DEAR JANE: I’m terrified my six-year-old daughter is a SOCIOPATH
- In her latest column about Aunt Pain, bestselling author Jane Green offers advice to a mother who is deeply concerned about her young daughter’s behavior.
- Do you have a question for Jane? Email dearjane@mailonline.com or ask below
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Dear Jane,
My daughter is six years old, and over the past year or so I have begun to realize that she is very different from other children – and not in a “my child is so special” way, but rather because she exhibits behaviors that indicate to me that there might be something very wrong with her.
Since she was little, my daughter hasn’t been particularly cuddly or affectionate unless she’s trying to win over myself or my husband somehow.
We even joked about her eventually becoming a CEO with a lot of power because she had mastered the use of manipulation from such a young age.
But the older she gets, the colder she becomes. Not only with us, but also with the other children at school, with our friends and relatives, even with the dog.
Dear Jane, I’m terrified that my six-year-old daughter is a sociopath – and I have no idea how to deal with it
She doesn’t really have any friends and her teachers have expressed concerns about her ‘aggressive’ behavior towards her classmates on several occasions.
She is accused of taking toys from other children, refusing to apologize, pushing others on the playground and even throwing a book at another little girl.
Every time this has come up, we’ve sat her down and explained why her behavior was wrong – and while she nods as we talk, it seems like she’s not really taking in anything. She also shows no signs of guilt. .
Last week I did what I think is the worst possible thing to do and I started Googling her behavioral traits to see if there were other parents who might be struggling with similar issues with their own children.
International bestselling author Jane Green offers sage advice on DailyMail.com readers’ most burning issues in her column Dear Jane agony aunt
But as I continued my search, one word kept coming up: sociopath.
At first I closed all those websites and vowed never to use Google as a diagnostic tool again, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my daughter’s behavior in many ways matches the clinical features that characterize her. used to make the diagnosis. sociopathy.
The last thing I want to do is create drama where there isn’t any – but whatever the root cause of my daughter’s behavior, I know it’s something we need to address.
My husband thinks she’ll just grow out of it, but I’m really not so sure that’s the case. If anything, I think it will only get worse with time?
Any idea where I can go?
By,
DIY diagnosis
Best DIY Diagnosis,
We live in a time where every behavior that feels a little abnormal seems to have a label. The diagnostic manual used by psychiatrists and therapists – the DSM V – has grown exponentially over the years.
I understand your concerns and concerns, but Google is not an accurate diagnostician. In fact, it’s likely that anyone will get scared going down the Google rabbit hole.
Your daughter may be showing signs related to sociopathy, but she may also have a number of disorders that keep her somewhat separated from her peers.
Whether it’s a personality disorder or neurodivergence of some sort, this seems like the right time to have her professionally assessed.
The sooner parental intervention occurs, the better the outcome. Her behavior can be controlled through therapy, reducing the risk of the behavior escalating.
A conduct disorder does not necessarily have to become sociopathy if there is a therapeutic intervention.
Check out www.bendhealth.com – a virtual mental health provider caring for children and their families.