Trump’s ‘Downward Mental Health Spiral’ Could Have Dire Consequences, Clinical Psychologist Warns
Leanne Watt, an expert in the management of personality disorders affecting adults, has warned that President Donald Trump’s mental instability could have serious consequences for the country and the rest of the world. Watt gave the warning in article co-authored with Richard Painter, President George W. Bush’s former White House ethics attorney. In the article published by NBC News, Watt warned that based on the experience she has gathered over several years of treating adults with personality disorders, there could be dire consequences for the country and the whole world if Trump’s mental health condition continues to deteriorate.
Watt insisted that a mental health expert does not need to personally examine a person who is showing overt signs of untreated mental illness before making conclusions about that person’s mental health status, and warning the public about it.
“Recognizing unfitness in a president does not necessarily mean waiting for a physical sign or even a catastrophic event.”
“Personality disorders present predictable patterns that are well documented in the medical literature,” Watt and Painter wrote in the article. “In fact, we can often find the most accurate and honest account of a public figure’s Cluster B symptoms through public records.”
Responding to criticism of other mental health experts who have spoken out about Trump’s mental health in the past, the writers argued that mental health professionals have an ethical responsibility to speak up when they observe public figures exhibiting behavior that is “troubling or suspect.”
The authors argued that it is dangerous for mental health experts to wait for Trump to cause trouble or do something that leads to a catastrophe before making their observations about Trump’s personality known to the public. They added that it would be irresponsible of mental health experts to remain silent after detecting that Trump is mentally unfit to be president and that he is capable of actions that could endanger the country and the rest of the world.
“Waiting for unfitness to manifest beyond the types of observable and highly predictive behavior patterns studied by psychiatrists and psychologists is, we believe, naive,” Watt and Painter wrote.
“We cannot rule out the possibility that a president in a downward mental health spiral could destroy important global partnerships… and leave the U.S. vulnerable to terror attacks or war.”
Personality disorder expert explains why Trump’s ‘downward mental health spiral’ is so dangerous https://t.co/RfLk19BHl2
— Raw Story (@RawStory) October 19, 2017
Watt is not the first mental health expert who has warned that Trump could be mentally unfit for the responsibilities of the president and commander-in-chief. Several other mental health experts have raised questions about Trump’s mental health status.
Recently, a group of about 800 mental health professionals released a statement, saying they were concerned that Trump’s mental health condition makes him unfit to be president and commander-in-chief.
Several former government officials have also voiced their concerns about Trump’s mental health.
Peter Wehner, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, recently said he was concerned that Trump “is psychologically and emotionally not well.”
During a CNN panel discussion with Trump’s biographer, Michael D’Antonio, Wehner said that Trump is not “stable.”
“This is a president who has a disordered mind. He’s impulsive and vindictive.”
The 25th Amendment: Why now is the time to evaluate Trump's mental health https://t.co/d6fnRILwzb
via @RWPUSA and @leannewattphd pic.twitter.com/7NJOcmPc50
— NBC News THINK (@NBCNewsTHINK) October 18, 2017
Wehner cited Trump’s recent public comments about General John Kelly’s son and President Obama’s response to his death. He also recalled Trump’s confrontation with the Khan family and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.).
“This is a person who is just not in command of his emotions and feelings and actions.”
Trump also came under criticism when he told the widow of the U.S. soldier killed in Niger that her husband “knew what he signed up for.”
[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]
