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THE ABSURD TIMES
Our diplomat, John Bolton. I think of him because we are discussing mental illness, below, but also because this illustration is so appropriate. This is the man who was sent to prison for a year for his involvement in the Iran/Contra Deal. His friend, Ollie North, is now spokesman for the NRA (you remember Ollie?)
Daffy Don does love his daughter. (Oh, yes, one supporter of Daffy Don thinks they are all photo shopped.)
In a way, I hate to call him "Daffy Don, because that is the nickname of Ol' Dizzie Dean's brother. Dean earned the nickname Dizzy all by himself and I could go on ad nauseum of his feats, but suffice to say Paul was rather normal.
DAFFY DON
BY
CZAR DONIC
I'm fully aware that one is not supposed to give a psychological diagnosis about anyone without a close encounter (of the first kind?), but since George Conway, a right winger, husband of "Alternate Facts" Kelley posted the DSM V definitions of the two that seem to apply, and since I do have credentials in the field, I may as well venture my own opinion.
I should point out that I find the DSM IVR more acceptable as well. Furthermore, Psychiatrists do use the manual, but it is created and published by the American Psychological Association and there is usually, no always of late, a tremendous debate and furious argumentation over the categories and criteria. The main use Psychiatrists have for it is to prescribe medication and they generally spend far less time in consultation with the patient than in the past. At one point, in fact, while I was practicing (no, not as a Psychiatrist) I would refer them to a Psychiatrist if I thought medication would be of help to my patients. Most Psychiatrists would request a list of symptoms, but I was able to simply write down the DSM code and that would suffice for them. (The first time, they would call and I would explain, and thereafter the Code sufficed.)
I also had to spend some time distinguishing as to whether to call them "Patients" or "clients," and I settled on "clients" so as not to confuse the issue with Attorneys. Now, after settling that, let's get one with the "diagnosis".
We start with Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Let us see how this applies to Daffy Don, and I sometime decide just to skip a criteria or two throughout as they should be self-evident:
A. Significant impairments in personality functioning manifest by:
1. Impairments in self functioning (a or b):
a.Identity: Ego-centrism; self-esteem derived from personal gain, power, or pleasure. [Well, Daffy certainly fits that exactly. Sometimes he would call radio stations and other outlets using the name John Barron and act as his own publicist. I have heard recordings of him arguing about his position on the Forbes 500 list, pointing out that his and his father's assets have been consolidated.]
b.Self-direction: Goal-setting based on personal gratification; absence of prosocial internal standards associated with failure to conform to lawful or culturally normative ethical behavior. [He seems to fit all of these.]
AND
2. Impairments in interpersonal functioning (a or b):
a. Empathy: Lack of concern for feelings, needs, or suffering of others; lack of remorse after hurting or mistreating another. [Numerous reports of a lack of empathy. Also, "loyalty" seems to be a one-way street. People hoping for a pardon had best forget it. Being called a 'RAT' of Twitter is preferable.]
b. Intimacy: Incapacity for mutually intimate relationships, as exploitation is a primary means of relating to others, including by deceit and coercion; use of dominance or intimidation to control others. [That's too easy.]
B. Pathological personality traits in the following domains:
1. Antagonism, characterized by:
a. Manipulativeness: Frequent use of subterfuge to influence or control others; use of seduction, charm, glibness, or ingratiation to achieve one's ends. [See any speech, all made to for Trump audiences.]
b. Deceitfulness: Dishonesty and fraudulence; misrepresentation of self; embellishment or fabrication when relating events. [Didn't we already cover this?]
c. Callousness: Lack of concern for feelings or problems of others; lack of guilt or remorse about the negative or harmful effects of one's actions on others; aggression; sadism. [If it wasn't so true, I'd be laughing.]
d. Hostility: Persistent or frequent angry feelings; anger or irritability in response to minor slights and insults; mean, nasty, or vengeful behavior. [See reports of his Twitter account. I've blocked it as it is repeated so often on the news, Internationally.]
2. Disinhibition, characterized by:
a. Irresponsibility: Disregard for – and failure to honor – financial and other obligations or commitments; lack of respect for – and lack of follow through on agreements and promises. [Only Deutsche Bank will loan him money as he has a habit of not paying anything he owes. It is a money laundering operation, mainly, for oligarchs. Can you think of another casino owner who had to file for bankruptcy?]
b. Impulsivity: Acting on the spur of the moment in response to immediate stimuli; acting on a momentary basis without a plan or consideration of outcomes; difficulty establishing and following plans.
c. Risk taking: Engagement in dangerous, risky, and potentially self-damaging activities, unnecessarily and without regard for consequences; boredom proneness and thoughtless initiation of activities to counter boredom; lack of concern for one's limitations and denial of the reality of personal danger. [Do the names Stormy Daniels and Michael Avenatti man anything? There is also a Karen McDougal.]
C. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual's personality trait expression are relatively stable across time and consistent across situations. [Right.]
D. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual's personality trait expression are not better understood as normative for the individual's developmental stage or sociocultural environment.
E. The impairments in personality functioning and the individual's personality trait expression are not solely due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., severe head trauma). [He says he does not use drugs or drink. Perhaps he should?]
F. The individual is at least age 18 years.
Antisocial personality disorder falls under the dramatic/erratic cluster of personality disorders, "Cluster B."
And the other:
The DSM-5 indicates that persons with NPD usually display some or all of the following symptoms, typically without the commensurate qualities or accomplishments:[6][9]
1. Grandiosity with expectations of superior treatment from other people [Putin say's I'm a genius, I have the biggest vocabulary in the world, I'm the best President this country ever had... .]
2. Fixation on fantasies of power, success, intelligence, attractiveness, etc. [Everyone else who dislikes him has a Low IQ.]
3. Self-perception of being unique, superior, and associated with high-status people and institutions
4. Need for continual admiration from others [Again, see his audience at rallies, love of Fox news.]
5. Sense of entitlement to special treatment and to obedience from others [For example, firing Comey because he would not pledge loyalty to him, rather than to the constitution.]
6. Exploitation of others to achieve personal gain [Sigh]
7. Unwillingness to empathize with the feelings, wishes, and needs of other people [This is getting too easy.]
8. Intense envy of others, and the belief that others are equally envious of them [Obviously, everyone envies him]
9. Pompous and arrogant demeanor [Goes without saying.]
I'm reprinting a further discussion, just to qualify things:
Narcissistic personality disorder usually develops in adolescence or early adulthood.[6] It is not uncommon for children and adolescents to display traits similar to those of NPD, but such occurrences are usually transient, and below the criteria for a diagnosis of NPD.[9] True symptoms of NPD are pervasive, apparent in varied situations, and rigid, remaining consistent over time. The NPD symptoms must be sufficiently severe that they significantly impair the person's capabilities to develop meaningful human relationships. Generally, the symptoms of NPD also impair the person's psychological abilities to function, either at work, or school, or important social settings. The DSM-5 indicates that the traits manifested by the person must substantially differ from cultural norms, in order to qualify as symptoms of NPD.[6]
Associated features[edit]
People with NPD tend to exaggerate their skills, accomplishments, and their level of intimacy with people they consider high-status. This sense of superiority may cause them to monopolize conversations[9] or to become impatient or disdainful when others talk about themselves.[6] When their own ego is wounded by a real or perceived criticism, their anger can be disproportionate to the situation,[9] but typically, their actions and responses are deliberate and calculated.[6] Despite occasional flare-ups of insecurity, their self-image is primarily stable (i.e., overinflated).[6]
To the extent that people are pathologically narcissistic, they can be controlling, blaming, self-absorbed, intolerant of others' views, unaware of others' needs and the effects of their behavior on others, and insist that others see them as they wish to be seen.[6] Narcissistic individuals use various strategies to protect the self at the expense of others. They tend to devalue, derogate, insult, and blame others, and they often respond to threatening feedback with anger and hostility.[10] Since the fragile ego of individuals with NPD is hypersensitive to perceived criticism or defeat, they are prone to feelings of shame, humiliation, and worthlessness over minor or even imagined incidents.[9] They usually mask these feelings from others with feigned humility or by isolating themselves socially, or they may react with outbursts of rage, defiance, or by seeking revenge.[6][7] The merging of the "inflated self-concept" and the "actual self" is seen in the inherent grandiosity of narcissistic personality disorder. Also inherent in this process are the defense mechanisms of denial, idealization and devaluation.[11]
According to the DSM-5: "Many highly successful individuals display personality traits that might be considered narcissistic. Only when these traits are inflexible, maladaptive, and persisting and cause significant functional impairment or subjective distress do they constitute narcissistic personality disorder."[6] Due to the high-functionality associated with narcissism, some people may not view it as an impairment in their lives.[12] Although overconfidence tends to make individuals with NPD ambitious, it does not necessarily lead to success and high achievement professionally. These individuals may be unwilling to compete or may refuse to take any risks in order to avoid appearing like a failure.[6][7] In addition, their inability to tolerate setbacks, disagreements, or criticism, along with lack of empathy, make it difficult for such individuals to work cooperatively with others or to maintain long-term professional relationships with superiors and colleagues.
