Kanika Batra has opened up about how she experiences love despite being diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder.
The Australian influencer, who received both diagnoses by age 21, spoke about her marriage to husband Sam during a recent episode of the outlet’s Minutes With. Batra, who has built a following discussing her conditions openly, explained that her relationship works because she can finally drop the performance she maintains with everyone else.
“I’ve had relationships where I do feel like I was in love with them. My current husband, Sam, I believe I love him more than I’ve loved anybody. He’s my rock. He’s so incredible,” she said during the interview.
Batra described herself as a “serial monogamist” who does not believe in promiscuity, though she attributed this stance to her conservative upbringing rather than her personality disorders. She grew up in a strict household where she was not allowed out past 4:00 p.m. Until she was about 21, and her father would personally drop her off and pick her up from any outings with friends.
“I think it’s disgusting. I think casual sex is the biggest mistake to happen to society, but I grew up in a very conservative home,” she said in the episode. “My dad, if I went out to a club or something with my friends, my dad would have to pick me up and drop me off. So, I was never allowed to be around boys through high school because I was in an all-girls school. My parents insisted.”
The influencer admitted she spent years practicing deceptive behaviors to blend into society, a common survival strategy for those with her conditions. She noted that her previous romantic connections typically soured quickly, with contempt for partners setting in within about three months of dating.
“I think that Sam is kind of the exception to the rule of someone I could stay with long-term because I generally get a lot of contempt for people within three months of dating them,” she explained.
What sets Sam apart, Batra said, is his unconditional acceptance of her authentic self. She told the interviewer that he allowed her to “take off the mask” without passing judgment or making her feel defective.
“But with Sam, I was fully allowed to take off the mask, and he didn’t judge me, and he didn’t make me feel bad about anything. He didn’t say that there was anything wrong with me. He was just so loving, so open, so kind, and he’s very stable,” she continued.
Batra also credited Sam with helping regulate her emotions when her anger escalates. She said he has the ability to “simmer things down,” though she acknowledged they still argue like any couple.
One recurring conflict involves public confrontation. Batra comes from a family where loyalty demands immediate defense against criticism, while Sam prefers to avoid confrontation.
When Sam explained that he’s just not a confrontational person, Batra found that difficult to process. She confessed she will “always confront someone if I hear they’re talking about me or if I hear that they’re doing things behind my back.”
Since receiving her diagnoses and navigating her own path to partnership, Batra has written the Sociopath Dating Bible, a guide aimed at helping others with personality disorders find romantic connections.