Patric Gagne, psychologist: ‘Antisocial personality traits are mistaken for strength, and people are drawn to leaders they perceive as strong’
In her memoir, ‘Sociopath,’ the writer aims to foster empathy for people living with ASPD
“I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.” Former therapist Patric Gagne, 49, paraphrases the iconic Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? as she reflects on her own criminal activities, such as stealing glasses from Ringo Starr, breaking into homes, and taking other people’s cars for late-night escapades. This UCLA student and doctor of clinical psychology admits that she doesn’t have the same emotional response as others: she struggles with empathy, and finds it difficult to tell the truth. If feelings were colors, Gagne says she would only experience the basic ones, like sadness or joy, but not the more complex emotions like remorse, guilt, jealousy, or love in its conventional form — even though she is married to the love of her life and has two children.
