Constant And Extreme Sociopathic Behavior By Users Of Benzos

[FredSonoma]

I have known multiple people in my life that I had to work with in close proximity - immediate family members, college housemates, fraternity pledge brothers, and work colleagues - who took Benzos.

My honest experience is that these people were, by far, the worst people I ever met. They were the only people I ever knew who I could just not wait to never have to see ever again. I have, on occasion, seen pictures of these past acquaintances that used Benzos, and just the sight of the picture caused a visceral response of disgust and slight nausea. I am not saying that to be dramatic haha.

I still know people on this. I also encounter people all the time that I suspect are on it. I don't know why I'm making this post. Learned helplessness? I have never known people that cause a feeling of learned helplessness so strongly in me as people on Benzos.

I'm assuming it has something to do with how the anxiety is "switched off" by the drug - somehow it must be shutting down mirror neurons, or parts of the brain responsible for empathy? One of the most disturbing mannerisms of people on Benzos is that they will talk very rapidly, all while holding extremely steady and completely dead eye contact. They will stare through your soul like you don't even exist and say the coldest, most ruthless comment, or make the most blatantly heartless, selfish decision, and continue with their life like they are perfect and of course you must love them.

Why is this happening? Is there anything I can do? I've never actually tried to talk to someone like this about it - in my experiences, they get extremely angry immediately if any notion is brought up that they have or may be at fault.

 

[FredSonoma]

Another thing I have noticed, though not as bad as the heartless / sociopathic behavior, is that they are simultaneously needy, but unempathetic. I never knew people that would so frequently call me on a daily basis and talk for an hour about everything they did that day, ask to hang out, ask me to walk with them to the store down the road, ask me to sit with them in the car, and constantly ask for favors. But despite the fact that they constantly needed things, in my interactions with them, while doing them a favor, they would be cold-hearted and just flat-out mean. Say the most selfish, cold things, treat you terribly, complete disregard any of your needs.

My experiences with normal people not on benzos are, if they're needy, they're usually very kind and aware. On the flip side, if people are very cold-hearted and competitive, they are never needy. The only people that I ever met that were so lacking in social awareness that they were both were people on Benzos.

 

[Regina]

Another thing I have noticed, though not as bad as the heartless / sociopathic behavior, is that they are simultaneously needy, but unempathetic. I never knew people that would so frequently call me on a daily basis and talk for an hour about everything they did that day, ask to hang out, ask me to walk with them to the store down the road, ask me to sit with them in the car, and constantly ask for favors. But despite the fact that they constantly needed things, in my interactions with them, while doing them a favor, they would be cold-hearted and just flat-out mean. Say the most selfish, cold things, treat you terribly, complete disregard any of your needs.

My experiences with normal people not on benzos are, if they're needy, they're usually very kind and aware. On the flip side, if people are very cold-hearted and competitive, they are never needy. The only people that I ever met that were so lacking in social awareness that they were both were people on Benzos.

I've definitely encountered people such as described in your 1st paragraph, but I don't think they are on benzos. They are super duper needy but bullying when you do go out of your way to help them. A lot of false emotions that turn on a dime. Bottomless pits of need. Anymore, I just move on earlier because the relational dynamic doesn't change. If I knew them when they were children, they pretty much talked the same when they were 8 as when they are 50 yrs old. Someone may have prescribed them benzos but I think it's because of their chaos, but the personality (disorder) remains with or without the drugs.

 

[FredSonoma]

I've definitely encountered people such as described in your 1st paragraph, but I don't think they are on benzos. They are super duper needy but bullying when you do go out of your way to help them. A lot of false emotions that turn on a dime. Bottomless pits of need. Anymore, I just move on earlier because the relational dynamic doesn't change. If I knew them when they were children, they pretty much talked the same when they were 8 as when they are 50 yrs old. Someone may have prescribed them benzos but I think it's because of their chaos, but the personality (disorder) remains with or without the drugs.

You could be correct - but I do suspect the benzos can really alter it. There are people who report on drug forums that during periods of taking benzos they acted very sociopathic and didn't realize until they stopped taking it.

Also, in college, separately from the people I knew that were prescribed benzos, I had 5 housemates who would occasionally take a large dose of Xanax, just for fun. They would take a dose probably 4 times larger than a normal dose. But I vividly remember hating when they did this - I would avoid them, but when they were hanging out with each other they were so heartless, and would just say the nastiest things to each other, while they were normally never like that. I'd witnessed them take opiates, MDMA, cocaine, and smoke marijuana, and their behavior on none of those every made me uncomfortable (cocaine sometimes would make them seem on edge). But when they did Xanax, I felt so uncomfortable around them. Just the way they would move, get so close into your private space, have that dead stare, say the most heartless things like it was nothing, just really disturbed me.

 

[Squatrat]

Its worth pointing out that alcohol and benzos do the same thing to a person neurologicaly and a persons "bad side" can come out when theyre under the influence. I take benzos for extreme anxiety but it hasnt affected my personality; I dont go around bad mouthing people just because the benzos take some of the edge off. What you may be seeing is simply personality defects in the person while theyre under the influence.

Theres also a huge difference between someone taking low dose klonapin to control anxiety versus people taking huge doses of xanax for recreational use.

 

[Regina]

You could be correct - but I do suspect the benzos can really alter it. There are people who report on drug forums that during periods of taking benzos they acted very sociopathic and didn't realize until they stopped taking it.

Also, in college, separately from the people I knew that were prescribed benzos, I had 5 housemates who would occasionally take a large dose of Xanax, just for fun. They would take a dose probably 4 times larger than a normal dose. But I vividly remember hating when they did this - I would avoid them, but when they were hanging out with each other they were so heartless, and would just say the nastiest things to each other, while they were normally never like that. I'd witnessed them take opiates, MDMA, cocaine, and smoke marijuana, and their behavior on none of those every made me uncomfortable (cocaine sometimes would make them seem on edge). But when they did Xanax, I felt so uncomfortable around them. Just the way they would move, get so close into your private space, have that dead stare, say the most heartless things like it was nothing, just really disturbed me.

eeewwww. Super creepy.
Yeah, similar to alcohol I guess. (I'm not that familiar with benzos--or how prevalent they are). Recently, I had to sort of baby-sit a drunk family member. They sat completely in my personal space and literally kept slugging me in the shoulder. When sober, this person is somewhat flat emotionally and doesn't get touchy feely at all.
I'm just less-inclined to let them off the hook.

 

[mujuro]

I have a close friend who abused Xanax for close to 18 months. He possesses many of the traits belonging to the dark triad, especially Machiavellianism, narcissism and a total lack of empathy for others. He will lie and manipulate and cheat to get what he wants.

 

[michael94]

Another thing I have noticed, though not as bad as the heartless / sociopathic behavior, is that they are simultaneously needy, but unempathetic. I never knew people that would so frequently call me on a daily basis and talk for an hour about everything they did that day, ask to hang out, ask me to walk with them to the store down the road, ask me to sit with them in the car, and constantly ask for favors. But despite the fact that they constantly needed things, in my interactions with them, while doing them a favor, they would be cold-hearted and just flat-out mean. Say the most selfish, cold things, treat you terribly, complete disregard any of your needs.

My experiences with normal people not on benzos are, if they're needy, they're usually very kind and aware. On the flip side, if people are very cold-hearted and competitive, they are never needy. The only people that I ever met that were so lacking in social awareness that they were both were people on Benzos.

There was a dark period my freshman year of uni where I was desperate to fit in so the few "friends" I did have I was a bit needy about wanting to hang out and such.... I felt the need to log in and confess this.

 

[LeeRoyJenkins]

What you're describing also sounds like the "cluster b" personality traits (borderline, narcissistic, etc.). People often have Co morbitity based on what I've read (multiple issues, multiple chemical addictions).

I had a partner who exhibited exactly this. I find it interesting that benzos affect people on similar fashion as alcohol. Been reading Jung and other physchologists works and find it fascinating that us humans invented? Daeities to demonstrate substances effects on people. Particularly the negative ones. (Bacchus, Dionysys). It's where we get the word spirit from. The spirit of that god overtakes you.

Now we need to invent ones for Xanax... Xander the dark haired cruel and duplicitous God who was never happy due to his unrequited love for Buffy.

What am I doing with my life.

 

[Herbie]

@FredSonoma Is the stare your talking about the 1000 yard stare that soldiers of war have?

A few years ago I smoked a joint and went on Facebook and in the altered state I noticed in some peoples photos that they were smiling but they looking completely hollow in the face eyes area and could see the smile was consciously forced, was taking a lot of energy to lift the lips up, they looked in deep pain but trying hard, it was sad to see . It through me back, I went through my own photos and saw at times of high stress in my life that I could see some hollowness and I think was most aggressive at these times.

I think if you were hollow that you would lose the ability to see the life in others and stare straight through them and lose sensitivity to emotions empathy and humanity.

Once I was at a job interview and being undertaken by two men. I sat at a table with one man opposite me conducting the interview sitting down and the boss/owner stood, leaning against something 5 meters/16 feet away while the interview was being conducted and just locked his gaze upon me for the whole thing, It was very challenging and I asked him why he did that he said he had to see if he could trust me and I took the position but the boss turned out to be very aggressive and tyrannical and had he low self worth and I got out of there.

I think its low levels of electricity in the body and I have read the emotion equates to energy in motion not sure about this though.

 

[FredSonoma]

There was a dark period my freshman year of uni where I was desperate to fit in so the few "friends" I did have I was a bit needy about wanting to hang out and such.... I felt the need to log in and confess this.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong about being needy and wanting to hang out a lot :) I'm just saying - a normal person who is very needy will be aware that they are asking for a lot already, so they will try to make up for it by being a little extra kind. The person on benzos will be needy in this way, and then still treat you terribly after asking for favors.

 

[FredSonoma]

Its worth pointing out that alcohol and benzos do the same thing to a person neurologicaly and a persons "bad side" can come out when theyre under the influence. I take benzos for extreme anxiety but it hasnt affected my personality; I dont go around bad mouthing people just because the benzos take some of the edge off. What you may be seeing is simply personality defects in the person while theyre under the influence.

Theres also a huge difference between someone taking low dose klonapin to control anxiety versus people taking huge doses of xanax for recreational use.

I am predominantly talking about people that use a low dose to control anxiety - the people I described in my original thread, immediate family members, pledge brothers, and housemates, who were on this and I had to spend a lot of time with, were in this category of low dose as prescribed. The example about the kids in my house I knew abusing them in high doses was separate.

 

[FredSonoma]

@FredSonoma Is the stare your talking about the 1000 yard stare that soldiers of war have?

A few years ago I smoked a joint and went on Facebook and in the altered state I noticed in some peoples photos that they were smiling but they looking completely hollow in the face eyes area and could see the smile was consciously forced, was taking a lot of energy to lift the lips up, they looked in deep pain but trying hard, it was sad to see . It through me back, I went through my own photos and saw at times of high stress in my life that I could see some hollowness and I think was most aggressive at these times.

I think if you were hollow that you would lose the ability to see the life in others and stare straight through them and lose sensitivity to emotions empathy and humanity.

Once I was at a job interview and being undertaken by two men. I sat at a table with one man opposite me conducting the interview sitting down and the boss/owner stood, leaning against something 5 meters/16 feet away while the interview was being conducted and just locked his gaze upon me for the whole thing, It was very challenging and I asked him why he did that he said he had to see if he could trust me and I took the position but the boss turned out to be very aggressive and tyrannical and had he low self worth and I got out of there.

I think its low levels of electricity in the body and I have read the emotion equates to energy in motion not sure about this though.

This isn't really what I'm talking about - it isn't tired, or broken, like the veteran stare. I kind of imagine that a this "sad veteran" with a lot of dark memories will mostly not make prolonged eye contact like this - more like reflectively talking while mostly looking away from you. I think the average person holds stronger eye contact while not talking, than when talking. People will move their eyes around more while they actually talk. What I am saying about people on benzos, is that everything about them will be animated, except their eyes will be dead still on your eyes like they are staring through you as they talk rapidly at you. And it will be staring through 100% of the period they speak without looking away at all in between or during sentences.

 

[Regina]

@FredSonoma Is the stare your talking about the 1000 yard stare that soldiers of war have?

A few years ago I smoked a joint and went on Facebook and in the altered state I noticed in some peoples photos that they were smiling but they looking completely hollow in the face eyes area and could see the smile was consciously forced, was taking a lot of energy to lift the lips up, they looked in deep pain but trying hard, it was sad to see . It through me back, I went through my own photos and saw at times of high stress in my life that I could see some hollowness and I think was most aggressive at these times.

I think if you were hollow that you would lose the ability to see the life in others and stare straight through them and lose sensitivity to emotions empathy and humanity.

Once I was at a job interview and being undertaken by two men. I sat at a table with one man opposite me conducting the interview sitting down and the boss/owner stood, leaning against something 5 meters/16 feet away while the interview was being conducted and just locked his gaze upon me for the whole thing, It was very challenging and I asked him why he did that he said he had to see if he could trust me and I took the position but the boss turned out to be very aggressive and tyrannical and had he low self worth and I got out of there.

I think its low levels of electricity in the body and I have read the emotion equates to energy in motion not sure about this though.

It's so important to get away from bosses like that.

 

[Herbie]

This isn't really what I'm talking about - it isn't tired, or broken, like the veteran stare. I kind of imagine that a this "sad veteran" with a lot of dark memories will mostly not make prolonged eye contact like this - more like reflectively talking while mostly looking away from you. I think the average person holds stronger eye contact while not talking, than when talking. People will move their eyes around more while they actually talk. What I am saying about people on benzos, is that everything about them will be animated, except their eyes will be dead still on your eyes like they are staring through you as they talk rapidly at you. And it will be staring through 100% of the period they speak without looking away at all in between or during sentences.

Ok that is interesting. thanks for sharing.

 

[Herbie]

It's so important to get away from bosses like that.

Yes, Ive experienced others like that and found that guys who seek those kind of bosses approval and work hard to impress them do ok, They seem to have a kind of father son relationship.

 

[Regina]

Yes, Ive experienced others like that and found that guys who seek those kind of bosses approval and work hard to impress them do ok, They seem to have a kind of father son relationship.

Ew. I say Avoid avoid avoid.

 

[TreasureVibe]

My dad abused a substance for years that he generally referred to as "amphetamine" but "legal" according to his words, for years on his work (he worked in a pharmacy as a pharmacist so he had free access to this and he did not do it alone apparently) until it was apparently "outlawed", again, according to his words. He never named the actual substance so it is unknown to us what it could've been. I recognize my dad alot in what people write here.

Today, he is not the same friendly person anymore ever since he used this substance. He is manipulative, has extremely innappropriate sexual lusts, can be unempathic and down right sociopathic. Also, he lies alot and is very untrustworthy, having cheated on my mother before, something which he hid for all of us for years and has never apologized for. He lied to a therapist, in order to fool me and my mother into thinking we are somehow crazy by getting the therapist to state his personal opinions on us, which are, ofcourse, based on his completely exaggerated and down right lied story he told him weeks before when he had a 1 on 1 appointment with him.

He already had undiagnosed borderline personality disorder presumably, but ever since using this unknown substance, he has become extremely worse when he is completely himself.

Could this be because of the substance he abused? Presumably an amphetamine-like substance? Thanks if anyone can help out!

 

[DaveFoster]

I have known multiple people in my life that I had to work with in close proximity - immediate family members, college housemates, fraternity pledge brothers, and work colleagues - who took Benzos.

My honest experience is that these people were, by far, the worst people I ever met. They were the only people I ever knew who I could just not wait to never have to see ever again. I have, on occasion, seen pictures of these past acquaintances that used Benzos, and just the sight of the picture caused a visceral response of disgust and slight nausea. I am not saying that to be dramatic haha.

I still know people on this. I also encounter people all the time that I suspect are on it. I don't know why I'm making this post. Learned helplessness? I have never known people that cause a feeling of learned helplessness so strongly in me as people on Benzos.

I'm assuming it has something to do with how the anxiety is "switched off" by the drug - somehow it must be shutting down mirror neurons, or parts of the brain responsible for empathy? One of the most disturbing mannerisms of people on Benzos is that they will talk very rapidly, all while holding extremely steady and completely dead eye contact. They will stare through your soul like you don't even exist and say the coldest, most ruthless comment, or make the most blatantly heartless, selfish decision, and continue with their life like they are perfect and of course you must love them.

Why is this happening? Is there anything I can do? I've never actually tried to talk to someone like this about it - in my experiences, they get extremely angry immediately if any notion is brought up that they have or may be at fault.

Have you ever thought that people with antisocial tendencies often have anxiety as well, likely masking their aggression?

"Blocking" the behavioral pathway of "anxiety" eliminates one psychological coping strategy for stress, and there's only so many alternatives.

 

[TreasureVibe]

Have you ever thought that people with antisocial tendencies often have anxiety as well, likely masking their aggression?

Treating the anxiety may not improve other aspects of their personality.

Yes, I have thought exactly that. This seemingly "double agenda" feeling you just cannot ditch with the person. Constantly the feeling of an ulterior motive that the person somehow has. What do you think of this?