From today's LA Times...a psychiatrist's view of Trump.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Because of Donald Trump’s unusual public conduct, legions of armchair analysts have wondered aloud about his mental health. A former dean of Harvard Medical School tweeted that Trump “defines” narcissistic personality disorder. New York Times columnist David Brooks has said the GOP nominee “appears haunted by multiple personality disorders.” Entrepreneur Mark Cuban was cruder, calling Trump “batshit crazy.” Trump’s coauthor for “The Art of the Deal,” Tony Schwartz, labeled him a “sociopath.” Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker found Trump’s behavior reminiscent of a brain injury.

As a psychiatrist, I have frequently encountered questions about Trump’s mental status in my daily life. A new neighbor asked me what I thought of him. A medical student wondered, would I diagnose him with a mental illness? On a recent phone call, my mother was more specific: —“Is he a narcissist or what?!”
The lessons I learned in kindergarten — not in medical school and years of psychiatric practice — are what tell me that Trump is unfit for the job.

I’m not supposed to answer that question. To underline that point, the American Psychiatric Assn. issued a statement this month reminding its physician members, myself included, to avoid psychoanalyzing the presidential candidates.

That ethical standard has been in place for decades. In 1964, thousands of psychiatrists, in response to a magazine survey, openly questioned then-GOP nominee Barry Goldwater’s fitness for White House duty. Several psychiatrists offered specific diagnoses. The fact that so many psychiatrists were willing to casually diagnose a person they'd never met embarrassed the profession and led to the codification of the so-called Goldwater Rule — no professional opinions on people we have not personally examined.

The rest at the link: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-goldenberg-trump-mental-health-20160823-snap-story.html

[FigTree]

1. When it's bad

it's always "psychoanalyzing".
However, although there might be a few psychiatrist psychoanalysts left out there, thanks to the tireless efforts of the APA, diagnosis is now based on objective criteria. There are about 7 of such criteria in the DSM4 and even less in the DSM5. When one objectifies and standardizes diagnoses in this way, one is logically entitled to such questions.

[treestar]

2. Great article

Donald does not have to have a mental illness to be considered unfit. He already just is, by his regular personality. Love use of the word regarding Donald's behavior: "Indecorous." Donald is crude and bigoted and that doesn't require mental illness.

[world wide wally]

3. Is being an asshole a mental condition?

[Sanity Claws]

4. Worth a read

Shows a way of answering the question without using labels.