EchoBlog

May I address what seems to me to be the "elephant in the room" of this discussion: What is the proper characterization of Donald J. Trump, and who should make it? I made some online queries.

Responses to queries regarding the Goldwater rule:

“The Goldwater rule was introduced by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in response to an article published in Fact magazine in 1964. The article, titled “The Unconscious of a Conservative: A Special Issue on the Mind of Barry Goldwater,” questioned Senator Barry Goldwater’s psychological fitness for the presidency. Psychiatrists were polled about Goldwater’s suitability for office, which led to the creation of the Goldwater rule.”

"Dr. Leonard Glass, a former distinguished life member of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), played a significant role in revising the Goldwater rule. The original rule, Section 7.3 of the APA’s ethical code, prohibited psychiatrists from diagnosing public figures without a personal examination. However, with the presidency of Donald Trump, the APA ethics committee issued a “reaffirmation” of the rule in 2017, going beyond the original scope. Dr. Glass and other mental health experts have since advocated for a modification of the rule, allowing for more nuanced discussions about public figures’ mental health while maintaining ethical standards."

“Dr. Glass resigned from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) due to its new interpretation of the Goldwater rule. The rule remains a topic of debate among psychiatrists and ethics experts.”

Response to query regarding “malignant narcissism” (term coined by Erich Fromm in 1964):

“Malignant narcissism is a psychological syndrome characterized by an extreme mix of narcissism, antisocial behavior, aggression, and sadism. Individuals with this personality type are grandiose, always ready to escalate hostility levels, and tend to undermine families and organizations they are involved in. They dehumanize the people with whom they associate. It’s important to note that malignant narcissism is not formally recognized as a diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), but many mental health experts use this term to describe a specific set of personality traits. These traits combine elements of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and antisocial personality disorder (APD). Some common characteristics associated with malignant narcissism include:

1.NPD Traits:

oGrandiose fantasies and behavior.

oLack of empathy for others’ emotions.

oSignificant need for attention, admiration, and recognition.

oInflated sense of self-importance.

oBelief in personal specialness and superiority.

oSense of entitlement.

oTendency to take advantage of others.

oArrogant or conceited behavior.

oEnvy of others and belief that others envy them.

2.APD Features:

oConsistent disregard for other people’s feelings.

Remember that diagnosing someone with malignant narcissism is complex and should be done by mental health professionals. If you encounter someone with these traits, it’s best to seek professional guidance and avoid labeling them without proper assessment.”

Response to query regarding physicians’ duty to inform:

"The duty to report certain conditions to public health or law enforcement authorities is one that falls on all physicians and other health care workers as part of their duty to protect the public from harm."

My personal comment: The long audiovisual record of Donald Trump’s behavior as well as his personal online statements gives psychiatrists a more than ample basis for the formation of a professional diagnosis of Donald Trump’s character. Since Donald Trump is one of the two people who WILL be elected President this November and given his promise to decapitate the civil service that restrained him in his first term, the DUTY to report this individual who represents a public danger HAS BEEN MASSIVELY JUSTIFIED.

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