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45 reviews for:
The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President
Bandy X. Lee
3.8 AVERAGE
45 reviews for:
The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President
Bandy X. Lee
3.8 AVERAGE
{See 1/17/18 addendum at end of review}
10/9/17--revised review after finishing this amazing book:
I've been waiting for this book—the words of highly trained mental health professionals who are brave enough to risk backlash from their own associations by putting the safety of all people ahead of their rules to say nothing about individuals they have not treated. In a meticulously written foreword, one of the authors makes the case that "duty to warn" people whose well-being is in danger trumps the "Goldwater Rule" about silence. (There is an entire section of chapters on the ethics of speaking out—far too much to reduce into a review byte.) We are all in danger from this individual we have installed in the highest office in the land, and I consider the 27 authors of this step-by-step analysis of Trump's severe psychological impairments to be whistle blowers.
But what are the political affiliations of the contributors and are they biased? This is immediately addressed: it doesn't matter. The content is pedagogy not politics: the nature of psychological disorders. They are described in all their variations; they are all recognizable as played out by this president—the proofs are provided; and their dire results are delineated, well researched, and broad. And the final chapter regarding recommended immediate action to assess presidential fitness now and in the future—grounded in Section Four of the Twenty-fifth Amendment issues of "a written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office"—are required to be nonpartisan in nature.
In discussions about the spectrum of the foregoing characteristics, as well as "malignant narcissism," delusional ideation, functional impairment, and many other mental health categories, foremost is the topic of danger. And many of the contributors are specialists in the study of violence and danger and professionally assess whether a person is a danger to themselves or others. Over and over they conclude that even if they are not willing to diagnose a mental illness in somebody they have never treated, they can diagnose clear and imminent danger!
They repeatedly warn about Trump's instability spiraling into psychosis and resulting in the destruction of democracy and a nuclear war.
Says John D. Garner, PhD, in his chapter "Donald Trump is: a) Bad; b); Mad; c) All of the Above": Trump "evinces the most destructive and dangerous collection of psychiatric symptoms possible for a leader. . . . our job is . . . to warn the public that the election of Donald Trump is a true emergency, and that the consequences most likely will be catastrophic."
Says Henry J. Friedman, MD, in the chapter "On Seeing What You See and Saying What You Know: A Psychiatrist's Responsibility": "When as a psychiatrist, I watch commentators and reporters struggling to understand or explain President Trump's latest irrational position . . . I wish that I could help them understand his paranoid character and why there should be no surprise that Trump behaves this way. They should be prepared to witness many more situations in which Trump feels betrayed and turns on those who have previously served him. Paranoids are always finding betrayal in those surrounding them, and react with retaliatory anger—Hitler and Stalin, by murdering their newly minted enemies; and Trump, by firing them. Psychiatric knowledge and terminology will save reporters and the public from remaining confused and attempting to find explanations of behavior that could easily be understood if Trump's paranoid character were always kept in mind. This is the only way to ensure the preservation and viability of our democracy and our national security."
In addition to this kind of material, there is a treasure trove of other psychological stuff: discussion of character traits that we can identify with in moderation and what happens when they become pathological; talk about new areas of therapy opened up by Trump events; repeated discussion of the "Trump Effect" and "Trump anxiety disorder," a specific kind of new anxiety and trauma or reactivation of old trauma due to the culture of Trump and what we can do about it, and an incredible chapter about what Trump tells us about our cultural Self—all informative articles that make this book a page-turner; and for many of us, long-awaited good medicine and, in turn, a call to action to speak out with whatever we have to offer.
I'd wager that anybody growing up in an abusive and abused family has wished there were somebody big to protect them. And perhaps when they've become adults and looked back at their situation, they've been appalled that it could have been as apparent as it was and nobody stepped in. Where were the authorities? How could a community have ignored something so obvious?
We are now that abused family, and I'm grateful that the authorities have finally bucked their own fear of rocking the boat or breaking the rules enough to sound the call, to offer their good medicine. I only hope we will all listen and be as alarmed and therefore as active as they are.
***
Some thoughts on what to do now:
At the same time that it alarms you, reading this book may also calm you down if you are upset about Trump. How? It will validate your feelings and let you know that "this is a real thing"—the opposite of Trump's habit of "gaslighting" (claiming that lies are truth and there is something wrong with anybody who does not see it his way). Once you have calmed a little, you may start to see Trump for what he is—a seriously disturbed individual who does indeed pose a danger to all of us. However, he is only one piece of an orchestrated puzzle designed to destroy our union. If you can see that Trump is a mere player in a much larger societal upset, if you can accept what author Thomas Singer, MD, in his chapter "Trump and the American Collective Psyche," says about what Trump tells us about the state of our collective Self and you can participate ". . . in a deep resurgence of activism to reclaim our most cherished and threatened American values" and "resist our tendency to cocoon ourselves in a self-righteous, arrogant bubble of narcissistic ideals, even in the name of being 'progressive,'" here is a blog that attempts to help with that larger picture, We Are Being Manipulated into Oblivion—See the Big Picture.
And here is useful counsel for our deportment, from Deterrent or Defense by Basil Liddell Hart, used by JFK in his considerations about the Cuban Missile Crisis, as quoted in the chapter "The Loneliness of Fateful Decisions" by Edwin B. Fisher, PhD:
How to do that? Follow cognitive scientist George Lakoff's advice in his book Don't Think of an Elephant:
10/15/17 Update
Duty to Warn video, deals with Goldwater Rule, bias from politics, and other issues.
11/11/17 Update
This powerful letter from all the psychiatrists and therapists has gone out to all of Congress. (You need to be a Facebook user to access the page.)
Also, the book's contributors have a website with actionable suggestions: Duty to Warn.
1/17/18 Update
In light of the recent conclusions from Trump's physician, I think the following two items are important.
From New York Times editorial about fitness to serve from a U.S. Air Force psychiatrist.
From a contributor to The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump
"Just a note regarding the White House doctor's use of the MoCA [Montreal Cognitive Assessment] to access the cognitive health of the nation's 'leader.' This is not a test that would diagnose the non-biological mental health issues he has. It is used to measure the progression and severity of cognitive impairment, as with Dementia."
10/9/17--revised review after finishing this amazing book:
I've been waiting for this book—the words of highly trained mental health professionals who are brave enough to risk backlash from their own associations by putting the safety of all people ahead of their rules to say nothing about individuals they have not treated. In a meticulously written foreword, one of the authors makes the case that "duty to warn" people whose well-being is in danger trumps the "Goldwater Rule" about silence. (There is an entire section of chapters on the ethics of speaking out—far too much to reduce into a review byte.) We are all in danger from this individual we have installed in the highest office in the land, and I consider the 27 authors of this step-by-step analysis of Trump's severe psychological impairments to be whistle blowers.
But what are the political affiliations of the contributors and are they biased? This is immediately addressed: it doesn't matter. The content is pedagogy not politics: the nature of psychological disorders. They are described in all their variations; they are all recognizable as played out by this president—the proofs are provided; and their dire results are delineated, well researched, and broad. And the final chapter regarding recommended immediate action to assess presidential fitness now and in the future—grounded in Section Four of the Twenty-fifth Amendment issues of "a written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office"—are required to be nonpartisan in nature.
Personality Disorders
Extreme Present Hedonism—impulsiveness of thought and therefore action with no awareness of consequences; propensity to dehumanize others in order to feel superior.
Narcissistic Personality Disorder—superiority, exaggeration of talents, emotional, dramatic, lacking compassion and empathy (inability to recognize other people's feelings), low self-esteem.
Bully Personality—physical, verbal, prejudicial, relational, cyber, sexual.
Possibility of a neurological disorder—based on delineated observations.
In discussions about the spectrum of the foregoing characteristics, as well as "malignant narcissism," delusional ideation, functional impairment, and many other mental health categories, foremost is the topic of danger. And many of the contributors are specialists in the study of violence and danger and professionally assess whether a person is a danger to themselves or others. Over and over they conclude that even if they are not willing to diagnose a mental illness in somebody they have never treated, they can diagnose clear and imminent danger!
They repeatedly warn about Trump's instability spiraling into psychosis and resulting in the destruction of democracy and a nuclear war.
Says John D. Garner, PhD, in his chapter "Donald Trump is: a) Bad; b); Mad; c) All of the Above": Trump "evinces the most destructive and dangerous collection of psychiatric symptoms possible for a leader. . . . our job is . . . to warn the public that the election of Donald Trump is a true emergency, and that the consequences most likely will be catastrophic."
Says Henry J. Friedman, MD, in the chapter "On Seeing What You See and Saying What You Know: A Psychiatrist's Responsibility": "When as a psychiatrist, I watch commentators and reporters struggling to understand or explain President Trump's latest irrational position . . . I wish that I could help them understand his paranoid character and why there should be no surprise that Trump behaves this way. They should be prepared to witness many more situations in which Trump feels betrayed and turns on those who have previously served him. Paranoids are always finding betrayal in those surrounding them, and react with retaliatory anger—Hitler and Stalin, by murdering their newly minted enemies; and Trump, by firing them. Psychiatric knowledge and terminology will save reporters and the public from remaining confused and attempting to find explanations of behavior that could easily be understood if Trump's paranoid character were always kept in mind. This is the only way to ensure the preservation and viability of our democracy and our national security."
In addition to this kind of material, there is a treasure trove of other psychological stuff: discussion of character traits that we can identify with in moderation and what happens when they become pathological; talk about new areas of therapy opened up by Trump events; repeated discussion of the "Trump Effect" and "Trump anxiety disorder," a specific kind of new anxiety and trauma or reactivation of old trauma due to the culture of Trump and what we can do about it, and an incredible chapter about what Trump tells us about our cultural Self—all informative articles that make this book a page-turner; and for many of us, long-awaited good medicine and, in turn, a call to action to speak out with whatever we have to offer.
I'd wager that anybody growing up in an abusive and abused family has wished there were somebody big to protect them. And perhaps when they've become adults and looked back at their situation, they've been appalled that it could have been as apparent as it was and nobody stepped in. Where were the authorities? How could a community have ignored something so obvious?
We are now that abused family, and I'm grateful that the authorities have finally bucked their own fear of rocking the boat or breaking the rules enough to sound the call, to offer their good medicine. I only hope we will all listen and be as alarmed and therefore as active as they are.
***
Some thoughts on what to do now:
At the same time that it alarms you, reading this book may also calm you down if you are upset about Trump. How? It will validate your feelings and let you know that "this is a real thing"—the opposite of Trump's habit of "gaslighting" (claiming that lies are truth and there is something wrong with anybody who does not see it his way). Once you have calmed a little, you may start to see Trump for what he is—a seriously disturbed individual who does indeed pose a danger to all of us. However, he is only one piece of an orchestrated puzzle designed to destroy our union. If you can see that Trump is a mere player in a much larger societal upset, if you can accept what author Thomas Singer, MD, in his chapter "Trump and the American Collective Psyche," says about what Trump tells us about the state of our collective Self and you can participate ". . . in a deep resurgence of activism to reclaim our most cherished and threatened American values" and "resist our tendency to cocoon ourselves in a self-righteous, arrogant bubble of narcissistic ideals, even in the name of being 'progressive,'" here is a blog that attempts to help with that larger picture, We Are Being Manipulated into Oblivion—See the Big Picture.
And here is useful counsel for our deportment, from Deterrent or Defense by Basil Liddell Hart, used by JFK in his considerations about the Cuban Missile Crisis, as quoted in the chapter "The Loneliness of Fateful Decisions" by Edwin B. Fisher, PhD:
"Keep strong, if possible. In any case, keep cool. Have unlimited patience. Never corner an opponent and always assist him to save his face. Put yourself in his shoes—so as to see things through his eyes. Avoid self-righteousness like the devil—nothing is so self-blinding."
How to do that? Follow cognitive scientist George Lakoff's advice in his book Don't Think of an Elephant:
Show respect.
Respond by reframing.
Think and talk on the level of values.
Say what you believe.
10/15/17 Update
Duty to Warn video, deals with Goldwater Rule, bias from politics, and other issues.
11/11/17 Update
This powerful letter from all the psychiatrists and therapists has gone out to all of Congress. (You need to be a Facebook user to access the page.)
Also, the book's contributors have a website with actionable suggestions: Duty to Warn.
1/17/18 Update
In light of the recent conclusions from Trump's physician, I think the following two items are important.
From New York Times editorial about fitness to serve from a U.S. Air Force psychiatrist.
From a contributor to The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump
"Just a note regarding the White House doctor's use of the MoCA [Montreal Cognitive Assessment] to access the cognitive health of the nation's 'leader.' This is not a test that would diagnose the non-biological mental health issues he has. It is used to measure the progression and severity of cognitive impairment, as with Dementia."
Every Republican that loves Trump should read this book.
I give this a high three stars. This book is a compilation of 27 papers that were presented at a conference regarding Donald Trump, and since they are all generally about the same topic, it is inevitable that they would be somewhat repetitive. I felt through most of the book that I was reading things I've read and heard before, countless times, although I did often find that I'd hear that night's news and nod my head, thinking, "Yep - that's what I just read about." So there were some tidbits of great insight and some of the papers were a terrific synthesis of what is going on and expressed some of my thoughts and concerns.
I do believe, and this is echoed throughout the book, that it is less important what specific psychiatric diagnoses Trump may have. Virtually all thinking people agree that he is a narcissist. Numerous other co-morbid diagnoses exist, and each one that was discussed fit and had substantial supporting evidence. But really, the primary concern is Trump's behavior itself, rather than whatever specific diagnosis might fit best. And that behavior has been easily observed by even the most casual Trump-watcher. Even more than the dangerousness of Trump, is the fact that we as a society have essentially caused this to happen. I understand our country is suffering from an epidemic of depression, but evidently, we are also suffering from an epidemic of narcissism, as it is posited that Trump finds such rabid support because fellow narcissists embrace him. Personally, what I find most disturbing is that we have 1/3 of the country that embraces Trump's dangerous nature, and actively cheers him on. We have another 1/3 who simply don't care enough about this danger, and even though some may find some of Trump's behavior alarming and disturbing, they aren't motivated enough to do anything to contain the danger. So, we have, at best, only 1/3 of the nation who is actively alarmed, concerned, and at least willing to act. Unfortunately, we seem impotent. The news media constantly reports on daily atrocities and the danger becomes clearer and clearer, yet nothing concrete seems to happen. I do hope that this third of the country is able to save us before it is too late.
In short, this is a useful book to have on hand, and something that might be consulted occasionally in assessing the behavior of Trump. It is probably best read one paper at a time, over a longer time period, perhaps interspersed with other books. I borrowed this one from the library, so I read it all at once, and that exacerbated the repetitive nature of the book. It does make for informative reading, but again, I still often felt that I'd already heard most of it already.
I do believe, and this is echoed throughout the book, that it is less important what specific psychiatric diagnoses Trump may have. Virtually all thinking people agree that he is a narcissist. Numerous other co-morbid diagnoses exist, and each one that was discussed fit and had substantial supporting evidence. But really, the primary concern is Trump's behavior itself, rather than whatever specific diagnosis might fit best. And that behavior has been easily observed by even the most casual Trump-watcher. Even more than the dangerousness of Trump, is the fact that we as a society have essentially caused this to happen. I understand our country is suffering from an epidemic of depression, but evidently, we are also suffering from an epidemic of narcissism, as it is posited that Trump finds such rabid support because fellow narcissists embrace him. Personally, what I find most disturbing is that we have 1/3 of the country that embraces Trump's dangerous nature, and actively cheers him on. We have another 1/3 who simply don't care enough about this danger, and even though some may find some of Trump's behavior alarming and disturbing, they aren't motivated enough to do anything to contain the danger. So, we have, at best, only 1/3 of the nation who is actively alarmed, concerned, and at least willing to act. Unfortunately, we seem impotent. The news media constantly reports on daily atrocities and the danger becomes clearer and clearer, yet nothing concrete seems to happen. I do hope that this third of the country is able to save us before it is too late.
In short, this is a useful book to have on hand, and something that might be consulted occasionally in assessing the behavior of Trump. It is probably best read one paper at a time, over a longer time period, perhaps interspersed with other books. I borrowed this one from the library, so I read it all at once, and that exacerbated the repetitive nature of the book. It does make for informative reading, but again, I still often felt that I'd already heard most of it already.
The first two sections of this book were fantastic. But I feel it was dragged on and became tediously repetitive. Although overall a good read and would recommend to any psycho-political student.
OK, finished this faster than expected. Since impeachment is a political trial, not a criminal one, Dumbtruck will be unable to plead insanity. This will change after he leaves office and his mountain of criminal acts collapse on him.
About the traits of antisocial personality disorder, the current DSM says:
A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors;
2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying.... or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead;
4. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
5. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
7. Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another; and
8. Evidence of conduct disorder [impulsive, aggressive, callous, or deceitful behavior that is persistent and difficult to deter with threats or punishment] with onset before age 15 years.
Three or more? Doesn't hitting all eight suggest immediate forceful intervention?
The book lays out plenty of carefully considered professional opinions for finding the president to be mentally unstable and untrustworthy. Impeachment, and later institutionalization, may be the best thing to happen to this maniac.
About the traits of antisocial personality disorder, the current DSM says:
A pervasive pattern of disregard for and violation of the rights of others, occurring since age 15 years, as indicated by three (or more) of the following:
1. Failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors;
2. Deceitfulness, as indicated by repeated lying.... or conning others for personal profit or pleasure;
3. Impulsivity or failure to plan ahead;
4. Irritability and aggressiveness, as indicated by repeated physical fights or assaults;
5. Reckless disregard for safety of self or others;
6. Consistent irresponsibility, as indicated by repeated failure to sustain consistent work behavior or honor financial obligations;
7. Lack of remorse, as indicated by being indifferent to or rationalizing having hurt, mistreated, or stolen from another; and
8. Evidence of conduct disorder [impulsive, aggressive, callous, or deceitful behavior that is persistent and difficult to deter with threats or punishment] with onset before age 15 years.
Three or more? Doesn't hitting all eight suggest immediate forceful intervention?
The book lays out plenty of carefully considered professional opinions for finding the president to be mentally unstable and untrustworthy. Impeachment, and later institutionalization, may be the best thing to happen to this maniac.
Hmm... It is a thought-provoking book.
Unfortunately it's a very uneven book. I just wish they had used more discernment choosing the experts to write these essays. Some are really good and should be read by everyone, I think. Some are really bad, and shouldn't be in this book. It is really hard to review it, because it's a combination of 5 star essays and 1 star essays. That's why I gave it 3 - sort of medium. I did learn things, and I did enjoy some parts of it very much.
My first reaction when I read the subtitle of this book was "Diagnosing someone like that? Highly unethical and unprofessional!". Then I read the book and realized I was wrong - this book is not about diagnosing Donald Trump. It is a discussion (more or less) about what mental health experts see when they look at Donald Trump, and how that might impact the USA and the world, as Donald Trump is the President of USA.
That's all well and good, but a lot of this book is just adding to the mess. More demonizing, creating division, suspicion, fear and uncertainty. It gives very little solutions, very few answers, not much comfort or ways of dealing with the fear.
Sure, he's dangerous, but what can we do about it? Nothing, just sit and wait for the axe to fall. Or the bombs.
I think the premise is interesting, but some of the authors aren't impartial, neutral and professional.
One thing that bothers me is that even though the material used is all public and commonly available for everyone to verify the statements, most of them use only a rather limited selection. I was expecting to see some positive qualities to be mentioned, but there aren't any. (Well, to be fair, there are some. Very little, though.)
I also don't see any references to the culture and society where Donald Trump grew up in. A country where bullies are considered leaders, where might has always meant right and mob mentality rules, where children are raised to do what they are told to do without questions, a country where safety means more than liberty, and guns are more valuable than children, where riches and power is valued higher than human rights, kindness and understanding, where showing emotions is being weak - he is the ideal.
Parts of it are really hard to read, like chewing shoe leather, pulling teeth or some other such activity. It has taken me way too long time to actually finish it, but I am happy having read it. It did give me some ideas and insight and some compassion toward the Trumpsters.
Unfortunately it's a very uneven book. I just wish they had used more discernment choosing the experts to write these essays. Some are really good and should be read by everyone, I think. Some are really bad, and shouldn't be in this book. It is really hard to review it, because it's a combination of 5 star essays and 1 star essays. That's why I gave it 3 - sort of medium. I did learn things, and I did enjoy some parts of it very much.
My first reaction when I read the subtitle of this book was "Diagnosing someone like that? Highly unethical and unprofessional!". Then I read the book and realized I was wrong - this book is not about diagnosing Donald Trump. It is a discussion (more or less) about what mental health experts see when they look at Donald Trump, and how that might impact the USA and the world, as Donald Trump is the President of USA.
That's all well and good, but a lot of this book is just adding to the mess. More demonizing, creating division, suspicion, fear and uncertainty. It gives very little solutions, very few answers, not much comfort or ways of dealing with the fear.
Sure, he's dangerous, but what can we do about it? Nothing, just sit and wait for the axe to fall. Or the bombs.
I think the premise is interesting, but some of the authors aren't impartial, neutral and professional.
One thing that bothers me is that even though the material used is all public and commonly available for everyone to verify the statements, most of them use only a rather limited selection. I was expecting to see some positive qualities to be mentioned, but there aren't any. (Well, to be fair, there are some. Very little, though.)
I also don't see any references to the culture and society where Donald Trump grew up in. A country where bullies are considered leaders, where might has always meant right and mob mentality rules, where children are raised to do what they are told to do without questions, a country where safety means more than liberty, and guns are more valuable than children, where riches and power is valued higher than human rights, kindness and understanding, where showing emotions is being weak - he is the ideal.
Parts of it are really hard to read, like chewing shoe leather, pulling teeth or some other such activity. It has taken me way too long time to actually finish it, but I am happy having read it. It did give me some ideas and insight and some compassion toward the Trumpsters.
An interesting book in which leading mental health experts in the nation grapple with two conflicting ethical standards: 1) It is unethical to diagnose public figures one hasn’t personally examined, and 2) One has an ethical “duty to warn” when one sees a danger to the public based on professional observations of someone’s mental health. As many of the writers state in their essays, the latter does not require (and is not the same as) a diagnosis, which is personal and leads to a patient's direct plan for treatment. These experts see clear patterns that suggest Trump exhibits certain mental health traits that make it obvious that Trump is a danger to hold the highest office in the land, which requires no individual examination, diagnosis, or treatment plan. Their arguments are reasonable, valid, and often supporting other professional opinions, both inside and outside the mental health field.
Perhaps the one thing all these essays have in common (besides the “duty to warn” of Trump’s dangerousness) is an understanding of how Trump’s presence on the national stage fosters what these professionals terms “malignant normality,” which is, to quote contributor Gail Sheedy, “the gradual acceptance by a public inundated with toxic untruths of those untruths until they pass for normal.” If anything, the warnings present in these essays alert us to the societal harm done to the body politic when a dangerous public figure like Trump dominates the national dialogue.
As is so often the case, those who support Trump (who see him as the Ideal reflection of their own narcissistic desires and fantasies) will never heed the warnings of these experts precisely because his supporters so closely identify with Trump’s fears and Shadow traits. His brash persona -- with all the projections and delusional defense mechanisms built in -- shield his followers as much as Trump himself, which is precisely why he is so dangerous.
Perhaps the one thing all these essays have in common (besides the “duty to warn” of Trump’s dangerousness) is an understanding of how Trump’s presence on the national stage fosters what these professionals terms “malignant normality,” which is, to quote contributor Gail Sheedy, “the gradual acceptance by a public inundated with toxic untruths of those untruths until they pass for normal.” If anything, the warnings present in these essays alert us to the societal harm done to the body politic when a dangerous public figure like Trump dominates the national dialogue.
As is so often the case, those who support Trump (who see him as the Ideal reflection of their own narcissistic desires and fantasies) will never heed the warnings of these experts precisely because his supporters so closely identify with Trump’s fears and Shadow traits. His brash persona -- with all the projections and delusional defense mechanisms built in -- shield his followers as much as Trump himself, which is precisely why he is so dangerous.
I was disappointed with the first part, which was basically a bunch of professionals (some of them more on the semi-professional side) debating over is it narcissism? is it dementia? is it psychopathy? It seemed fruitless and unnecessary, as was much of the second part, where the legitimacy or not of such attempted diagnoses was addressed. I understand why it had to be in the book, but - well, meh. The third part made up for most of the disappointment, though, because there the articles didn't deal with the diagnoses of Trump, but with *our* diagnoses. How about *our* narcissism? What ails the mind and soul of a society that would choose such a leader? And how can we heal?
So, if you are a somewhat obsessive follower of the Trump phenomenon, this might be a sufficiently interesting read. It would also be helpful if you don't think Jungian analysis or psychotherapy in any form are, you know, unscientific.
So, if you are a somewhat obsessive follower of the Trump phenomenon, this might be a sufficiently interesting read. It would also be helpful if you don't think Jungian analysis or psychotherapy in any form are, you know, unscientific.
I finished The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump on day 22 of the longest government shutdown in history. It was not encouraging reading.
This is a collection of 27 essays by mostly experts in psychiatric medicine. I was surprised and interested that many of the essays examined a different angle.
First, the authors discuss the ethics of this book. The author-psychiatrists have not personally met Donald Trump to diagnose him, so the American Psychiatric Association's Goldwater Rule states it is unethical for psychiatrists to give a professional opinion about public figures they have not examined in person. They note that they disagree with association rule where public safety is at great risk as they believe it is, that members of the APA did not vote on the rule, that if they had met with him as a client they would be forbidden to give a public opinion based on confidentiality, that no other profession is barred from expressing an opinion regarding the mental health of the president except the people who are actually experts on mental health.
Also, they briefly mentioned the Tarasoff Rule, which is a legal standard in America. I'll quote it in its entirety here: "When a ltherapist determines, or pursuant to the standards of his profession, should determine, that his patient presents a serious danger of violence to another, he incurs an obligation to use reasonable care to protect the intended victim against such danger."
The essays present different points of view regarding the president's mental health both as a general idea that Democracy needs to address, and as it specifically relates to Donald Trump. Despite the different angles of the essays a few themes emerge.
1) Donald Trump is likely mentally ill in that his behavior is not beneficial to himself, is harmful to individuals he attacks- which he does frequently, and is harmful to the country generally. In addition to the harm that he has already caused, he might present additional dangers to the country and world.
2) Whether or not he is mentally ill, the more important question is whether he is dangerous, which he definitely is according to his own statements and actions. No psychiatric expertise necessary to understand this point.
As an aside, I often read reviews that disagree with my views in order to find points which I should concede. In this case, the one-star and two-star reviews make no sense to me and seem to be more emotional than logical.
First, the authors discuss the ethics of this book. The author-psychiatrists have not personally met Donald Trump to diagnose him, so the American Psychiatric Association's Goldwater Rule states it is unethical for psychiatrists to give a professional opinion about public figures they have not examined in person. They note that they disagree with association rule where public safety is at great risk as they believe it is, that members of the APA did not vote on the rule, that if they had met with him as a client they would be forbidden to give a public opinion based on confidentiality, that no other profession is barred from expressing an opinion regarding the mental health of the president except the people who are actually experts on mental health.
Also, they briefly mentioned the Tarasoff Rule, which is a legal standard in America. I'll quote it in its entirety here: "When a ltherapist determines, or pursuant to the standards of his profession, should determine, that his patient presents a serious danger of violence to another, he incurs an obligation to use reasonable care to protect the intended victim against such danger."
The essays present different points of view regarding the president's mental health both as a general idea that Democracy needs to address, and as it specifically relates to Donald Trump. Despite the different angles of the essays a few themes emerge.
1) Donald Trump is likely mentally ill in that his behavior is not beneficial to himself, is harmful to individuals he attacks- which he does frequently, and is harmful to the country generally. In addition to the harm that he has already caused, he might present additional dangers to the country and world.
2) Whether or not he is mentally ill, the more important question is whether he is dangerous, which he definitely is according to his own statements and actions. No psychiatric expertise necessary to understand this point.
As an aside, I often read reviews that disagree with my views in order to find points which I should concede. In this case, the one-star and two-star reviews make no sense to me and seem to be more emotional than logical.