Thread:BeholderofStuff/@comment-1705775-20180204175710/@comment-1705775-20180205190512

as a general rule I think we should do a common sense thing with the following:

1) author-based canon, rather than fan speculation - if an author says they are a psychopath, then they count.. fans simply thinking they are a psychopath shouldn't count (there's a reason you can't self-diagnose yourself with illnesses)

2) if a character "depends on writer" like Joker they can get special exemption (since Joker can be a psychopath in some stories, in others he is way too insane to count)

3) in general all psychopaths must have knowledge of reality and be able to manipulate it if needed.. they can be crazed but it should an exception rather than a rule.. if a character lives in their own world, they are usually schizo.

I'd say Henry and Frank are more schizo but again, crazed psychopaths do exist.. look at Alan Yates.. I think psychos should be differed in the fact they can act "sane" and while mentally ill are not really "completely insane" : psychopaths can't be cured via counselling nor psychiatric drugs, because they *technically* are not delusional nor suffering psychosis.

I think that's what people get confused on:

psychopath : extreme anti-social personality disorder

psychosis : an acute mental breakdown, where reality is severely altered.

someone suffering psychosis is not a psychopath.