Fifty years ago, a person breaking the law was either called crazy or a criminal. Today, the mental health community has much more specific diagnoses. However, explaining some behaviors can be difficult due to many overlaps between mental disorders. In American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, the protagonist, Patrick Bateman, is apparently simply a psychopath. However, Bateman can be diagnosed with other mental illnesses such as Asperger's syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, narcissism, and antisocial personality disorder. In both the book and the film adaptation, Bateman's actions can be understood more accurately when analyzed in the light of modern psychology. Asperger's syndrome is one of Bateman's most common mental illnesses. He has a highly functioning form of Asperger's syndrome, but there are still symptoms in Bateman that even the most successful people with Asperger's syndrome can't shake. One of the main symptoms of Asperger's syndrome is the need for a strict routine. Routines are an integral part of an Asperger's patient's life. People who suffer from Asperger's syndrome follow strict routines that they cannot break. If these routines are interrupted, people with Asperger's syndrome can become very upset to the point that a disruption in their daily routine can even ruin their entire day (Moreno). Bateman demonstrates various routines throughout the novel. The first routine encountered in the book is his morning routine. He has a specific daily routine that he follows daily. “I remove the cooling mask and use a deep pore cleansing lotion, then an herbal and mint facial mask that I leave on for ten minutes while I check my toenails” (Ellis 24). ...... middle of paper ......American Psycho. : Lions Gate Films, 2000. Print.Moreno, Maria. "." Classroom lectures. ,Miami. March 2014. Conference “Narcissistic Personality Disorder”. Definition. Np, and Web. . “Obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD.” NIMH RSS. Np, and Web. . “Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).” Symptoms. Np, and Web. . ."Schizophrenia." NIMH RSS. Np, and Web. . . "What is Asperger's syndrome? Symptoms, tests, causes, treatments." WebMD. WebMD and Web. . .