Psychotic Tendencies
Allie McConnell
Brenau University
Psychotic Tendencies
Antisocial personality disorder, otherwise known as psychopathy, is a personality disorder in which a person has a lack of conscience for wrongdoing (Myers 2014). They tend to be aggressive and ruthless (Myers 2014). In American Psycho the lead character Patrick Bateman exhibits many different characteristics of an extreme case of antisocial personality disorder. Mr. Bateman is an extremely obsessive and controlling person. An example of this is his strict beauty regimen where he meticulously cares for his body. He is obsessive about his appearance and his professionalism. At the beginning of the movie, he describes his beauty regimen. He states that it begins with a nutritious diet and exercise (Harron 2000). It is clear that he obsesses over this aspect of his life as he uses nine different skin care products, and explains the …show more content…
Bateman is a self-absorbed narcissist, which is enabled by his good looks and charm. Lykken feels that superficial charm is a key criteria of a psychopath (Lykken 1995). At one point in the movie, Mr. Bateman has invited two prostitutes into his home so that he could have intercourse with them (Harron 2000). He starts off barking orders at the women and setting up a camera to film it. In the entire scene, Patrick is mindlessly engaging in the intercourse while intensely watching and admiring himself in the mirror. He flexes his muscles and smiles at himself and pays no mind to the women (Harron 2000). His narcissism is apparent in all of his dealings with other people. He has no regard for others’ emotions, all he cares about is himself. When he is at the dry cleaners, trying to get the “cranapple” washed out of his sheets, he and the store owner are yelling at one another and he threatens that he will kill her if she does not listen (Harron 2000). He does not care if he inflicts fear upon others or if he angers
Allie McConnell
Brenau University
Psychotic Tendencies
Antisocial personality disorder, otherwise known as psychopathy, is a personality disorder in which a person has a lack of conscience for wrongdoing (Myers 2014). They tend to be aggressive and ruthless (Myers 2014). In American Psycho the lead character Patrick Bateman exhibits many different characteristics of an extreme case of antisocial personality disorder. Mr. Bateman is an extremely obsessive and controlling person. An example of this is his strict beauty regimen where he meticulously cares for his body. He is obsessive about his appearance and his professionalism. At the beginning of the movie, he describes his beauty regimen. He states that it begins with a nutritious diet and exercise (Harron 2000). It is clear that he obsesses over this aspect of his life as he uses nine different skin care products, and explains the …show more content…
Bateman is a self-absorbed narcissist, which is enabled by his good looks and charm. Lykken feels that superficial charm is a key criteria of a psychopath (Lykken 1995). At one point in the movie, Mr. Bateman has invited two prostitutes into his home so that he could have intercourse with them (Harron 2000). He starts off barking orders at the women and setting up a camera to film it. In the entire scene, Patrick is mindlessly engaging in the intercourse while intensely watching and admiring himself in the mirror. He flexes his muscles and smiles at himself and pays no mind to the women (Harron 2000). His narcissism is apparent in all of his dealings with other people. He has no regard for others’ emotions, all he cares about is himself. When he is at the dry cleaners, trying to get the “cranapple” washed out of his sheets, he and the store owner are yelling at one another and he threatens that he will kill her if she does not listen (Harron 2000). He does not care if he inflicts fear upon others or if he angers