The term character disturbance describes a continuum of disturbed personality types. Psychopathy, or sociopathy, is the severest form of personality disorder at one extreme end of the range. Not everyone with a character disturbance is a psychopath.

Dealing with someone who is covertly aggressive is always a challenge — and especially so in the workplace, where we can feel trapped. Here are four tips to help cope with this kind of manipulative behavior.

When people fail to take responsibility for their choices and actions — when they behave with a sense of entitlement and irresponsibility — it costs our whole society dearly. To remedy this social ill we need to acknowledge the issues and deal with them, otherwise our precious freedom will be eroded.

People with aggressive personality styles are frequently already operating in an aggressive mode long before they ever become angry. For them, brandishing anger is more of an intimidation tactic than a genuine expression of emotion — and that’s why many don’t respond particularly well to traditional anger management interventions.

Doing so may not always be easy, but empirical research suggests that being grateful can help foster an overall sense of well-being and happiness. Taking note of the many things we have to feel thankful about can play a highly constructive role in the development of our world view and our character.

Gaslighting is a sophisticated manipulation tactic which certain types of personalities use to create doubt in the minds of others. Here’s how it works and what to watch out for.

Learn how to recognize the weakest point in the vicious cycle of distress. Whether you’re managing anxiety and panic, or in relationship with a disturbed character, stop the cycle before it escalates out of control.