A mental health expert has claimed that President Trump meets the diagnostic criteria for mania as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. According to Dr. Cornelia Gibson, Executive Director of The Agape Counseling Center, mania is characterized by “a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood AND abnormally and persistently increased goal-directed activity or energy” lasting at least one week. Diagnosis requires three or more of seven specific symptoms to be present to a significant degree.
Dr. Gibson identified seven symptoms of mania, claiming Trump exhibits all or nearly all of them based on recent social media posts and public statements. The symptoms include inflated self-esteem or grandiosity, as evidenced by Trump’s posts stating “As everyone knows, I am an extraordinarily brilliant person” and “I was very impressed with myself to have the head of Apple calling to ‘kiss my a—’.” Other identified symptoms include decreased need for sleep, evidenced by Trump’s nighttime social media activity and early morning posts starting around 7am; more talkative than usual behavior; flight of ideas or racing thoughts; distractibility; increased goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation; and excessive involvement in activities with potential for painful consequences.
Dr. Gibson urged Trump’s inner circle to encourage him to seek help, warning that untreated mania symptoms can increase in frequency and intensity, potentially leading to “insurmountable financial, legal, personal, and interpersonal relationship conflicts.” She noted that treatment typically includes psychotropic medication such as mood stabilizers or antipsychotics used in conjunction with talk therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy, along with family and group therapy. She emphasized that when someone holds great power, symptoms impact many others, and stressed the importance of people in that person’s circle pointing out the need for help rather than condoning behavior.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/mental-health-expert-details-signs-1803534