Patric Gagne was a little girl who knew she was different. She struggles to feel all the emotions that other children and adults feel and people around her can tell. At times she feels stuck with this anxiety that builds and builds until she does something destructive to get unstuck. She feels very misunderstood and longs to figure out why she struggles to feel sadness, empathy and remorse.

Sociopath is her memoir of figuring herself out, figuring out how to help herself and, ultimately, how to help other people like her - other sociopaths. Gagne doesn't 'minimize the severity' of this disorder. Nor does she romanticize it. She is blisteringly honest and, at times, this is an uncomfortable read but Gagne wants to normalize the symptoms of this disorder to remove the horrible stigma associated with it. Then treatments can be made to help others lead fulfilling lives. Gagne herself is married with two sons.

"People hate sociopaths for not having empathy and compassion...But who has empathy and compassion for them?...How can anyone expect to master a learned emotion they never get to experience for themselves?"

Sociopath breaks down all the assumptions and prejudice you have about sociopathy - it's fascinating and immensely readable. It comes out on April 2. Thank you to #simonandschuster and #netgalley for this ARC.

Wow. This really reads like fiction. Incredible reflection upon a mental state ? illness? and with such great psychological insight as well. If you like memoirs and psychology- this is for you

Thanks to the author; publisher and NetGalley for the arc

Wow, it's been a long time since I've read such an important book. If you had asked me if I could find empathy for a sociopath prior to reading this book, I'm not sure I could've said yes. There is such a stigma attached to sociopaths, and most of what we hear or see are the most extreme cases. Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, Stalin. Patric offers such a raw and authentic view into the life of a sociopath that she was able to humanize it. At a very early age, she already knew she was different. Patric's sister called her Captain Apathy because she didn't react or feel things like other people.

Patric was finally diagnosed in her early 20s, but that was of little help. The DSM used to diagnose mental illness lumps sociopaths and psychopaths, among others, into Antisocial Personality Disorders. These seem to be a blackhole in psychiatry, often undiagnosed and considered untreatable. Anybody who has had treatment resistant or rare conditions, mental health or medical, can understand the hopelessness of this. Rather than give into the hopelessness and her darker side, Patric decides she's going to get her PhD and figure out how to treat herself. I've often thought that there's no amount of education that can replace experience in some instances. Who would be better at figuring out a treatment plan that could help others like her? She introduces the idea of a sociopathic spectrum, which I thought was very interesting. I'd venture to say most mental illnesses exist on a spectrum. Maybe all sociopaths can't be treated, but certainly some can. We can't necessarily change the way we're wired, but we can learn to modify our behavior and thoughts and, at best, learn to live with our mental illnesses.

Patric was incredibly brave to share her story. Not a lot of people would be willing to share that they're sociopaths. Patric's story opens a conversation and offers hope. Books like these can change lives.

A big thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster, and Patric Gagne for the opportunity to read this DRC in exchange for my honest review.

Sociopaths are stereotyped as dangerous, unstable people who can commit heinous acts with no remorse, so to have a memoir written by a diagnosed sociopath and trained psychologist provides a unique perspective. She humanizes people who are seen as subhuman and shows that sociopaths are as deserving of compassion and empathy as everyone else. It was interesting to see her evolution as she recognized that she was different than other children and worked to assimilate by imitating others around her, while at the same time exhibiting some disturbing behavior to relieve the pressure caused by trying to assimilate.

Above all else, this was a great read. It was interesting and engaging and I truly enjoyed it. I’m amazed by her introspection and ability to objectively observe her own thoughts and behaviors, describe it in a way that is understandable and relatable, and then explain the psychology behind it. This should be required reading for anyone in the mental health field as a study in viewing people with compassionate curiosity instead of fear-based judgment.

I found parts of this book interesting, especially the consistency in the author’s experiences from childhood through adulthood. At the same time, I thought the book lingered a little too long on the childhood experiences. I would have also liked less about her famous friend and more about her graduate work and whether she has generalized helpful strategies from her experience to other people with the same condition. I did not find any of the stories particularly charming, though I suspect I was supposed to. To sum it up, I don’t think I was the ideal audience for this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC.

Diagnosed as a sociopath in early adulthood, Patric had always known she was different. She didn't feel things the way other children seemed to or how her parents expected her to. She engaged in behavior she knew wasn't "normal" but it helped to ease the tension that she couldn't explain and didn't know how to cope with.

It’s hard to rate a memoir but providing feedback is what Netgalley is all about.
I will say, the writing is excellent in the way Patric weaves personal experiences and psychological information together; the reader is brought along on her journey of understanding. The book is straightforward and the author tells her story without much embellishment or over-editorializing.
I enjoyed reading about Patric’s life, her relationships, and how she has built a world for herself that plays to her strengths and fosters connections with others. One of my only problems in connecting with the book is that I had no sense of a timeline. I never knew what year it was- some additional editing would have made this a five star memoir.
I definitely recommend Sociopath if you are interested in memoirs and or mental health. Thank you to NetGalley, Patric Gagne, and Simon and Schuster. I have written this review voluntarily.

Specials thanks to NetGalley for this ARC (advanced readers copy)! This one comes out in a month, and if you love a good memoir, you won't be disappointed. This one intrigued me and got in my head. If you can believe the writings of a sociopath and the journey she takes to understand her diagnosis, then you'll be fascinated. For me, the journey through her life seemed authentic and bravely told. I hope her experience will be able to shed some hope for those in a position like hers.

3.5 - This was a very unique memoir. I enjoyed it, but also was left confused, and I feel like I still don’t fully understand sociopathic traits. Some of the characteristics seem like they might be relevant to anyone, whereas others seemed like they applied to a broad list of personality disorders and illnesses. I was very drawn into the beginning and the stories of her early life, but felt like the middle dragged a bit. I enjoyed reading about the author’s life and relationships with others, but found it interesting that she seems to immediately announce her diagnosis to every person she comes in contact with. I also found it almost unbelievable that she was never caught or in serious trouble despite repeated bad behavior - was she never even suspended from or kicked out of a school, let alone caught breaking into a house? Overall, a really intriguing memoir on a topic I’ve never read anything about before, but I was left with some questions.

(Rounded up to 4 stars because I saw on the author’s instagram that she watches VPR/Bravo lol)

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.

An interesting view into the mind of a sociopath. The writing style was quite engaging and, at times, this read like a novel.

I’m not usually a non-fiction reader but this book was very interesting to me. I found the subject matter very interesting and I loved reading about the author’s wins and struggles throughout her life. Not always an easy read, but definitely recommend.

What the heck?!? I love looking into and learning from the minds of mentally ill people. It's so rare that people admit to certain extreme illnesses. Because of that, parts of the book felt like they could not be true. In the years of cancellation, I commend the courage it took to share this with us. However, the author doesn't care one way or another.
I hope more people feel safe enough to share topics like this. Help remove the stereotype of all people who have mental illness.

“Sociopath” is a remarkable true story about a young girl/woman who uses the power of her mind and common sense to try to overcome an inherent, non-typical ,way of thinking and feeling. Gagne realizes at an early age that she is different from other people, and uses her skills of observation and deep thinking to overcome her obstacles, though not without trips and falls along the way. Her amazing story is honestly and thoughtfully laid out for us in a way that draws empathy with her struggles, and a feeling of rejoicing when she overcomes them. I would highly recommend this well-written, open, and honest record of her struggles to anyone who struggles with anything (and that would be all of us). Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.

This story was a vivid and honest account of what it is like to grow up with a different way of sensing the world. The writer focused on key points in her childhood and how hard it was for her mom to understand her, and the fall out from their arguments was scary, but mom hung in there. Her younger sister knew her well enough to give her a superhero name: Captain Apathy.
The escapades during college had me reading late into the night. Somehow, Patric had the knack of not getting caught. The details of her odd choices and desire for authentic relationships despite everything kept me riveted. I appreciate the honest scenes with her therapist and what couples counseling is supposed to be like. Her determination to pursue psychology and find out everything she could on sociopathy was impressive. I loved the book and the happiness of the final chapter.

I loved the premise and was excited to read the book. It was deeply moving and informative. However, I found parts of it to be a bit confusing, especially towards the end. The pacing was a bit slow at times and felt like the book could have used a bit more editing. Overall, I enjoyed the story and writing.

It's so hard to write reviews on memoirs.

This one was dark but it had humour as well. The author goes through their childhood and into teen years/adulthood explaining their quest to find out why they are the way they are.
It is very insightful and it shows just how tough mental health and getting a diagnosis can be.

This book is a first-person account that shares the experience of someone living with a sociopathic personality disorder. The book is straightforward and the author tells her story without much embellishment or over-editorializing. This method helps readers understand the author's worldview, but it doesn't necessarily draw them in or help them connect with her and invest in the story. There is an inauthentic quality to the book, and the reader is left to feel that it has perhaps been either sanitized or embellished, but regardless, the reader is not getting the real, complete story or the real voice of the writer.

Sociopathy always has been and continues to be one of the most misunderstood psychiatric diagnoses. Often lumped in with psychopathy and antisocial personality, sociopathy has been largely disregarded in the world of psychiatry and there is very little understanding of how to treat and support those diagnosed as sociopaths. Much of what is known about sociopaths has been developed and generalized over decades of studying only those who have crossed the line and committed heinous crimes but, as Dr. Patric Gagne's book suggests (and proves), there are plenty of sociopathic personalities living marginally normal lives and looking for treatment and support.

Diagnosed as a sociopath in early adulthood, Patric had always known she was different. She didn't feel things the way other children seemed to or how her parents expected her to. She engaged in behavior she knew wasn't "normal" but it helped to ease an internal tension that she couldn't explain and didn't know how to cope with. When she got older, having a diagnosis did little to help her settle into the adult world as she encountered people who didn't truly understand what it was like to live without emotion, people who thought being a sociopath was "cool" and hung out with her in order to live vicariously through her behavior. Though she was able to find a long-term therapist, there was still little the world of psychiatry and psychology could do for her so she decided to do it for herself. After years of working in the music industry where hedonism and loose morals were not only accepted but highly encouraged, Patric decided to get her doctorate, focusing her research on sociopaths who were simply trying to live their lives. By telling her story, she hoped that she might help other sociopaths to see themselves in another and be able to come out of the shadows and get support.

This book was a phenomenal read. As a mental health historian, I deeply appreciated Dr. Gagne's approach to the topic of sociopathy, giving the diagnosis a human face and helping readers to understand that there is indeed a spectrum to most mental health diagnoses. As well, she brings focus to the fact that no diagnosis should be brushed aside just because it can't be fully understood, nor should it be "bundled" with something else just because it's vaguely similar. Pushing for appropriate clinical measures and treatments is imperative.

This was an interesting story and I absolutely loved the concept of a clinically trained sociopath telling their own story , because if the statistics are to be believed there are an awful lot of sociopaths out there and they can't possibly all be completely antisocial.. it felt like a story that was a long time in being told, and for that I definitely applaud the author. It did at times feel a little retrospectively polished, as far as the self-awareness and insights of the younger version of the author, but I absolutely acknowledge that this is based on my outsider views and would never question her right to tell her own story in her own voice. I found it engaging and interesting and definitely worth the read.

4.5 Stars

Absolutely fascinating and eye-opening read. I thought I had a grasp of what it meant to be a sociopath, but Gagne totally disrupted that with her keen storytelling that blended psychological analysis with personal narrative. Other than the slightly erratic pacing in the final 100 or so pages (it felt like it jumped from rushed to drawn out and back again), I loved this book.

The premise is good, the story is interesting, but the narrative is WAY too repetitive. This book could have been more successful with the help of a good editor; without it, I feel like she tells the same details over and over again.