This memoir is a striking look into mental health, but not the one that the media like, rather into the type of diseases that upset people. Patric Gagne portrays herself in a very truthful way, acknowledging that it might be hard for the reader to sympathise with her, since she has such a blunt way of writing. In the first part of the book, some recollections she has from childhood are just blatant dangerous behaviour and reads like a character that would be written to be the bad guy in a fictional story. But her journey towards understanding herself while misunderstanding the entire world is fascinating, told with humour and bravery. The way life feels without feelings seem sometimes easier, sometimes atrocious, and in reality, the writer just feels in her own way.

The strongest aspect of the memoir to me, is how beautifully delves into love and how it is essential even though the narrator does not always feel it in a conventional way. I really enjoyed how she portrayed her boyfriend as something that makes her feel whole, when she struggles to feel real things often times. The way she also portrays her home as an adult and how different she feels in it compared to the one from her childhood was really interesting, the way she finds peace in some sort of a mess. Some parts explained with much sincerity how mental health does not define someone and should not deprive anyone from love, but how it is not something that is inconsequential either. I strongly recommend reading this memoir, it will shed light on some hidden aspects of what a human spirit can be.

I received this ebook from NetGalley and Pan Macmillan | Bluebird in exchange for an honest review.

A very interesting read about the inner workings of a diagnosed sociopath and her journey to help other sociopaths through therapy. The positives of the book were: Patric's determination to help others and her goal to learn some sort of emotion to cope with everyday life. However, her continued justification for some of her illegal activities was very weird for me. I think that I would have enjoyed the book more if it was more about her therapy and research to treat other sociopaths. As, after a while the writing was repetitive and the lack of remorse was quite off putting. Overall, I would recommend to others so that they can learn the inner workings of a sociopath and how to help them.

Great book! Such an interesting read from Patric Gagne. I learnt so much about the inside workings of a sociopath, and actually what being a sociopath meant, because I'll have to be honest, I knew of the term but like many, assumed it was just like being a psychopath.

I've always been interested in the many miraculous ways our brain can work, or can be programmed and so this book was right up my alley. If you are the same, and find that topic interesting then I guarantee you will enjoy this book.

Several days have elapsed since I concluded my reading of Sociopath, yet articulating my sentiments remains elusive.

Throughout the narrative, an undercurrent of unease pervaded my experience. I found myself recoiling mentally at times, engrossed in others, occasionally saddened, and intermittently disengaged by the pacing and repetition. Nevertheless, a persistent discomfort lingered throughout.

I yearned for a clearer timeline within the narrative to ground myself in the story's temporal context. Understanding the evolving landscape of diagnoses and treatments over the years would have enriched my comprehension. Unfortunately, the author chose to obscure such details, leaving me to speculate on the chronology and identities involved.

Ultimately, Sociopath provided valuable insights, but it also left me with unresolved queries. It is undeniably a book that will leave an indelible mark on my thoughts, and in that respect, it holds its own significance.

Sociopath was an eye-opener for me. This memoir isn't your typical journey through someone's life. Dr. Patric Gagne takes us deep into the world of a sociopath - herself. It's a fascinating, raw, and sometimes chilling exploration of what it means to live with sociopathy.⁠
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Gagne describes her life with stark honesty, detailing her experiences of feeling certain emotions like happiness and anger, but missing out on others like shame, guilt, and remorse. The concept of "stuck stress" and her methods of coping with this emotional void through acts like breaking into homes and stealing cars are both terrifying and intriguing. It makes you ponder the fine line between feeling too little and feeling too much.⁠
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What struck me most was the portrayal of sociopathy not just as a disorder but as a misunderstood personality type. Gagne's relationship with her now-husband David adds a personal touch, showing how acceptance can ease the restlessness that comes from her condition. Yet, the book doesn't shy away from the complexities of sociopathy, such as the anxiety and stress from hiding one's true self and the notion that there's no treatment for it.⁠
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Gagne's indifference to others' opinions and her candidness are admirable. It made me wonder if, as she suggests, there's a spectrum of sociopathy that we're all on to some extent. ⁠
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Sociopath is a thought-provoking memoir that offers a unique perspective from someone who navigates both the personal and professional aspects of being a well-adjusted sociopath. If you're curious about the inner workings of a mind that operates differently from the norm, this book is a compelling read.⁠
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Thanks to @NetGalley and @PanMacmillan for this e-ARC!

It’s a memoir of Patric, a diagnosed sociopath,(mostly self-diagnosed). I found this book fascinating. Good insight into mental illness but it felt like something was missing, it was something I enjoyed reading and can recommend if anyone is interested in Sociopathy.

As the title may suggest this is a memoir written by Patric who is a diagnosed sociopath. The book starts when Patric is very young, describing memories that she has of events where she acted or felt very different to what we would consider "normal". Once it became clear to Patric that she was different she started to research for herself but found that it was basically impossible to find a categoric definition of sociopathy. This led her to study the subject in more depth in order to gain more understanding of herself and help others like her.

I have to say I found this quite a difficult read. Even though I know that it is a condition of the brain, I still found myself judging her behaviour, or maybe the pride she seemed to have over these behaviours as ordinarily you would expect remorse. I would hate to think that judgement is passed on me over a condition that I couldn't help, yet I'm doing that about Patric and the things that she did as a child. However, I did like that she was able to recognise that she didn't want to behave in a way that is socially unacceptable and therefore did develop a self regulation plan.

I also found it a bit repetitive, I felt like at one point it was just the same conversation being had with a number of different people over and over again. I also felt like some of it may have been made up for dramatic effect, it didn't all feel completely believable.

However, this was an interesting read, it has absolutely expanded my understanding of the condition which I'm grateful for. I hope that many people read it so there is more awareness around it, and I am going to work on my judgement!!

The Author express herself so well, this book has been one of my best reads in recent years. I will recommend this book any day on how to deal with sociopaths, the way the author writes make it more interesting to read. I'm specifically looking out for her next piece because I can't just have enough of it considering how I was thrilled reading this book

Extremely interesting, but a bit long-winded;
It's fascinating to read from the perspective of someone affected by what it means to be so different. This is a very detailed memoir that begins with the author's childhood and tells from her perspective how being different affected herself and her environment. The writing style is fine, it's easy to follow along and you can empathize with their problems. At times it gets a bit lengthy. Perhaps it is necessary to a certain extent in order to convey the topics properly using examples, but for me some passages could have been shorter, especially since some topics are repeated. Patric is on her own for a long time and tries to approach the topic of “sociopathy” using psychology books from the library. In this way, she becomes a specialist herself and develops strategies for dealing with it. I found the book interesting and fascinating, but I didn't need some of the depth of detail. Nevertheless, I now know a lot more about the topic and the gaps in diagnostics and therapy. A summary of her coping strategies could perhaps have helped her concern to encourage and help other affected people.

This is the first hand memoir of Patric, who from a very young age realised she didn't share the 'normal' feelings and emotions of those around her, and that really she felt nothing at all. She quickly learns that to transgress and behave 'badly' by breaking into houses, upsetting people and stealing she could relieve the constant feeling of pressure in her brain and 'feel' something briefly, which grant her a temporary sense of relief. She makes it her mission to try and find out more about being a sociopath, and quickly realises that scientific and medical diagnoses are in fact contradictory, confusing and offer her little in the way of guidance or self-definition - at one point she finds that 'sociopathy' is now conflated with definitions of psychopathy or even wiped entirely from psychology literature as an unacceptable and outdated term, although for Patric that is the only thing that makese sense to describe her personality traits.

As a teenager at summer camp she meets David and feels an instant connection - he seems to be someone that understands and accepts her, and with whom she can truly be herself. Her on-offf relationship with David over many years, who eventually becomes her husband, seems to quiet her thoughts and give her a sense of stability. These and a few other solid firiendships are contrasted with the more transient friends and acquaintances that come in and out of her life that sometimes take advantage of her sociopathic traits or offer her the possibility of a like minded comrade - until she realises that they are 'fauxiopaths' and only mimicking her reckless and self-centred behaviour in a false way.. Her pursuit of her own academic studies to try and gain understanding is really well described and interesting without alienating a layperson with limited academic knowledge. Her acute self awareness and advocacy for those who may share her sociopathic traits are fascinating, the style is very readable and almost fiction-like in the way it flows. The slightly 'chilling' marketing info that reads :Your friends would probably describe me as nice. But guess what?I can't stand your friends.I'm a liar. I'm a thief. I'm highly manipulative. I don't care what other people think. I'm capable of almost anything.' is almost mistleading as it gives the impression of a ruthless monster when in fact this erudite, warmly written and very readable account is really her own journey to try and understand herself and find a useful role for herself in society.

This is an interesting memoir. It is about the author's discovery of her own diagnosis as a sociopath and her struggle to come to terms with living the best life she can under the circumstances, and learning to understand herself better.

What Gagne's story - told with clarity and organised largely chronologically - demonstrates to us all is the persistence of stereotypes wrt mental health issues, and the lack of public understanding regarding such conditions.

Her points about the difference between psychopaths and sociopaths are well made, and are worth learning about even if you are not a sufferer yourself.

We can all benefit from reading a book like hers, because we live together in a world where a significant number of people will merit this diagnosis, and others also need to know how best to deal with them. A clearer understanding of these conditions can keep everyone safer from any reckless, dangerous, or even simply self destructive behaviours. It will be of particular interest to those who enjoy reading about psychology. It gets 3.5 stars.

From the very first page, the narrative grips you with its raw authenticity.

It was fascinating and scary all at the same time.

It gave deep insights into the inner workings of a sociopathic mind, and i enjoyed reading about someone who has lived with Her diagnosis all her life.

I actually ended up having empathy for her; and I did not expect that. It was very well research and written and somewhat intimate as you delve so deep into her mind and life.

Loved it…

Absolutely fascinating. Like most people Patric has encountered, I didn’t know the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath, but now I can confidently say I do.

I enjoyed the insight into Patric’s daily life and how she interacted with people she felt so different from. Some of the memories were too “perfect”, but that happens with every autobiography/memoir.

Would definitely read more from this author in the future.

This book starts with a fairly long "contents/chapters" list and the line "The story you are about to read is true". It's fair to say that I didn't really know quite what to expect of this. This is a personal memoir about the author's struggle with, and understanding of, her sociopathic behaviour. Patric Gagne realised very early on in her life that she made others feel uncomfortable. It seemed to me that for quite a while that was only part of the problem - Patric really didn't understand or have much wish to engage with other people. She felt very little and some emotions were simply not part of her make-up. In particular, empathy, guilt and fear were alien to her. To avoid the pressures she felt would make her "explode" she stole and lied to avoid being violent.

The whole concept of "sociopath" is a bit tricky. This starts with some comments on it as Patric found that the word is not really defined well and is missing even from mental health dictionaries. Indeed ultimately the test she takes to get a diagnosis is actually that for a psychopath and it's fair to say she isn't pleased! Initially she explains the "why" of this book in that it really is a quest for answers for her. Despite its absence from medical handbooks, it is believed that there may be 30 million people who are sociopaths in the USA somewhere on the spectrum.

Moving from her childhood years to teens and college the focus shifts a little as she comes to terms with and is more understanding of her mental state. For example she states that she went to college parties to "find out how to play emotional and to steal cars" (yes that was one of the points that made me laugh!). After that there is work and relationships. There are highs and lows here. She is in therapy (if not always honest with her therapist). I guess she is being more careful with various aspects of her life. She also realises that she has to be someone who studies her mental condition rather than simply lives it. There is something of a quest here on how to fit in and be "normal" and then realisation that that is not possible/the right path.

This story of a real life dealing with this condition is a roller coaster ride and brutally honest. There is humour at times though some will find it quite dark however I did laugh out loud more than once. She has a wish, desire, compulsion to feel emotions that are alien to her. Turmoil is almost the standard condition in this book! More mundanely though importantly this is well written to me. It strikes a balance between academic and easy reading that I appreciated and felt worked. I certainly commend her bravery, not just in writing this but in living so intelligently (mainly) with this condition. While I am not aware I am on the sociopathic spectrum I do think many of us are on spectrums of one form or another. I also think that many people would find this a very interesting and powerful read. 4.5/5

Fascinating and unique, this is a memoir that will challenge your preconceptions about sociopaths and what it means to be human in general. As fascinating as the topic is and the insights given by the author are, I did find myself feeling a little bored at some points in the book, but I suspect that’s due to my lack of interest in the study of psychology than the book itself. I have no doubt that anyone studying psychology will devour every page.

I was excited to read this book, but unfortunately it was a bit of a let down. A combination of strange pacing choices and general poor writing really detracted from the story and the message. That being said, it was still an interesteing and new perspective on something I haven't thought about much before, so I think it is still worth reading despite its flaws.

What an absolutely fascinating but also sad memoir. I was a Mental Health Nurse for over a decade and wasn't taught much at any point of my career about Sociopaths however, we did have one patient that Drs said was a sociopath and it was said with such disgust and horror that I was instantly both terrified and fascinated by the patient. They were moved to a secure unit very quickly after that so I didn't get the opportunity to learn anything. It's ridiculous that even within the areas of medicine that should be more open to differences in mental health and personalities should have such a negative and discriminatory view point. It just goes to show that when the author states that more needs to be done to raise awareness about Sociopathy, she is totally correct.
As well as learning lots from the book I also felt really sad at times. Especially when the author was talking about major milestones in her life where she 'should' have experienced emotion but just couldn't. The birth of her Son and her disappointment in the lack of love that she was experiencing was particularly heartbreaking. I can't imagine feeling empty all the time.
I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Sociopathy and learning about what life is like with it.

This is definitely a relatable read, dealing with a diagnosis is hard especially trying to come t terms with it and find out where you fit.

Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for a review.

What more can I say, I was left speechless by this. I have honestly changed my opinion of sociopaths. This is a brutally honest, deeply personal and very insightful read. This is very well written, Gagnes life story to date is truly fascinating.
connotations, but this book forces you to change your perspective.

Highly recommended

Incredibly insightful and eye opening, this memoir takes the reader on a journey through Gagne’s life. From early childhood, she knew that she was different to others. While she didn’t know it at the time, she would later be diagnosed as a sociopath. The word initially brings to mind negative connotations, but this book forces you to change your perspective.

Gagne reveals deeply personal parts of her life, and in turn informs the reader of what it really means to be a sociopath, and how misunderstood the condition is. I learned so much from this book and it was written in such an entertaining way. She reveals that she wants to help other sociopaths out there and while I can’t speak on behalf of a community I am not apart of, she’s made a real difference in changing my view and my initial thoughts around the word sociopath.