Many people including senators, doctors, entertainers, and reporters have called President Trump mentally ill in response to his tweets, speeches, and policies.
Just last week, Senator Al Franken said trump is “not right mentally,” on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, and two days ago, the New York Times printedan editorial letter from two acclaimed psychiatrists, warning of the President’s mental illness.
Despite your political beliefs, is it right for these people to be calling the President mentally ill, and for psychiatric professionals do be diagnosing him from a distance?
Medical ethicist and director of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center Art Caplan says no.
“You can’t diagnose at a distance, said Caplan on Boston Public Radio Wednesday. There is even a prohibition called the Goldwater rule that you don’t diagnose at a distant,” he said.
Caplan worries that people who disagree with the President are writing him off as mentally ill instead of thoughtfully holding him accountable.
“I am very loathed to just say he’s crazy. The right response to he’s crazy is, get him some therapy, not throw him out of office,” said Caplan.
Listen to our interview with medical ethicist Art Caplan above.
