THE EFFECTS AND IMPACT OF DARK PSYCHOLOGY

“When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow” 

Given the little we now understand about dark psychology, we know that some of the most shocking criminal offences are rooted in certain personality traits related to dark psychology. But that is a broader side effect. I want to bring it closer to home, to you and me. How does this dark psychology affect us…if it even affects us at all? I can assure you that there are no “ifs” to this question and in a few short moments we would understand how. 

                             The effects of dark psychology are experienced by both the perpetrator and the victim. To know the impacts, we need to explore some elements of dark psychology. People who exhibit certain personality traits that are considered dark such as narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism are prone to experiencing difficulties in all aspects of their relationships. 

If all three traits are present in one person, they have a higher propensity to commit a crime. The three personality traits mentioned have specific characteristics that are grouped under them. Narcissism for instance is characterized by a sense of entitlement, feelings of superiority, deep seethed envy of the success of others and exploitative behavior. Psychopathy has an absence of guilt, lack of empathy, destructive impulsive behavior, egocentricity and inability to accept responsibility as some of the characteristics. Selfishness, ruthlessness and manipulative behaviors are indicators of Machiavellian traits. 

                                                      Separately, these traits are problematic but put together, they can spell trouble. Especially in a person's relationship with others. In the workplace for instance, that person would; Underperform in the office even with the most mundane tasks Disrupt workflow due to their inability to get along with others Would be intensely disliked by others Their impulsivity would lead them to making questionable decisions that are not ethical If put in an administrative capacity, they are more likely to commit white collar crime But it is not just their work relationships that suffer.

In their personal relationships, they are bound to encounter the following problems Their constant need for attention and validation can be exhausting for their partner resulting in faster expiration dates on relationships They resort to physical and emotional blackmails in order to manipulate their partners They tend to be either verbally, emotionally or physically abusive with their partners or children People who get into relationships with them pay a high emotional cost If you have encountered a person whose relationships are characterized by these experiences, for the sake of your sanity and general well-being, steer clear of them. 

If on the other hand, you are the one who experiences this, seek the psychological help you need to get better. No matter how deep-rooted these problems are, you can improve your behavior and experiences with the right form of therapy. The first step is recognizing the situation for what it is, acknowledging that you have a problem and seeking help promptly. For the rest of us, dealing with people who have the traits I mentioned above leaves us emotionally and mentally drained. Sometimes, the effect can be physical and in extreme cases, fatal. The sweet neighbor whose terrible experience led me on this journey to writing this book lost everything physically. Her home, her business, her finances but her loss was much deeper and greater than these. We didn't have a relationship with the perpetrator of the act but we became victims as well. Our losses were not as monumental as hers but, we experienced loss too. For starters.

We lost our sweet neighbor. She didn't die but she never recovered from the experience. We lost our ability to trust strangers. Even our relationships with each other seemed to require an additional layer of trust to thrive. The biggest impact of dark psychology on anyone is that it produces a strong sense of loss. We lose our valuables, we lose relationships, we lose ourselves [I will explain that in a bit] and for those who are extremely unfortunate, they lose their lives. All things considered. 

                                  It is safe to say that the impact of this darkness is profound. According to experts, if a person exhibits one of the dark personality traits, there is a very high tendency that the person would exhibit the others. In general society, if the larger members of the society exhibit these traits, it is safe to say that the crime perpetration rates in that society would be significantly high. That is not to say that people living in cities or countries with higher crimes are more criminally inclined. 

There are other contributing factors to be considered. But the prospect cannot be entirely ruled out either. One thing that cannot be ruled out though is the ripple effect of actions directly related to or as a result of dark personality traits. There are certain destructive behaviors that turn victims into predators as well and this cycle continues well into the future until someone plucks up the courage and takes the bold step to break free. Children from abusive homes for instance more often than not grow up to be abusers. In some cases, in their attempt to break away from their parental mold, they find themselves trapped in equally abusive relationships even if they are not the abusers themselves. It is almost as if they have a very strong gravitational pull towards the violent elements that characterized their childhood home. For some others, becoming victims can have such a tremendous impact on their psyche that it causes something inside of them to snap.

                      I have read that the "snapping" can be temporary. In a brief moment, they lose all control over their primitive instincts and act purely on the strongest emotion that surfaces, which is usually anger. This condition is what causes some people to plead temporary insanity. But there are people who embrace the dark emotions that surface when they "snap". All sense of morality goes out the window. The aftermath of this is usually devastating.