General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPropane Jane, tweeter-extraordinaire, is also a psychiatrist
and she has a lot to say about DT.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/5/1606096/-Instability-in-Chief
In my spare time, I use my thinking cap to process the latent psychosocial content in the politics of the day on Twitter. Ironically and somewhat tragically, I often de-stress best by doing a mental status exam on my news feed. I immerse myself in the painful public policy process to process the private pain disclosed in my office, but somehow its always felt like leisure instead of work. That was until Donald Trump announced he was running for president. Suddenly I find myself confronted with public behavioral disturbances that more closely resemble the DSM than they do politics as usual. Ive written extensively about the political aspects of Trumps many disqualifying attributes, from his peddling in the privileged politics of personal insult, to his disingenuous minority outreach, and his exploitation of the poorly informed; but now its time that we discuss his mental health.
Im not here to formally diagnose him from afar, but Id be lying if I said I wasnt beginning to feel somewhat derelict watching an emergency unfold without meaningful, life-saving intervention taking place. I make my living treating acute and sub-acute mental and behavioral health emergencies, which means people dont end up on my radar unless theyve comported themselves in ways that are generally determined to be unstable and unsafe. In some cases its florid psychosis, dementia, or mania, and in others its severe depression and suicidality, or unbridled poly substance abuse or personality disorder. No matter the etiology, my duty is to determine if the mental status changes in question represent a lack of stability and/or portend a heightened risk to individual or public safety.
When I hear and see Donald Trump, I hear and see an emergency.
Psychiatrists are granted the authority to commit patients involuntarily to treatment based on three guiding principles: harm to self, harm to others, and evidence of significant mental deterioration to the extent that the individual is unable to practice self care in his/her own best interest. While the former risks can be ascertained by explicit threats made by the patient, the latter evidence is often gleaned from self-reported or eyewitness accounts of the patients concerning behaviors. To date, I have personally witnessed Donald Trump make threats against not just individuals but entire sovereign nations, and heard eyewitness accounts from individuals who report victimization at his hands. It is widely held public knowledge that he rarely sleeps, and spends the wee hours of the morning in fits of rage out of proportion to his perceived slights. It is widely known that he hasnt supplied comprehensive medical records, has a family history of Alzheimers in a first degree relative, and that his children have yet to allow him alone with anyone but themselves. It is widely known that he has yet to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of any of the major issues facing America or the world, and that he immediately becomes defensive and accusatory when confronted with the expectation that he should if he wants to be president. As Hillary Clinton so aptly stated, hes easily baited and temperamentally unfit. If Donald Trump were a patient in the ER, I would be expected to intervene.
politicat
(9,808 posts)Assume thrice married to younger women, multiple families, works a sales job at the local car dealership but has failed multiple times in job duties leading to company crises and personal, repeated bankruptcies? Stays up all night, yelling on the internet? Immerses self in conspiracy media? Is sure that people online are saying things about him?
And same behaviors? 72 hour hold, no doubt. Not a DX, just likely outcome.
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)Reframe his circumstances without the money or reality tv and notoriety. When you look at who he is, and how he treats people, he is not just a flawed individual, but a sick one.
world wide wally
(21,743 posts)Trump is fucking nuts
Different Drummer
(7,615 posts)he will be awarded the keys to the kingdom.
HurricaneWarning
(220 posts)unless one of his kids are in the room. I hadn't heard that one. Anyone know any more about that?
murielm99
(30,741 posts)Please expand on this, someone. That is serious.
frogmarch
(12,153 posts)Snips:
WASHINGTON The potential for conflicts of interest between President-elect Donald J. Trump and his familys business ventures emerged again Thursday evening, when a photograph was distributed that showed his daughter Ivanka at a meeting between Mr. Trump and the prime minister of Japan.
News reporters were not allowed to attend the session, Mr. Trumps first with a foreign head of government, and no summary was provided about what was discussed. A separate photograph was distributed press photographers were not allowed to cover the event showing that Jared Kushner, Ms. Trumps husband, was present for at least part of the gathering.
~~
Ms. Trumps presence also disturbed some current and former State Department officials, including Moira Whelan, who left the department in July after serving as a deputy assistant secretary of state for public affairs.
Anyone present for such a conversation between two heads of state should, at a minimum, have security clearance, Ms. Whelan said, and should also be an expert in Japanese affairs.
Meeting of two heads of state is never an informal occurrence, Ms. Whelan said. Even a casual mention or a nod of agreement or an assertion left unchallenged can be interpreted in different ways.
~~
HurricaneWarning
(220 posts)Maybe someone can ask Propane Jane what she knows
mopinko
(70,109 posts)because it reminds me so much of st ronnie.
HurricaneWarning
(220 posts)that so many had to explain what he really meant. That sounds about right in regards to Trump. No wonder Kellyann is moving to Washington. She has to give the kids a break.
pandr32
(11,586 posts)He is always surrounded by his children, and it was said that at least one of them was present as Trump interviewed potential cabinet picks. His sons, his elder daughter, and his son-in-law are always around him as he conducts business it seems--as president-elect or otherwise. Check out all the stories...they are lurking nearby. He relies on them like no-one/nothing else.
I think Jane is stating the obvious.
iluvtennis
(19,861 posts)Worried senior
(1,328 posts)did not know this about her.
bdamomma
(63,849 posts)just a favor if you follow her on twitter, is there anyway where you could ask her if psychiatric community can intervene or could inform someone about his mental state. I am hoping for any kind of intervention right now.
Generator
(7,770 posts)She tends to take one issue and obsess about it. I didn't know she was an actual doctor. She seems to be retired for the amount of tweets she does-but I digress-I think it points out our entire country is sick in that this is the person we are handing power to.
We have lost our minds.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Time to follow Propane Jane
Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)machoneman
(4,007 posts)is quite significant and betrays a mind in turmoil. Perhaps we can hope for an early stroke or other physical failing to get him out of office. We can only hope.....
bdamomma
(63,849 posts)plus may be he has high cholesterol or high blood pressure he is not fit mentally and physically. He would go right off the edge and take us with him.
Cha
(297,240 posts)I saw that "docrocktex26)" as her Twitter handle.. didn't know she was a psychiatrist, though.
Thank you for this, pnwmom.. even to the untrained person.. we can see there's something horribly wrong with Donald trump.
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)I think she called him #benedictBernie for selling out the Dems...
Cha
(297,240 posts)spot on.
She was among those who kept me sane during the Primaries.
bdamomma
(63,849 posts)someone like Bernie to listen to us? I am reaching here but we need to do something. If this person is a mental health professional she could suggest something.
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)as they blind themselves to the horror of Trump.
bdamomma
(63,849 posts)psychiatrists would be willing to talk to someone in government to tell them how dangerous this man is. He is a threat to himself and others that is hospitalization right there.
I work in a mental health institution and this man/child is mentally NOT well. This is someone who is unhinged why doesn't anyone recognize that and why put so many lives in danger?
hunter
(38,313 posts)On the other hand, I spent a few days locked up in the psych ward in 2016 (damn, 2016!), and most of the people in there with me were pretty nice. I like to think I'm pretty nice. Other patients and the staff seemed to like me.
There weren't many people like Donald Trump.
Certainly one guy was, he kept insisting he didn't belong there, was always boasting of his accomplishments (which were all sort of sad, actually), and he treated the staff badly, especially those he regarded of lower social status than himself. He'd also turn the television channel to what he wanted to watch without asking other people in the lounge if it was okay, even when they were obviously watching something else. Nobody sat at his table during meals.
BTW, I've got new meds that seem be working pretty well, except maybe that I've been obsessively writing these past few days; here on DU, a few more short stories, and code for a new machine I'm working on. (I started building very simple computers when I was in the sixth grade; big rat nests of push-buttons, relays, rectifiers, and grain-of-wheat lights...)
A lot of people on psych meds know the merry-go-round aspect of them... one of the meds I was previously taking dealt with the OCD but was becoming increasingly awful in other ways... sigh.
The problem with stories like the original post is that they may discourage kind decent people -- people not like Trump in any way -- from seeking help.
I don't worry for me, I first signed onto the internet in 1979 and was among the earliest semi-anonymous posters, so I'm flameproof. I worry for the gentle people who have nothing in common with Donald Trump.
Caliman73
(11,738 posts)Your particular illness, or anyone's for that matter is not WHO they are, but a part of what you deal with on a daily basis that has influence on who you are. I say often, Americans do not do nuance well at all. We like to label things..."that guy is crazy", "that guy is sick". We do that to separate people from what WE think of as "normal" behavior. Unfortunately, as you say, it stigmatizes people who genuinely need help from time to time. I don't think however, that it is stories like the author's that necessarily push people away from services. Those factors are usually more local to people. Fear of losing a job, fear of having rights and privileges curtailed, fear of being meddled with by "well meaning professionals", family, and friends.
People like Trump do not often get into positions of power as he has. I think that his inherited wealth has protected him from many of the consequences of his decisions. I would venture to say that if he had not been born wealthy, he would certainly not have become wealthy given his current behaviors. Then again, had he not been raised in the way he was, or experienced throughout his life, the things that he did, he may not have turned out the way he is now either. Human behavior is very tricky. We know a good deal, but I am not sure that we will ever fully understand the why, when, and how of people's decision making.
LongTomH
(8,636 posts)The dark triad is a subject in psychology that focuses on three personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Use of the term "dark" implies that people possessing these traits have malevolent qualities.
Research on the dark triad is used in applied psychology, especially within the fields of law enforcement, clinical psychology and business management. People scoring high on these traits are more likely to commit crimes, cause social distress and create severe problems for an organization, especially if they are in leadership positions (for more information, see psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism in the workplace).
milestogo
(16,829 posts)in a really bad situation. She is probably praying for him to divorce her - but if he does she might lose custody.