Can You Call a 9-Year-Old a Psychopath?

[Lionessa]

6. Yes, however, I believe psychopathy is more a matter

of nuture moreso than nature. I don't believe anyone is a born psychopath. Problem is that when the 9 years olds display issues, no one looks to the adults (not just parents, child care providers, school entities, church entities, etc) to see why the child is learning that such behavior is working. Note I didn't say acceptable, I said working.

Personal example: Until I was about 20, I was a compulsive liar. On a phone conversation with a man who ended up being my first husband, I told a lie in order to be invited over. By the time I drove across town, I decided to tell the truth and go home. He suggested staying and just not lying anymore, so I haven't since then.

Knowing that my childhood was nightmarish in abuse, I began to investigate why I had turned into a albeit temporary compulsive liar. AHA! When my father was pissed, we got the shit beat out of us. However, the strangest thing would happen if, when asked if we did (fill in the blank). If I lied, and I guess he felt he knew I was lying, he would get SOOOOO ANGRY he would be afraid he might kill me, so he'd storm out of house and take a 5 hour motorcycle ride and the beating wouldn't happen. So, why was I a compulsive liar until I was out from under the thumb of my parents.... because it worked.

Problem is most children of dysfunctional homes, don't successfully evaluate how their childhoods screwed them up nor decide to just quit whatever it was. Also please understand, it is easy to stop lying, but there are no doubt still some kneejerk responses from me that mess up my current life, that I am sure are still responses to my childhood, so I'm not implying that I'm in anyway perfectly resolved, but the lying is, even to a fault, I won't lie about that dress looking awful and such, I had to go to a no lie policy across the board. If I started even one lie, I fear I'd slip right back into lying about everything and anything.