Which Disorder Does Dexter have?
By
PsychReel
In this blog, we will be answering the question “Which disorder does Dexter have?”, and also cover who is Dexter, the antisocial personality diagnosis of Dexter, and answer frequently asked questions.
Which Disorder Does Dexter have?
Dexter seems to be suffering from Antisocial personality disorder and we will be exploring his antisocial personality disorder and mental health in the further sections.
What is Dexter?
Dexter is an American television show that aired on Showtime, a premium cable network. It aired for eight seasons (96 episodes) from October 1, 2006, to September 22, 2013.
Who is Dexter Morgan?
The show is centered around Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), a Miami Metro Police Department blood pattern analyst with a double life. Dexter pursues and kills murderers who have eluded the legal system while working in the homicide section.
What is Dexter’s diagnosis?
The first thing to note is that Dexter is well aware that murdering people is unethical.
In the official teaser for Dexter: New Blood, he even refers to himself as a “monster.” Dexter’s behavior matches as a sociopath or psychopath.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has revised its “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” in a fifth edition since the start of the show’s last season in 2013.
You won’t find sociopathy — or, for that matter, psychopathy — labeled as a disorder in DSM.
Despite the diagnoses’ widespread use by laypeople, the discipline of psychiatry, which is constantly expanding, does not acknowledge either as a unique psychiatric condition.
Instead, they regard antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) as a broader category.
What is antisocial personality disorder?
Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a highly rooted and rigid dysfunctional mind process that focuses on social irresponsibility with exploitive, delinquent, and criminal actions with no remorse.
This personality disorder manifests itself through a disregard for and violation of others’ rights, as well as failure to follow the law, inability to maintain steady employment, dishonesty, manipulation for personal benefit, and inability to create solid relationships.
All 10 personality disorders are divided into three clusters (A, B, and C) by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5).
Antisocial personality disorder is one of four cluster-B disorders, along with borderline, narcissistic, and histrionic personality disorders.
All of these conditions are characterized by intense, emotional, and unpredictable interpersonal interactions.
The only personality condition that cannot be diagnosed in childhood is antisocial personality disorder.
To meet diagnostic criteria for ASPD, the patient must have been diagnosed with conduct disorder (CD) by the age of 15 years old before the age of 18.
Many researchers and physicians disagree with this diagnosis, citing significant overlap with other diseases such as psychopathy.
Others, on the other hand, argue that psychopathy is simply a more extreme kind of antisocial personality disorder.
Individuals with ASPD must be characterized biologically and cognitively to ensure more accurate categorization and appropriate treatment, according to recent literature.
Although a heterogeneous construct can subdivide into multiple subtypes that share many similarities and are often comorbid but not synonymous, individuals with ASPD must be characterized biologically and cognitively to ensure more accurate categorization and appropriate treatment.
Indicators of psychopathy or sociopathy
The Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and The Mask of Sanity are two indications of psychopath and sociopath illnesses.
A semi-structured interview plus an examination of the subject’s file records and history make up the Hare PCL-R.
The clinician scores 20 items that measure central elements of the psychopathic character during the evaluation.
In these 20 things, there are two factors: the first is about personality, and the second is about behavior.
Also, some qualities that fall in the middle can be classified as belonging to both of those categories.
The items address the subject’s interpersonal interaction, affective or emotional participation, responses to other persons and events, signs of social deviance, and lifestyle.
The psychopath is defined by two characteristics: selfish and unfeeling victimization of others, and an unstable and antisocial lifestyle.
Hervey Cleckley’s book The Mask of Sanity, published in 1941, describes Cleckley’s critical interview with psychopaths.
It is regarded as one of Cleckley’s most stunning writings, as well as the most important description of psychopathy in the twentieth century.
The title alludes to the masks that expose the psychopath or sociopath’s mental condition.
Cleckley defines the psychopathic personality as a generally high-functioning, aggressively egotistical, extraverted facade that hides an antisocial and underlying psychotic core.
Cleckley described a psychopathic individual as an externally flawless impersonator of a normal functioning person, capable of masking or concealing a fundamental absence of internal personality structure.
Cleckley went over all of the primary symptoms of psychopath and sociopath, two deadly personality disorders.
The most striking aspect of them is how successfully they blend into society in order to exploit, deceive, and damage other people.
Their glibness and attractiveness, as well as their extraordinary ability to deceive, make them ideal wolves dressed as lambs.
Is Dexter a sociopath or psychopath?
In the course of analyzing Dexter Morgan’s psychopath or sociopath characters, there were instances in which Dexter Morgan displayed psychopath or sociopath characteristics such as superficial charming, in which he pretended to be charming in front of other people, which was not the case; it was just his fake expression toward people.
The 20 PCL-R indicators are classified into two categories: personality and behavior characteristics.
- Personality characteristics
Glibness and superficial charm are characteristics of individuals who appear to be very nice and who also create convincing stories to make themselves appear good, yet none of them are real.
Typically, the person tries to make a good impression on others by shaming emotions, presenting stories that paint him/her in a positive light, and inventing improbable justifications for bad behavior (Hare 22).
Dexter Morgan has an uncanny ability to charm his way out of any difficulty. Dexter Morgan takes doughnuts to the office every now and then so that everyone thinks better of him.
Despite his superficial appearance, he has the ability to attract everyone around him with a grin, pleasant talk, and a doughnut.
When Sue and Dan inquire about Dexter Morgan’s relatives, he simply smiles and says nothing.
Sue and Dan continue the conversation by saying, “See you at the next bloodbath?” Sue and Dan refer to Dexter Morgan’s job as the blood splatter analyst in the massacre. “Never miss a party,” Dexter Morgan says, grinning, before offering them a doughnut.
It may seem simple, yet he succeeds in gaining Sue’s, Dan’s, and other officers’ favor as a good person.
It’s also difficult for Dexter Morgan since there’s a lull when Sue and Dan ask him about his family, which makes him appear empty, but the doughnut saves the day, and everyone adores him.
Dexter Morgan manages to trick everyone in society, even his sister, into believing that he is simply a typical little brother, by employing this superficial charm.
- Behavioral characteristics
People who have major behavioral problems at the age of 12 or even younger are said to have early behavioral problems. The majority of the behaviors are more severe than those seen in typical kids.
Lying, theft, cheating, vandalism, and bullying are all examples of actions that occur before the age of twelve.
One of Dexter Morgan’s many activities at such a young age is murdering animals and then burying them.
In the first episode, Harry Morgan asks little Dexter Morgan if he is different; Dexter Morgan, of course, has no idea what that means because he is still so young.
Later, Harry Morgan discovered that his neighbor’s dog, Buddy, had been buried with numerous other small animals.
Dexter Morgan had a cause for killing Buddy, but there are other creatures buried in the earth besides Buddy.
That is why young Dexter Morgan is asked if he is different by Harry Morgan. Following his conversation with Harry Morgan, little Dexter Morgan simply looks down at the boat floor, embarrassed.
When Dexter Morgan was younger, this problem did not occur only once, but several times.
Dexter and his psychopathy
Because of what he does for a job, Dexter Morgan is a psychopath. Dexter Morgan hides from the public because he is a serial killer, albeit an organized one, as he refers to himself as a neat monster.
Dexter Morgan’s pals are unable to discover this from him due to his extensive usage of the principle of lying.
While being superficially pleasant to everyone is an efficient strategy, Dexter Morgan is also a skilled liar who can tell whatever lie he comes up with without being tongue-tied.
Psychopaths and sociopaths exist in people’s daily lives, so that people are more conscious of how they act and behave when anything happens.
Conclusion
We answered the question, “Which disorder does Dexter have?”, and also discussed what is an antisocial personality disorder, indicators of sociopathy and psychopathy, and put Dexter under the spectrum of sociopathy and psychopathy.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs): Which disorder does Dexter have?
Do you think Dexter is a sociopath or a psychopath?
Dexter Morgan has a dominant character as a high functioning psychopath based on the answers to research questions because he can manipulate everyone, is an undetected serial killer, and acts like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Is Dexter Morgan afflicted with OCD?
Dexter Morgan is a psychopath with a high level of intelligence. He has a mild case of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. As a result, he commits his killings with extreme precision.
Is Dexter suffering from schizophrenia?
Dexter is a classic example of a “hidden schizoid” (that is, someone suffering from Schizoid Personality Disorder who hides it very well). Inability to conform, manipulation, and impulsive violence are all symptoms of ASPD; coldness, detachment, and a complete lack of interest in normal human connection are all symptoms of SPD.
What is the IQ of Dexter Morgan?
IQ refers to a person’s ability to perform tasks quickly, such as pattern recognition and cognitive math. According to Dexter, it’s around 140, which is extremely high. Without a doubt, his IQ is in the “genius quotient” area.
Are psychopaths always violent?
Psychopaths and sociopaths are frequently depicted as villains in films and television shows, killing or torturing innocent people. Some people with antisocial personality disorder are violent in real life, but the majority are not. Instead, they rely on deception and irresponsible behavior to achieve their goals.
“They’re cold, calculated killers at worst,” Others, are adept at working their way up the corporate ladder, even if it means harming others.
You could be tempted to believe you’re living or working with a psychopath or sociopath if you recognise some of these features in a family member or coworker. However, just because someone is cruel or selfish does not mean they have a mental illness.
Is Dexter Morgan a person with feelings?
For the most part, Dexter was a stoic character, with any displays of emotion being fabricated in order to blend in with others. Later on, he realized that having emotions helped him distinguish between right and wrong and that being emotional wasn’t all terrible.