What happens to America's mental health under a second Trump administration? Very bad things

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Donald Trump's presidency and the destructive forces it unleashed are a mental health emergency — as well as a public health emergency in general. Trump may no longer be president, but his fascist political movement and the political party he controls continues to cause harm.

Trumpism is both a political cult and a manifestation of collective narcissism. Tens of millions of his followers now live in an alternate reality sustained by the Big Lie, an upside-down world in which Donald Trump is still the "real" president of the United States. Many of Trump's followers believe that he should be returned to power by any means available, including terrorism and other political violence.

The Trump regime and Republican policies more generally have literally caused trauma — physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual — for millions of Americans, including of course the deaths of at least 700,000 people from the coronavirus pandemic.

In a recent essay, author and pastor John Pavlovitz addresses this:

[F]or the first time in America's history the latent ugliness in people was revealed and validated and celebrated by a sitting president — it was officially normalized. And what we're experiencing now; this staggering, insensitive posturing in the face of so many people's suffering, is the late-ripening fruit of something that has been set into the bedrock of half our nation. It is the malicious entitlement that MAGA was designed to nurture from the beginning....

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/what-happens-to-americas-mental-health-under-a-second-trump-administration-very-bad-things/ar-AAPlEd7

[kimbutgar]

1. The cult is strong in this one

In the 1930’s we had Father Coughlin but he wasn’t a politician nor did he control 3 media stations and radio.

[peppertree]

4. Though we did have Joe McCarthy

At the height of his witch hunts, he was practically a parallel president.

And had he not made the mistake of going after the Army, he might had a realistic shot at the 1960 GOP nomination (which, as you know, went to his partner in crime Nixon).

McCarthy was probably the closest thing we've had to Trump before Trump, in terms of his being able to herd 30-40% of the country with sheer hysteria.

[qazplm135]

2. best thing for this country

is if Trump's health prevents him from running.

[Aristus]

5. No. The best thing for this country

is if his death prevents him from running.

[qazplm135]

7. yeah I'm not typing that

asking for problems...and the reality is once he's gone a more competent evil could arise.

Best case scenario is he fills the playing field but then can't run and they get a last minute replacement.

[KT2000]

3. Excellent synopsis

of grassroots damage done by Pavlovitz. We have all been changed.

[slightlv]

6. I'm 65 and the oldest of 3 children

My mother is a narcissist. Living with her while I was growing up was a nightmare a times. I mean, yes, I loved her; but I never knew what I'd face when I would come home from school. I learned early how to "read the air" before ever walking thru the front door.

Then here comes Trump, and it's like my mom all over again, only on steroids. Gods, how did I offend you?! Pandemic... I got vaccinated as soon as it was possible. Sis and I got mom into a memory care home; Biden beat Trump; we all got vaccinated. I had two whole weeks where I went to bed and felt relief and safe again. It was so glorious. Everyone in my "bubble" was double vaccinated and we still masked and distanced and were smart about where we went and with whom. So we gathered together in Democratic victory over Trump. We'd made it thru the hard times. Yes, there were still problems to work on; Trump had so screwed up this country it would take at least 3 straight Democratic terms (if not more) to straighten it out, but at least Trump was gone. We raised our glasses of wine and toasted to all the hard work we'd done and to the Biden's.

And then here was Trump everywhere all over again. As a veteran, Jan 6, had inflamed and humiliated me... especially seeing these traitors get off with slap on the wrists and the main instigators not even that. Driving down the street the other day, it dawned on me, I have PTSD. That's the only way to describe this. But HOW do explain that to anyone? PTSD is for soldiers or sexual assault and disaster survivors. Well... maybe we could fit in that last slot? It just feels so damned weird to say it out loud, ya know? You feel like such a wuss.... But I scared. Repubs want to kill the New Deal. All hubby and I have is our Social Security. And we're about to pick up the cost for my Mom's Medicare Advantage cost (thanks to Brownback's cost cutting around here). I'll figure mine out later. I'm almost desperate to pick up and leave the country for someplace sane. But I don't even know anymore where that would be, and I don't have the money to do it, anyway! I'm just so close to a panic at this point that I've cut down on my online reading, even on DU. Are there others out there like me? I've always been pretty mellow. He's taught ME to hate. Thankfully, only him, and I do wish the Gods would see fit to ensure his body rebels against all the crap he's done to it in his life; the sooner the better! Instant karma wouldn't be soon enough for me.

[Skittles]

8. exellent response

worthy of its own thread, really

I absolutely understand what you meant by "read the air" (and the expressions) ......whatever mood my parents were in, that's the mood I would be. Yup. To this day I can pick up the tiniest micro-expressions in people, stuff that most people miss. It always drives me nuts when I hear a reference to, "you know how mothers are". Well, actually, no I don't.

[slightlv]

9. Thank you, Skittles!

for understanding. Looking back, it seems like I've had narcissists all around me throughout my life. Even my first husband had those tendencies. I can walk anywhere without making a sound; learned that early on. No wonder Trump triggered so many of us.

I just want him, and all those like him waiting to take his place, gone. I'm a strong believer in our American experiment. I don't want to see it fall to an autocracy modeled after Hungary. I'd really like to rescind all those CPAC organizers and attendees passports while they're over there. Let Hungary keep them there, if they're so enamored with the country, the government, and the leader. We can see to it their families, friends, and anyone wishing to join them are shipped over as quickly as possible, as well.

What did they use to yell at us hippies back in the day? America, love it or leave it? I think it's about time we start yelling it back at them now. It's not America -- love it or remake it. It's America, love it or leave it. They've already picked their country. Frankly, I think they'd be better off in Somalia, but, hea... they're free to make their mistakes. Let Orban deal with them for a change. Just as long as they lose their citizenship in the country they've denied.

[Skittles]

10. I hear you again

I always detested the "love it or leave it" sentiment, because it leaves out the option of IMPROVEMENT. I too despair at what I see happening and I will stay and fight the fascist GOP!