Are Sociopaths aware of their lack of empathy and other human emotions due to environmental observation of other people?

I didn't understand it at a young age but as I grew older I noticed it got in my way of being able to get people to do what I wanted so I started to learn how to be empathetic for purely selfish reasons. Now I'm rather good at paying attention to how other people feel because it directly effects my happiness. I know that when the people around me are happy and are happy with me we will Co exist better and there will be less issues. I'm 32. Took me till about 24 to start paying attention. But when I'm on certain drugs my ability to care about other people's feelings disappears again, there was a year or so where I forgot I was different again and really mistreated the people around me. It's a game of cat and mouse. I'll try to be a normal kind person but it takes work so I'll get lazy and won't notice till it negatively effects me. It's almost like I need a constant 12 step program just to remind myself not to be a selfish manipulative ass hole lol. It sucks. I've lost some amazing people from still being in my life. Even when I try my hardest I've never been able to keep it up for more than a few years. Sucks because I know if I was like everyone else I would have these setbacks. Makes for good business when i focus on running my company, but my personal relationships really suffer.

/r/askscience Thread