Are there any psychologists here? How well do thin skinned people cope with day to day negativity?

[Quixote1818]

With Trump being so thin skinned and prone to be upset and bothered by negative news coverage, how will he hold up over time? It really seems like just the small crowd for his inauguration got under his skin. He really yearns to be loved but not just loved and admired, he wants it from everyone! If just the small crowd is bothering him so much is he prone to an eventual nervous breakdown? With the big protest crowds, low approval numbers and constant day to day hits on his self esteem I would think someone who's psychology is to be deeply bothered by any attacks or negative news coverage might eventually break under this kind of pressure and hostility. He also must feel the pressure that the whole world is judging him.

Most people who go into politics are built for it. They have an ability to tune out the negative or brush it off. Trump seems not just the opposite of this but the extreme opposite. Very fragile. In fact those debating him should have called him week and fragile.

Can anyone who has studied his type of personality weigh in? We are a day into his being president and there are four more years to go. He already doesn't seem to be handling this well at all. How much more can he take?

[LisaM]

1. This is why business people don't belong in politics.

Not just being thin skinned, but the idea of spending money to do good rather than maximize profits is the opposite of their mindset. And the concept of being a public servant absolutely eludes them.

[CanSocDem]

14. Exactly right.

And while the local 'splainers would have us believe that it is a 'psychological' defect, they are obviously ignoring the sociology that allows DT to not only become a political candidate but to win the presidency.

DT is a champion of the 'free' market and if that makes him crazy then the whole concept of "...maximizing profits" would be a lie. In my experience, no American wants that. Liberals are willing to allow 'some' profit, but committing it to a "public" service is not on their agenda.

IMHO too much time was/is being spent demonizing what most Americans accept. You know, "the lone gunman" theory.

.

[ffr]

2. His handlers are probably racing to put him into a news blackout or virtual reality environment.

Nobody what's him where he is, other than the looters over at the KGOP.

He'll have to live in a bubble, out of touch with the public, from now on.

[C Moon]

3. +1

[JI7]

9. he watches a lot of tv so it won't work

[nadine_mn]

4. He is going to lean hard on being the victim

My unprofessional diagnosis is that he has narcissistic personality disorder - not from a clinic point of view but as a daughter of 2 narc parents.

1. They seriously have something wrong in their way of thinking. For example when my mom was in ICU, only one of her 5 brothers visited (and only one lives out of state so distance wasn't an issue. I thought she would be heartbroken (I would have been sad and pissed).. But nothing...she was absolutely fine (not fake fine either): she had created such a crazy narrative in her mind that somehow explained it in a way that was positive about her that she couldn't understand why I was upset.

2. Like a kid throwing a temper tantrum, he will continue to amp up his behavior for attention. He doesn't care so much what people say about him, just as long as people ARE talking about him.

3. Since they have no insight to their behavior, they will not change or even see that they have done anything wrong

4 They will turn everyone against each other (media, staff, congressmen, etc) to keep them from comparing notes and seeing his lies for what they are

5. They love playing the victim: everyone is against me, it's a conspiracy..this helps them create their altered reality that nothing is wrong.

So back to your question..the bad days of low turnout vs high turnout for the women's march will get so twisted in his head, he will come out on top (in his mind). There will be no normal reflection . He needs to be part of the headlines so he will do anything to get there.

[lostnfound]

12. Billionaire Victim in Chief nt

[yardwork]

15. He will turn everyone against each other - very good point.

People with his kind of personality disorder do that - they create chaos around themselves. Friends and allies turn against one another. Everyone is told a different lie.

I have experience with people with borderline and narcissistic personality disorders.

You make a good point. I wonder what the impact of this will be.

[Phoenix61]

5. That depends

He is good at rewriting history to support what he wants to believe. However, he has never had so many people from so many different directions refusing to accept his rewrites. My guess is that it is starting to get to him, hence Spicer's weirdness this afternoon. Usually, narcissists will disengage from people/situations to avoid that conflict that's why he has so few long term relationships. His difficulty now is he can't disengage and he can't control the script. Those coping skills that he has used his entire life are not options in his current situation. The more he feels powerless to control the situation the more stress he will feel. The only other coping skill he has is to blame someone for this situation.

[Warpy]

6. They don't, which is why the people surrounding them have to work

to limit their exposure to reality. Quite likely they'll get the idea pretty quickly because they want to keep their own gigs as long as possible, and that means limiting Trump's idiocy and rotten behavior.

[mopinko]

16. and keeping his kids around him. clearly they are used to being his buffer.

how else do you explain those relationships? nothing about this is normal.

[MFM008]

7. Nixon

good example..........................howd that work out.

[raccoon]

10. Thing is, Nixon was unfortunate to have a Democratic Congress...Trump doesn't. nt

[safeinOhio]

8. As a way forward I'd look to B.F. Skinner

To shape, or change behavior, ignore bad behavior and reward good behavior. If the media would ignore him for a month, I think he would do every thing possible for some attention, even if it meant changing his policies 180 degrees.

[C_U_L8R]

11. His cocaine might provide some respite

and, if you've every known someone deep
in coke-induced delusion, could explain a lot.
Either that or he's just plain nuts.

[MoonRiver]

13. This has been discussed many times on DU and elsewhere.

Most people think DT has two personality disorders, narcissism and sociopathy. That combo is always thin skinned and often violent, when their fragile egos are threatened. And because they are bullies, they target those perceived as weaker and more vulnerable than them. Their victims can be women, children, animals or minorities. Of course women can also fit this profile, but we're talking about a man.

[DetlefK]

17. They become pessimistic and cynical. And they become paranoid that EVERYBODY is against them.

The more rejection they experience, the more they reject others, creating even more rejection in return.