Search Results for: Bandy Lee

Can therapists diagnose Trump as mentally ill, and warn people about his potential to promote violence, without examining him?

I’ve written twice about this subject:  the controversies involving Yale clinical and forensic psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee (no longer at Yale). Lee has been accused of violating the Goldwater rule, which involves giving professional psychiatric opinions about public figures you haven’t examined—in this case Donald Trump. The article below from Mother Jones magazine describes her travails … Continue reading Can therapists diagnose Trump as mentally ill, and warn people about his potential to promote violence, without examining him?

Should mental-health professionals diagnose Trump as mentally ill?

It’s one thing for us to call Trump a narcissist or a sociopath, but it’s another thing entirely when a group of mental-health professionals argue that Trump should not be allowed to debate—or should be impeached—because he’s sick in the head. Psychiatrists generally refrain from diagnosing people whom they haven’t examined, adhering to what’s called … Continue reading Should mental-health professionals diagnose Trump as mentally ill?

Is the “Goldwater rule” a good ethical guide for therapists, and does it violate Americans’ freedom of speech?

The 25th Amendment of the Constitution provides a way for the Vice President to replace the President if the latter becomes unable to fulfill the duties of his office. I won’t give the whole Amendment, but the relevant parts for this piece concern Trump’s erratic behavior, which many psychiatrists have diagnosed as a mental illness … Continue reading Is the “Goldwater rule” a good ethical guide for therapists, and does it violate Americans’ freedom of speech?