Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of empathy, remorse, and regard for others. Psychopaths can seem charming and normal at first but are prone to impulsive, irresponsible, and sometimes criminal behavior. When a psychopath loses control of their carefully crafted public persona, their true nature is revealed with frightening consequences. In this article, we will explore what happens when a psychopath’s mask slips and they can no longer restrain their darkest urges and most destructive impulses.
Warning Signs
There are often subtle signs that a psychopath is struggling to keep their darker tendencies in check:
- Increasingly erratic, risky, or reckless behavior
- Difficulty holding down jobs or maintaining relationships
- Excessive drug or alcohol abuse
- Escalation of verbal or physical aggression
- A amplified sense of being wronged or victimized
As their grip on control starts to loosen, the psychopath may lash out more frequently or act in ways that betray their lack of empathy. However, to most outside observers, they still appear high-functioning and the warning signs may be easily overlooked or minimized.
Triggers
There are certain triggers that can cause a psychopath to abandon their facade of normalcy:
- Rejection – Being dumped by a romantic partner or cast out by family/friends can greatly wound a psychopath’s ego and eliminate an important stabilizing force in their life.
- Loss of power/status – Demotions, firings, and other professional failures strip away the psychopath’s position and prestige which are key to their self-image.
- Exposure – Having their deceptions revealed and mask ripped away destroys the psychopath’s carefully constructed identity.
- Substance abuse – Uncontrolled drinking or drug use lowers inhibitions and makes destructive behavior more likely.
- Financial problems – Money and possessions are central to the psychopath’s false self-confidence. Losing them undermines their sense of control.
Even small disruptions in a psychopath’s normal routines and sources of validation can snowball into catastrophic breakdowns of self-restraint. Their reactions tend to be disproportionate and dramatic displays of the anger, humiliation, and resentment churning beneath their facade.
When the Mask Slips
Once a psychopath crosses the line into uncontrolled behavior, things can quickly spiral into frightening and dangerous territory:
- Verbal tirades escalate into physical violence. The psychopath tries to reassert dominance through intimidation and force.
- Criminal activity intensifies to satisfy their sense of entitlement. Fraud, theft, and physical/sexual assault become more common.
- Substance abuse increases to cope with raging emotions. Their volatile behavior grows more erratic and unpredictable.
- Stalking and harassment of perceived enemies. Efforts to isolate and terrorize anyone they blame for their failures.
- Severely distorted thinking and paranoia. The psychopath becomes consumed by irrational vendettas and grudges.
Their stunted conscience gives them little ability to see past their own aggrieved narrative. Lacking empathy or remorse, the psychopath singles-mindedly pursues their needs and desires without regard for others.
Case Studies
Some alarming real-life examples illustrate how dangerous psychopaths become when they act without restraint:
Gary Evans
Evans had been fired from multiple psychiatric nursing jobs for absenteeism and inappropriate behavior before being hired at the Skyline Psychiatric Hospital in Washington D.C. in 1976. Despite clear warning signs, his charm and intelligence won over hospital administrators. But in January 1977, after repeated reprimands for tardiness, Evans snapped. He stole narcotics from the hospital dispensary before coming to work armed with knives. Over the course of two days, Evans held staff hostage, torturing, raping, and murdering patients. In total, he killed 12 people, mostly elderly women, and butchered their bodies. The judge at his trial concluded: “You drained the light from their eyes so you could feel alive. You are a psychopath who knows what you did was evil.” Evans remains on death row to this day.
Bill Suff
A serial killer who preyed on vulnerable young women around Riverside, California in the late 1980s. His neighbors described him as friendly and helpful, unaware that Suff was living a double life. Suff would lure prostitutes and runaways back to his secluded trailer home. Police eventually discovered the raped, beaten, and mutilated bodies of 13 young women buried in shallow graves around his property. Suff’s mask of normalcy hid a monster within that fully emerged once he had victims entirely under his control. He currently sits on death row with multiple life sentences.
Brenda Spencer
In 1979, 16-year old Brenda Spencer opened fire on an elementary school across from her home in San Diego, California, killing 2 adults and injuring 8 children. Her explanation chillingly summed up the psychopathic mindset – “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.” She also expressed disappointment that she hadn’t killed more people. Spencer had shown little remorse for previous acts of violence and her affectionless upbringing likely exacerbated her detachment from others. With no one to turn to, she impulsively lashed out at the world around her. Spencer remains imprisoned on two counts of first-degree murder.
The Aftermath
The fallout from a psychopath’s total loss of control is far-reaching:
- Ongoing trauma and grief for any victims of physical or emotional violence.
- Loss of employment, housing, and relationships as the psychopath’s life unravels.
- Possible legal consequences – arrests, trials, incarceration tear apart their existing social circles.
- Total isolation as the psychopath’s support system cuts ties in horror and friends/family go into self-protection mode.
- Further deterioration as the psychopath, now unmoored, spirals without any controls or accountability.
The despair and rage simmering within the psychopath may bubble over into additional episodes of violence or criminality. Their perceived persecution leaves them viewing themselves as the victim, fueling a self-righteous vendetta against the society they blame for their failures. With their true self exposed, the door has opened to unrestrained antisocial behavior.
Conclusion
Beneath their charismatic facade, psychopaths struggle constantly to keep their inner demons in check. The right combination of disruptions to their delicate balancing act can unleash the worst of their repressed criminal and violent urges. Rejection, loss of status, or damage to their pride are especially dangerous triggers. Once the psychopath’s mask slips, the results are horrific – lives shattered by emotional/physical violence and communities shaken by unpredictable, remorseless criminality. The psychopath’s own life often ends in ruin as well. Prevention is difficult, as the warning signs are subtle and psychopaths adept at manipulation. But awareness of the triggers that make them lose control provides some opportunities to limit the chaos and bloodshed when a psychopath goes over the edge.