Jamie,

I have been reading Tiny Buddha for well over eight months and your posting was the first to push me to register to reply. Congratulations on having the courage to break free of your sociopath boyfriend two and a half years ago. That is difficult and challenging at its best. Unless people have walked in your shoes, they don’t really realize how difficult it really is to break free. I was married to a sociopath for 6 years but we were together for 11 so I know your struggles. You inquired how you move on and get away? The best advice I can give you is, as much as you feel the need to right society and uphold the law, it would be best if possible to turn your back and walk away. The more that you continue to push, the more you continue to involve yourself in his life in any way, shape, or form, you continue on some level to antagonize him. He doesn’t have normal thinking so he will continue to look at it in a negative way and continue to seek revenge. You don’t need this for yourself or your children. Just leave him alone. Do not read his mail; do not take his phone calls; do not visit with him; do not speak with him; do not leave or listen to voicemails. Just have no interaction with him. Only then, when you finally remove him from all aspects of your life, will you truly be able to move on and find peace. I know it’s hard. The first three months that you do this, those will be the hardest 3 months. But once you’re on the other side, you’ll find distance and peace.

One other thing, a sociopath is not like other people. They don’t have the same mindset, they don’t have the same compassion and empathy, they just operate on an entirely different level. You shouldn’t judge all people by this one bad person. I don’t believe that sociopaths are entirely at fault. I think somewhere in their life, somebody did them wrong and it just tripped a switch. I think with counseling, with medication, with the right team of people, they can find help but you’re not that person to help them. I am sure that you have good people around you; compassionate people who love you and care about you with honesty. Those are the people that you should continue to interact with. And continue to seek inspiration from Tiny Buddha