February 20, 2017

Psychiatrists warned to 'stop analysing Trump' because they risk breaching their own code of ethics

Source: The Independent

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has issued a warning to its members to stop psychoanalysing Donald Trump because it breeches the organisation's strict code of ethics.

A great deal of armchair psychology has been written to explain Mr Trumps behaviour, with some commentators confidently claiming he is a psychopath or a sociopath terms which are often misunderstood and bandied about too casually, according to some practitioners.

Some professionals have declared the President is suffering from a personality disorder with many citing narcissistic personality disorder as one they believe afflicts him.

Following his recent press conferences, psychiatrists as well as media commentators have increasingly declared something is not quite right with Mr Trumps psyche, but the APA says this increasingly common trend by psychiatrists to diagnose those they havent treated must end.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/american-psychiatric-association-stop-analysing-donald-trump-warning-a7588751.html?amp

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Interesting read. I'm not a clinician, but as a loved one of someone with severe mental illness, I agree that it's disturbing how many clinical professionals are willing to diagnose people (politicians, celebrities, etc.) that they've never treated or even met, all to get a little attention or make a political point. It's a sickening abuse of power, and an incredible disservice to those suffering from actual diagnosed mental illnesses.