Donald Trump: A Case Study of Mental Illness Not Being Taken Seriously by the Media

"What has this country come to?" It's asked everyday, by everyone, no matter their politics. It's the one question that we can all agree on even though the reasons are somewhat different. But don't stop the questioning there...it's not just rhetorical. You have to wonder how a man with a diagnosable mental disorder, someone you might have seen on a soapbox in Hyde Park spewing crazy shit, is allowed to run around like a delusional maniac believing he could be President of the United States. But, Ladies and Gentlemen, that is exactly what is happening here; and, it is gleefully being covered - fucking daily ad nauseum - by media outlets and so-called journalists. You know who I'm talkin' about. Do I really have to say his name one more time? Is there one person in the whole USA who doesn't know about this troll? Okay, okay - Donald Trump. But I don't want to address all the stupid crap he's regurgitating out of his ugly mouth. 

It's about how this country deals with the mentally ill. Luckily for Trump, he has a home and isn't one of the thousands of homeless people on the street because, except for that home, he would fit right in with his - here's the diagnosis - narcissistic megalomania as easily as the guy I saw last night in downtown L.A. yelling at some imaginary persecutor. But no one was covering this poor soul's insane ramblings. And he had better hair. Here again is the class divide even though they are on equal footing mentally. The Donald was fortunate to be born into a wealthy family so he kind of flew under the radar. 

In fact, his disorder was looked upon as a path to success. Here, this guy wrote about it:
Being A Narcissistic Megalomaniac With Sociopathic Tendencies May Mean You Have An Advantage In Business, According To Psychologist Oliver James  But, the chickens will come home to roost someday and it won't be pretty. To wit: "The final stage of NPD is the part of a narcissist’s life when the world they have known in the past starts to spin out of their control. The loss of power and prowess over others is devastating to a megalomaniac narcissist. It damages and unhinges the narcissist psychologically and emotionally, leading to an intra-personal implosion followed by a violent explosive end for the narcissist and others around them." This guy was writing about Jim Jones but, hey, you might say Trump is feeding his followers Kool-Aid.

Does the fact that so many people (aka Tea Partiers) support him mean that they are crazy, too? At the very least, they are enablers in a co-dependent relationship. Can it get any worse? Why is the media covering this guy so relentlessly when he should be tackled and put in straitjacket to be tucked away in a mental ward before we all go nuts. It's not funny or amusing any more. He is making us the laughingstock of the world. ISIS must be ROFLMFAO.

It's time for the media to take some responsibility (ha, that's an old trope) for how they are presenting the news. Most people are not news junkies, like I and many of my friends are, so what they see is what they believe and that is a pretty straightforward transaction. People are busy, they don't have to think about it. But the reality is, Donald Trump has a mental disorder* and the press isn't talking about it. Why not? Afraid they'll get reamed my Mr. Born-to-Sue? It is an awful thing to reward people for awful behavior and it doesn't help the conversation that should be addressed - mental illness.

I don't believe Trump is a real 'threat' to become the GOP nominee (UPDATE: Looks like he will) nevermind President, (still stand by this) but I wish he and his grotesque orange face would get out of my face. Let the other nincompoops have equal time. BTW, do you think Trump and Boehner share a tanning bed?

*Psychology Today

Narcissistic Personality Disorder involves arrogant behavior, a lack of empathy for other people, and a need for admiration-all of which must be consistently evident at work and in relationships. People who are narcissistic are frequently described as cocky, self-centered, manipulative, and demanding. Narcissists may concentrate on unlikely personal outcomes (e.g., fame) and may be convinced that they deserve special treatment. Related Personality Disorders: Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic. Narcissism is a less extreme version of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Narcissism involves cockiness, manipulativeness, selfishness, power motives, and vanity-a love of mirrors. Related personality traits include: Psychopathy, Machiavellianism.

Narcissists tend to have high self-esteem. However, narcissism is not the same thing as self-esteem; people who have high self-esteem are often humble, whereas narcissists rarely are. It was once thought that narcissists have high self-esteem on the surface, but deep down they are insecure. However, the latest evidence indicates that narcissists are actually secure or grandiose at both levels. Onlookers may infer that insecurity is there because narcissists tend to be defensive when their self-esteem is threatened (e.g., being ridiculed); narcissists can be aggressive. The sometimes dangerous lifestyle may more generally reflect sensation-seeking or impulsivity (e.g., risky sex, bold financial decisions).