There are three general classifications of abnormal behavior: (1) Neuroses, which have been traditionally characterized by anxiety and/or depression and other bothersome symptoms. People with neuroses are generally unhappy and distort reality, but not to the extent that they are out of contact with reality; (2) Psychoses, which are characterized by hallucinations (most typically hearing voices or seeing things that are not real) and delusions (false beliefs). People with psychoses profoundly distort reality, although their contact with reality may wax and wane; and (3) Personality disorders, which cause difficulties in relationships, schooling/education, and keeping a job. Interestingly, people with personality disorders are often egosyntonic for their behavior — that is, they most often are not bothered by or are aware of their negative effect upon others. This abnormal behavior category has the diagnostic label disorder because it so often causes other problems for the people who interact with the person with a personality disorder.

It is this third category of psychopathology that I believe best explains the behaviors of dictators, autocrats, and bullies. Interestingly, this category of abnormal behavior is one of the oldest, and it can be traced to a short work by Greek philosopher Theophrastus, who wrote a book, Characters, in about 350 BCE, where he described about 30 people that he observed in Athenian........

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