Normally, I don't care what Donald Trump (or Charlie Sheen, or Tom Cruise) is up to. I can't be bothered to take an interest in what I hear, because it's probably gossip. And it's irrelevant to me.
But when worryingly grandiose delusions suddenly attract international news coverage, I become concerned on a human level. Is it necessary to wait until the new DSM comes out next year before we address this issue? Would the issue be addressed even then?
The issue is anosognosia, the inability for an individual to recognize that he or she is suffering from a disability, quite commonly mental illness. Anosognosia is not the same as denial; it's a condition in which the individual truly isn't aware of the presence and extent of their disability.
I understand that people may be unwilling to approach the affected person, such as Mr. Trump, because it seems like a futile task to convince someone so powerful and seemingly influential that help may be needed to address "crazy" ideas. And the error may lie in attempts of well intentioned folks to convince Mr. Trump or others that a medical condition is responsible for these wild, unfounded, or absurd ideas; anosognosia will prevent sufferers from seeing any logic in the suggestion.
What, then, is the course of action? Who steps up? Who steps in? Who is brave enough, respected enough, and trusted enough by the sick individual to suggest evaluation for these ideas that seem perfectly reasonable to, in this case, Donald Trump? Who can convince him to consider help when he thinks he's perfectly healthy?
In some cases, perhaps intervention is unnecessary. It's a desire of loved ones who want to force normalcy on someone. Who gets to determine quality of life? Who has the right? Is it not the individual him- or herself? But because anosognosia prevents an individual from seeing the health condition, perhaps intervention is exactly the necessary course.
When grandiose delusions start interfering with important national events, action should be taken. Loved ones, colleagues, acquaintances—it's time for people to accept the uncomfortable responsibility of encouraging professional evaluation. It will be an exhausting task. It will feel futile. It will be a massive challenge. It should not involve ostracizing the affected individual, but this step must involve boundaries.
Fox News ought to be bold enough to refuse air time to Donald Trump until he seeks and receives help. "The Apprentice" ought to go on indefinite hiatus until Mr. Trump seeks and receives help. Oh, no! Such a popular show on hiatus? Yes. Someone's health is at stake. In a significant way.
Let's take a moment to actually consider what happened in this recent case. Donald Trump professed that he had election-changing news. Buildup. Hype. Then a YouTube video offering $5 million to a charity of Barack Obama's choice if President Obama would release his college transcripts, applications, and passport applications.
What? This is the big news? This is something to take seriously? If Mr. Trump has the money to donate to charity, let him do it. Why should it hinge on something as meaningless as old applications? Does he really think these documents matter to the election, or to anything at all? How is this election-changing? A man makes grandiose claims and is deluded in thinking that they matter. It's awkward. It's anticlimactic. It's telling. It's Donald Trump, so it makes the news as if it's to be taken seriously.
Here's what we need to take seriously: A popular TV personality/businessman attempted to hijack news sources in order to promote a bizarre deal. It makes no sense. He thinks it does. He's eager to widely spread this "news" as if it's more than a show of delusion. He does not realize how fanciful and outrageous he is being.
The delusion has gone too far, and Mr. Trump is demonstrating a clear case of anosognosia. Someone, somewhere—or preferably many people, everywhere—should realize it's time to address the issue. For a prominent individual to make such far-reaching claims that they interrupt significant current events....
Well, let's make this an event. Let's make this a metaphorical call to arms. Let's address the issue of anosognosia. Let's address the issues of responsibility with regards to mental health concerns. Let's not pretend that there's one level of responsibility or one clean solution. Let's discuss proper forms of intervention or lack thereof. Let's take an individual's well-being and choices into consideration. Let's also recognize that, with anosognosia, the affected individual's choices might not be enough to stand as the final course of action. Let's recognize that mental illness is complicated.
Let's recognize that we have a new face of mental illness. Let's address it. Let's help Mr. Trump and others return to reasonable thinking. Non-disruptive thinking—unless truly innovative or challenging in a much more productive way. A way we can take seriously. These recent extravagant delusions shouldn't be downgraded to the opinion of "Well, that's Trump. He's like that."
Let's recognize the delusions for what they are. Please. The world has enough nonsense without denying problems that genuinely exist. Let's not all remain willfully ignorant. Please. Must we all act as if we have anosognosia? Do we ignore these delusions, justify them, brush them off? Please. A man with grandiose delusions needs help. Who will step up?
