathic coworkers, and the sociopath in your family, Outsmarting the Sociopath Next Door contains detailed explanation and commentary on how best to react in these situations to keep the sociopath at bay. Uniting these categories is a discussion of changing psychological theories of personality and sociopathy and the enduring triumph of conscience over those who operate without empathy or concern for others. By understanding the person you're dealing with and changing the rules of the game, you'll be able to gain the upper hand and escape the sociopath's influence.

Whether you're fighting a custody battle against a sociopathic ex or being gaslighted by a boss or coworker, you'll find hope and help within these pages. With this guide to disarming the conscienceless, Dr. Stout aims to give readers the tools to protect themselves while conducting a broader examination of human behavior and conceptions of normality."