Donald Trump Possibly Has Some Mental Deficiency Issues?
“The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump was a surprise bestseller, hailed by the Washington Post as “the most daring book” of 2017.”
“Shortly after the book came out, leaders of the American Psychiatric Association began publicly attacking Lee, arguing she was acting irresponsibly. Her alleged offense was violating the 1973 Goldwater Rule, an APA guideline stating that “it is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion” of anyone without conducting a personal examination and getting proper approval.”
BUT
“The warning signs have long been there for all to see. Ever since June 2015, when Trump descended the escalator in Trump Tower to announce his candidacy, he has repeatedly embraced violence in support of his political goals.”
“No former president … has warmed to the prospect of civil war quite as much as Trump”
NEXT
SOURCE: https://jaapl.org/content/46/2/267
______________
I helped write the manual for diagnosing mental illness. Donald Trump doesn’t meet the criteria
By Allen FrancesSept. 6, 2017
https://www.statnews.com/2017/09/06/donald-trump-mental-illness-diagnosis/
“Diagnosing President Donald Trump’s alleged mental disorder has become a popular pastime, not just among mental health professionals but also among politicians, journalists, pundits, comedians, and ordinary people gathered at coffee breaks. Trump’s consistently bizarre sayings and doings have triggered a bill to establish a commission “on presidential capacity” and a suggestion that the president be removed from office via the 25th Amendment on the grounds that he is mentally unfit to be president.”
“A recent Time poll indicates that many Americans think that Trump is unfit for office. I also believe we made a terrible mistake electing him. But Trump’s disagreeable traits in no way indicate that he is mentally ill. Instead, they reveal him to be the ruthless self-promoter he has always been, now poorly cloaked in fake populist clothing.”
Trumpian Dark Age
“I believe that Trump is a mirror of the American soul, a surface symptom of our deeper societal disease. He may not be crazy, but we certainly were for electing him. We mustn’t waste this Trumpian dark age. If we don’t learn from it, we will keep making the same mistakes.”
SOURCE: https://www.statnews.com/2017/09/06/donald-trump-mental-illness-diagnosis/
______________
GOLDWATER RULE
- The Goldwater Rule: The American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Goldwater Rule (Section 7 in their Principles of Medical Ethics) states that psychiatrists have a responsibility to participate in activities that improve the community and public health, but shall refrain from diagnosing public figures when asked to comment on them, as diagnosing requires a personal examination and consent.
- Origin of the rule: The rule is named after former U.S. Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, who successfully sued Fact magazine after they published a piece with opinions from psychiatrists about his mental fitness, based on an informal survey rather than personal examination.
- Bandy Lee’s actions and the controversy: In the context of President Trump’s presidency, Dr. Bandy Lee edited a book and made public statements raising concerns about his mental health and fitness for office. This led to public attacks from leaders of the APA, who argued she was acting irresponsibly and violating the Goldwater Rule.
- Lee’s defense: Dr. Lee argued that she was not diagnosing Trump as an individual patient, but fulfilling an obligation to warn about a potential public danger, arguing that a mental health professional only needs a certain amount of information to raise alarms about dangerousness. She also viewed the Goldwater Rule as a ‘gag order’ and believed that speaking out was an ethical imperative to warn the public.
- Broader Debate: The Goldwater Rule itself has been a subject of ongoing debate, particularly during the Trump administration, with some arguing for a more liberal interpretation or even its abolition in cases where there is a perceived duty to warn the public about potentially dangerous leaders.