Politicians and Mental Health

Q:  The term “paranoid” is being tossed around a lot. Shouldn’t we all be a little paranoid in this day and age? When does it become a problem?

A:  Suspiciousness can be an adaptive trait in certain situations.  Being followed by a stranger at night probably means you should feel some anxiety and take measures to protect yourself. Solicitous phone calls promising you free trips should make you get your guard up.

However, people who suspect others of malevolence, when there is no evidence to support their claims have a problem. The more “far out” the claims, the less adaptive is the position. A typical reaction from observing parties is, “What? That makes no sense.”  Often paranoid people are projecting their own aggression onto others. Senator McCarty’s obsession with communism was a good example of this.

Q:  What are some warning signs that stress is getting too much for a politician to handle?

A:  Presidents and other world leaders are human. They can only take so much.  Nixon became very hyper-vigilant during Watergate. Paranoia in his case was maladaptive. Earlier in his career, he said to the press,” You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore.” Such an impulsive statement didn’t serve him well.

One would wonder about the wisdom of President Trump’s campaign of tweets. To many, they seem impulsive and not well thought out. To others, they like a man, “Who is telling it like it is. ”His claim that President Obama was tapping his phones has a false ring to it. Is the President feeling the effects of strong criticism from around the country? Are his weekly trips to Florida a sign that he needs comfort and familiar surrounding to reconstitute? Is he in the process of unraveling? Is the job beyond his capacity?

Q:  What are some characteristics of narcissistic people?

A:  Narcissistic people have problems in self-esteem.  They need continuous supplies of adoration and positive feedback from others to maintain a sense of well being. They are extremely sensitive to criticism and can retaliate They can be smart and charismatic, but over time their star fades.

when they feel slighted. Paradoxically they can present themselves in grandiose ways as a way to compensate for underlying feelings of unworthiness and low self-esteem. People with these types of problems have difficulty empathizing with others. They often see others’ problems as signs of weakness. They like power and control and hate feeling helpless.