In a Thursday piece for the Chicago Sun-Times , columnist and movie critic Richard Roeper delved into the movie #Unfit, which he said argued that Donald Trump suffers from “multiple mental disorders.”
Roeper noted that the film pushes back on claims that the Goldwater Rule — which prohibits psychiatrists from diagnosing public figures they have not met — is meant as a universal guideline.
“But the experts interviewed in “#Unfit” argue the Goldwater Rule was never intended to be a universal gag order and claim that according to the Tarasoff Rule, which states psychiatrists have a duty to step forward and speak when they believe someone is exhibiting harmful and alarming behavior, they would be derelict in their professional duties if they DIDN’T comment on Trump’s observable behavior.”
Notably, psychologist John Gartner used his time to claim that psychiatrist interviews are the least reliable tools for diagnosis and noted that the psychological problems outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders are diagnosed using “observable behavioral criteria.”
Roeper explained that the movie provides many examples of Trump’s purported issues, including a lack of personal loyalty, belief in unfounded theories, narcissism, lack of normal human empathy, and sadism. Although the film critic claimed the project would not likely convince Trump supporters to renounce their support of the president, he said that it provided “valuable insights” into his behavior and purported psychological struggles.
Per the health news website Stat , the book Trump on the Couch used applied psychoanalysis to diagnose Trump’s alleged psychological issues. According to the author, Justin A. Frank — a former Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington University Medical Center who appeared in #Unfit — the results were “frightening.”
In his piece for Stat , Frank spotlighted the real estate mogul’s interview with Fox & Friends — an appearance that he argued shows many of the concerning issues that are covered in his book.
“This half-hour revealed how destabilized the president can become and showed many of the disturbing patterns seen elsewhere in Trump’s actions and writing.”
According to the author, three of the “most striking” of Trump’s concerning patterns were repeating himself, having difficulty answering questions or staying on topic, and strong feelings of victimhood.
As The Inquisitr reported, Frank used his time in #Unfit to call Trump a sociopathic sadist. Elsewhere in the film, Gartner compared Trump to famous dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Such claims are allegedly supported by other mental health professionals and historians.