I have a 12 year old son who has been diagnosed as a sociopath. He's my step son but I have been in his like for the past 7 years with minimal contact from his mother. He has been tearing our family apart for about four years now and we have just hospitalized him for the 6th time today for trying to push my disabled mother down. He has tried to kill his 3 year old half brother not long after he was born. He does what he wants when he wants and steals from ALL family members. I had to lock my little ones, my mother and myself up today in my bedroom because I was scared of what he would do. I'm lost and really need a support group or something to learn how to cope. It's so hard for other people to understand especially family members that it's not that we think he's a horrible person he just does horrible things.
A child of 12 cannot be diagnosed with psychopathy or ASPD- only ODD or conduct disorder, which are generally recognized as the childhood precursors of psychopathy- a term which is used interchangeably with "sociopathy".
How old was the child when he tried to kill his step-brother, and why was he not adequately disciplined and supervised, so as to prevent this occurrence?
By cowering in fear of him, you are reinforcing his belief that he is invincible. Put the little bugger in his place by instituting firm, clearly defined boundaries and consistently implelementing severe consequences whenever they are transgressed.
Are you so weak that you will allow a 12 year old, defiant little boy with an authority problem to entirely disrupt your family? Put the kid in his place, by whatever means necessary, without resorting to abuse.
I agree with Alterego completely. There are parents, and then there are kids. Until they are 18 and out of the house, you must set the rules.
And yes, 12 yr old are just pre-teens. And kids can be violent. They also can grow out of it.
I broke a lot of walls, phones, etc. when young.
I WAS the one who got this young man his help in the first place. I have been to Every type of doctor possible. He was 8 when he tried to kill our son. How insensitive can you be to even imply something like that. I came here for support not to be put down. Constructive help. With that being said. He is desciplined, He's on probation he has help from local MHMR. We were also able to get him on Disability. He has nothing left in his room but his bed. Everytime we have to hospitalize him he comes back worse. We've had CPS and APS in our home. If I hated him I would have never gone back the first time his father and I split up. I stayed by him. The entire time. The problem is HE DOES'NT CARE ABOUT ANY PUNISHMENT. I will not also risk the lives of my young ones because he's mad he didn't get a happy meal and resorted to bodily aggression. I was on here looking for help or suggestions not to be put down.