478 SelfWork: The Mind Games of Sociopathy

How do you know if someone with sociopathic traits is playing with your mind? Today on SelfWork we’re going to talk about just that. The term cognitive dissonance has been around for quite a long time. What it’s describing is when you do something or say something that you believe to be wrong or unkind or unjust. But you do it or say it anyway. So, you’re not following or abiding by the values that you say you have. The gaslighting technique of those with sociopathy... But cognitive dissonance can also be caused or created as well through toxic manipulation or what’s termed gaslighting. This is when someone with narcissistic traits or sociopathic ones creates a smokescreen of confounding lies, even telling you one thing is true as well as its opposite, and expecting you to blindly follow. The trap is complete when they prevent you from trusting your own gut or mind or heart. Or guide or lead you away from their manipulation. It can be paralyzing. You either must cut yourself off from the value that you hold – or you must become more aware of the manipulation. You must see that it’s happening and how it’s happening. But remember, the actions and manipulations of the person who wants you to be paralyzed are still coming on strong. Today’s voicemail is from a woman in France who’s asking me about perfectly hidden depression – and in French. I had to get out my translating app because my own French was a little too rusty – but I was pretty much on the mark. Vital Links: BBC article on the young Elizabeth Holmes ThriveWorks article on emotional manipulation and sociopathy Bustle article on games played by those with sociopathic traits Advertisers Links: Click HERE for the NEXT GEN offer from AG1 – with bonus product with your new subscription! Other offerings from Dr. Margaret You can hear more about this and many other topics by listening to my podcast, SelfWork with Dr. Margaret Rutherford .

You can listen to 478 SelfWork: The Mind Games of Sociopathy online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

478 SelfWork: The Mind Games of Sociopathy is an episode from The SelfWork Podcast by Margaret Robinson Rutherford PhD.

This episode is 22:21 long.

This episode was published on Dec 26, 2025.

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