I call these types Narcissists rather than Sociopaths because i believe the mechanism is basically narcissistic. Of course the Malignant Narcissist starts
to approach being a sociopath but he or she does have some sense of mutuality.

People with Borderline or Hystrionic personality disorder can fill the same need
in a codependant person. According to Kernberg all of these personality disorders
are at their base level borderline.

Thing is to learn to avoid and to learn coping mechanisms. Dialectical Behavioral
therapy helps in that.

--- Miri of Mtribe