I’ve watched enough true crime to know that some people are wired to do very, VERY bad things—like torturing a small animal, then casually enjoying a happy meal. The fact that these humans exist creeps me out, and allegedly Patric Gagne is one of them. And boy is she happy to tell you all about it in her book, aptly titled “Sociopath.”

Before we get into this, I’ll warn you that we’re dealing with a highly unreliable narrator who wears her “HELLO! I’M A SOCIOPATH!” name badge with a bizarre sense of pride. This “memoir” was not what I expected, mainly because her stories just don’t add up, thus making me question whether she’s actually a sociopath. I have theories (*cough* narcissist *cough*), but I’ll leave it at that.
Here are my questions. If you have any insight, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Why is She So Proud of This Label? If I took a shot of whiskey every time she said, “I’m a sociopath,” I’d be wasted before reaching the second chapter. It baffles me how someone could easily latch onto this highly stigmatized diagnosis because it’s, well, creepy. I’m also baffled at how forthcoming she is with this information—even around her coworkers. Yikes. When she described herself as a “Wednesday Adams” breaking into houses with her pet ferret, things started to get clearer. She likes being different and edgy. Oh, don’t we all.

Does She Really Want to Go to Jail? I found it laughable when this extremely privileged girl claimed she wouldn’t mind going to jail because it would be more freeing. I sure wish she could’ve been caught just once while stealing cars so she could get a taste of that life. Little Miss Thang grew up in luxury, and she was hired at her daddy’s big-time Hollywood record label company without any experience. All this bravado about going to jail is just hilarious. Can someone please call her bluff the next time she breaks into a house?

So, Is She a Sociopath? It’s been fascinating reading the commentary by armchair psychologists in the Goodreads threads, but who am I to judge…or diagnose? However, I do question her motives, one being she’s way too eager to get that sociopath diagnosis, which eventually happens when she convinces her psychologist to administer some sort of test, which I’m sure she answered with a clear agenda. Why is this? Would another diagnosis (like..say..narcissistic personality disorder) be more mundane? Based on my honorary doctorate in forensic psychology (by way of murder podcasts), I know sociopaths just DO NOT CARE about having meaningful relationships. They also don’t give a fig about how they’re being perceived by others unless if there is something to be gained. Patic does, in fact, care. In social settings she is extremely self-conscious about not fitting in, but why? If she feels nothing for others, why does it matter? She expresses her love for her parents, her sister, and even her ferret. She’s also a mother and a wife, claiming she “feels a different type of love.” How does this make sense when you read through the classic symptoms of sociopathy in the DSM-5? Perhaps she’s right that so much is unknown about this diagnosis, but I still question her agenda.

Are These Stories Even True? I have a hard time believing that a 40-something can recant word-for-word conversations from her early childhood days. Some of these stories are so outlandish, they seem more like scenes from a bad Lifetime movie—particularly her altercations with a blackmailing schemer and a toxic coworker. Again, we’re dealing with an unreliable narrator who tells you in the opening chapter that she is manipulative AF, so all bets are off.

Are Her Credentials Legit? I’ll be honest; I haven’t done a deep dive into her academic history, but many others have. For someone who brandishes her Ph.D. title loud and proud on the cover, you’d think she’d talk a bit about her research on…oh, I don’t know…sociopathy??? Seems rather odd that she didn’t go there, but then again, she did confess that she’s a liar and a manipulator.

Overall Thoughts: This was a dark read, but not in a fun way. This felt like a waste of time because I wanted more expert knowledge about the innermost thoughts of a true sociopath. But all I got was a bunch of overindulgent drivel about the trials and tribulations of self-absorbed rich girl who wants SO BADLY to go against the mainstream. I have a hard time understanding how a sociopath can feel immense uncomfortable pressure from apathy. Is this really a thing? I can understand how sociopaths might struggle with isolation, but do they really ruminate about apathy?

Another question is why resort to bad things like stalking people, breaking into houses, and hurting precious kitty cats? Why not do adrenaline-junky stuff like jumping out of airplanes or running ultramarathons? It’s unsettling to think that some people can only get joy from doing dark things. Whether or not Patic is a true sociopath is anyone’s guess, but I am 100% convinced that she is creepy. My advice to anyone is to run far, far away when someone boasts about their dark personality disorder. Even if they’re not speaking the truth, keep running in the opposite direction!