"Antisocial" is a word that has been increasingly used by people who consider themselves shy or introverted. What these people don't realize is that contrary to popular belief, being antisocial does not mean that you dislike being social. The dictionary defines being antisocial as someone who is "contrary to the laws and customs of society; devoid of or antagonistic to sociable instincts or practices." Someone who is antisocial is unable to function in society, either by choice or due to a mental illness. They are compulsive liars. They often lack empathy and concern about how others perceive them. They lack a conscience and don't care about the consequences of their actions. They are unpredictable. This type of person could be anyone from a criminal to a hermit, or even what the media has come to label as a sociopath. Antisocial individuals are known to be graffiti artists, vandals, gang members, racists, drug dealers, murderers or abusive parents/spouses among many other types of societal miscreants.
Many individuals who display antisocial behavior beyond the age of 18 get diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). The most unsettling thing about people with ASPD is that between their negative thoughts and acts, they can act very admirably. You could go your whole life knowing someone who secretly has ASPD, believing that they are a wonderful role model and blissfully unaware of how they act when others aren't around. Sometimes this disorder emerges from a history of childhood neglect or abuse. Other times, the cause behind its development is unknown. Treatment such as medication and therapy can be beneficial in decreasing aggressive behavior but unfortunately, ASPD is incurable. People with ASPD are known to be verbally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive. Most are known to kill animals during their youth, and in the worst cases, some eventually even kill people.
The word that people are searching for when referring to their introverted tendencies is "asocial." The dictionary defines asocial as "avoiding social interaction". Rather than going against society, the word asocial puts an emphasis on the preference of avoiding social situations. These are the shy introverts of the world, not the cold aggressive criminals. It would be wise not to refer to your shy friend with the same word that a psychologist would use to describe a serial killer. Asocial people are the people who would much rather curl up to read a good book than spend the night out at a wild party. These are the people who would much rather watch a movie in the comfort of their own home than have to interact with others to see it at a movie theater. In the worst cases, these people fear ever leaving their homes. In more common cases, they simply prefer alone time to being social. Any introvert could easily identify with the word asocial. Antisocial and asocial are two very different words. Although it is possible to use them interchangeably in some situations, antisocial is more often associated with sociopathy whereas asocial typically just refers to introversion. Just keep this in mind next time you're ranting about how much you hate talking to other people.