It is not uncommon for a psychopath victim to be attacked and abused by a psychopathic sibling. One day it occurs to the victim that, “My brother is a psychopath!” and it is three times more likely that the psychopathic sibling is a brother, rather than a sister psychopath. For the victim of a psycho-sib, the earlier you come to the realization that you are dealing with a psychopath, the better because you can take steps to protect yourself from further psychopathic abuse.
The young familial psychopath is likely either to target all family members or single out a sole family member to victimize. The sibling victims of the psychopath are likely to grow up paranoid, and on edge, waiting for the next emergent situation to appear at any moment. They are likely to have lower self-esteem, carry a high degree of burden, guilt, and shame, and are surprisingly very faithful servants and employees. Though they may suffer from various forms of mood swings and depression.
Living in the shadow of the psychopathic sibling is difficult because the psychopath soaks up all available limelight for themselves, often taking credit for effort and contributions made by other siblings for themselves as well.
Any effort of the victims to defend themselves is fruitless, for they cannot compete with the psychopath’s innate skills of coercion, manipulation, and deceitfulness to achieve their desired end result. The psychopath will convincingly say or do anything to make sure that the victim is either the one at fault or has a screw loose and would probably be better locked up to protect the world from his or her influence (the sibling victim!).
Psychopath Victim or Clone
If you grew up as the victim of a psychopathic sibling, your exploitative abuse would likely take one of two forms with distinctly opposed results. On one side of the spectrum, “Victim,” you will feel as though you have been beaten down, disrespected, and mentally and physically abused (which often includes sexual abuse). On the other end of the spectrum, “Clone,” you will have adopted some of the behavioral aspects of a psychopath. These victims have been groomed by psychopaths to be pseudo-psychos, and for those who encounter them in adult life, these victims could easily be considered to be psychopaths, but they are not. They were the unwitting young victims of a psychopath who rewired their psychology to be their partner or understudy.
Unfortunately for the siblings of the psychopath, psychopaths enjoy imprisoning their victims either physically or psychologically, so sharing a home with a sibling-victim with no place to go is the stuff psychopathic dreams are made of.
Sibling psychopathy victimization can take many forms as we have heard a vast variety of abuse and exploitation including things like being sexually violated, threats of severe violence, unexpected physical attacks of violence, and psychological violence. It is not uncommon for the victim-sibling to have a youth criminal record on either side of the spectrum. You would assume so on the Clone end of the spectrum, but on the other side, the victim is often coerced, threatened, or forced into confessing to crimes that were perpetrated by the psychopathic sibling.
Substance Abuse
If the young psychopath is exposed to and embraces substance abuse, all victimization increases exponentially, the violence increases, as does the creativity in style of victimization, which I am hesitant to give examples of, so as not to give anyone any ideas that they may not have thought of, yet. Categories of substance abuse vary and may include drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sexual addiction. This also comes at great expense to the solidarity of the family unit which suffers the consequences that will never be felt by the psychopath, because he or she has no knee-jerk reaction to negative actions or moral indiscretions.
There is evidence that suggests that if there is a psychopath in the family, there is another one, and maybe more than an additional psychopath lurking in the family as well.
Get Yourself Free
The psychopath’s sibling will never be free of the psychopathic bond until the victim is able to effectively sever all ties with the psychopath, allowing the victim to heal, and develop their own sense of self in a world without the psychopathic influence. Moving out of the home is not enough separation to assure one’s safety and security.
The good news is that you are not alone and help is available if you seek to take on such a task as to separate yourself from your psychopathic brother or sister psychopath.
I’m sorry to hear that you are experiencing this with your brother. It can be difficult to come to terms with the fact that someone you love and care about may have psychopathic traits, but it’s important to prioritize your own safety and well-being.
If you are concerned about your brother’s behavior, it may be helpful to seek out support from a therapist or counselor who can provide a safe and confidential space to process your experiences and develop strategies for setting healthy boundaries with your brother. This can also help you develop coping strategies and learn how to communicate effectively with your brother.
It’s also important to protect yourself financially and emotionally. This may include setting clear boundaries around lending money, avoiding engaging in arguments or confrontations with your brother and seeking support from trusted friends and family members.
If you are concerned about your safety or the safety of others, it may be helpful to seek out legal advice or consider involving law enforcement. It’s important to document any incidents of abusive or threatening behavior and to seek out support from a qualified legal professional who can help you navigate the legal system.
Finally, it’s important to remember that you are not alone and that there are resources and support available to help you navigate this situation. Support groups, hotlines, and online communities can provide a safe and supportive space to connect with others who have experienced similar situations and share strategies for coping and healing.
You can have a happy and healthy, even normal, life free from psychopathy.