Disorders Authors
Families Contact us
Search
Getting services News Healthinmind.com
Emergencies
   

Healthinmind/Mental Health Disorders/Personality Disorders/Antisocial Personality Disorder

The Case of the Greedy Groom

Gregg G. was 49 years old when he was jailed for the last time, but he will soon be free to look for his ninth wife. He bilked the first eight out of varying amounts of money, from a few thousand dollars up to and including their life's savings. To get a good start on his ninth, he took out an ad in the personals column of a local newspaper, billing himself as the president of a dot com company in San Jose.

The prosecutor who put Gregg in jail for his most recent felony doubts that his 3-year jail sentence has changed his ways. The prosecutor's doubts are more than justified on the basis of past history alone, but Gregg has added to the doubts with a statement he made to wife number five. After he stole $50,000 from a trust fund for her children, and did his best to conceal the theft, she finally confronted him and said "Doesn't your conscience bother you for what you have done to me and my children"? Gregg replied, "I have no conscience." Gregg's confession is an accurate reflection of the antisocial personality, but his admission is rare; very seldom does truth come from the mouth of a person with antisocial personality.

Gregg is much better at lies than he is at the truth. Like other con men, he has touching and convincing stories about his past, none of which are based on reality. He was a victim of terrible experiences in Viet Nam (he was in jail when he said he was in Nam) and had a horrible childhood (who knows?). He is a charmer, a singer in church choirs (and in prison choirs), and a great romantic (he gave one wife a ring and flowers, all bought with her credit card; and he was such a great romantic that he had set a marriage date with another woman as he delivered the flowers). He claims to have worked for the FBI, to own several houses and gyms--but why go on? One things people with antisocial personalities do not lack is vivid imaginations. Watch out for them. 

                                                                                                                                Last updated  12/19/03

 
     
Disclaimer Home Healthinmind.com
Up