The Sociopath at the Breakfast Table: Recognizing and Dealing With Antisocial and Manipulative People

Protect yourself and loved ones from manipulative people who have no conscience, feel no shame

Sociopaths make up an alarming 1–4 percent of the population and can be found in all areas of life: family, work, school, the community—even churches, temples and mosques. Unable to relate to the feelings of others, they repeatedly exploit their victims, leaving deep emotional and psychological scars.

Yet sociopaths look normal, are very skilled at lying and often go unnoticed. Like stealth missiles, they zero in on victims, wreck their lives and leave without remorse or consequence. 

The Sociopath at the Breakfast Table teaches readers how to identify everyday sociopaths and take steps to protect themselves. Authors Dr. Jane McGregor and Tim McGregor also explain that, while generous or empathetic people often make ideal victims, their empathy may sometimes become an antidote to sociopathic abuse. Included in this fascinating new work are

• a full profile of common sociopathic traits and real-life stories of sociopathic abuse
• an Empathy Quotient Quiz that readers can use to measure their own empathy levels
  
• a helpful new theory of sociopathic interaction, the “Sociopath-Empath-Apath Triad”  

The authors provide step-by-step techniques for dealing with the anger and guilt that often follows a manipulative encounter or relationship. With this knowledge, readers can spot a sociopath’s traps and avoid them, protecting themselves — and those they love — from the monster who just might be smiling at them from across the breakfast table. 

Dr. Jane McGregor is a lecturer at Nottingham University Institute of Mental Health. With a PhD in public health, she has worked with addiction treatment for years and is a member of the Association of Higher Education on Alcohol and Drugs. Tim McGregor is a consultant, writer and mental health practitioner who has worked with the NHS and UK voluntary sector as a commissioning adviser. They live in Nottingham, UK.