What is it to be a psychopath? According to Intelligent Living, psychologists based their diagnosis on four key factors. Those factors include not feeling any guilt or remorse, pathological lying, impulsive behavior, and living a parasitic lifestyle. When an individual possesses those traits and exhibits them repeatedly, they could be diagnosed as a psychopath.

Young man screaming in despair surrounded with smoke.
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study done by Southern Methodist University broke down the proportion of psychopaths in the US by state, and the results paint Maine in a rather disturbing light. Amongst the 48 contiguous states in the country, Maine ranked #1 in prevalence of psychopaths. Washington D.C. was the only place in the country that had a higher concentration of psychopaths, but isn't an official state.

The study event went as far as to break down what professions have the highest percentage of psychopathic behavior. The top professions include CEO, chef, media (radio, tv, journalism), salesperson, lawyer, and civil servant. People who have those occupations have disproportionate psychopathic numbers.

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In fact, the Northeast as a region was declared to be the most psychopathic area in the United States. It's also characterized as the most "temperamental and uninhibited" region in the country. Connecticut (#2) and Massachusetts (#5) also have some of the highest concentration of psychopaths in the nation.

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So should we all be concerned? No. This doesn't mean the apocalypse is on the horizon or that all of your neighbors are crazy. What it does mean is that mental health welfare needs a closer look, especially here in Maine. Effects from the pandemic only further increased a mental health crisis that has existed throughout the country.


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