Vote for the guy who hears voices

Had I run for political office back in 2018, my slogan could have been “Vote for the guy who hears voices, at least he’s listening.’

I did hear voices, and it was a living hell. I lost most of my friends, all of my family and a lot of self-respect due to my behaviors. Hearing voices all day will make you angry. It will make you paranoid. It will rob you of your personality and plunge you into a spiral of negativity. I ended up homeless, with nobody who cared about me. And that’s the truth.

The way Americans hurl insults about this politician or that politician being mentally impaired shows just how much they despite people with mental illness. As a person with a serious mental illness, this rhetoric frightens the hell out of me.

When President Trump’s opponents question his mental faculties, they are lobbing the lowest blow they can find. Obviously, a whole lot of people love to label others as “mentally ill” when they simply don’t like them.

Using “mental illness” for meanness

Many of these people do not have diagnosed mental illness, at least not one that has been made public. The new low of political opponents pointing fingers at each other and screaming, “mentally ill!” started in the 2016 presidential election campaign. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both belittled each other as being mentally impaired, with the term “crazy Hillary” going viral. In response, Clinton has called Republicans “weird.”

Politicians accuse their opponents of being “mentally ill” because it implies they are unfit and unable to serve. Every time a politico does this it sends a message to truly mentally ill people that they must be the most despicable people alive. It’s incredibly insulting.

Is President Trump “mentally ill?” Crazy like a fox, maybe. Some people think he’s funny. And of course they get called “mentally ill” too. Trump’s supporters have struck back against his critics with the term “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” This is a way to mock and deem irrational his opposition. Some lawmakers tried to label that as a mental illness, too, according to CBS News.

Trump, Biden, Harris, Clinton all had sanity questioned

Consider that in recent years:

President Trump has been accused of narcissistic personality disorder, sociopathy, and general “unfitness,” according to Psychology Today. In an article, the magazine reported, “Dr. Lance Dodes discussed sociopathy and its various descriptions, which all include cruel, callous, bullying, dehumanizing, sadistic, unempathetic, predatory, devaluing and immoral behavior. Sociopaths project their feelings onto others, who are seen as aggressive and dangerous. Sociopaths exhibit a loss of reality, attack others with raging outbursts. People are categorized in the moment as good or evil, with loyalty critical for landing in the “good” category. He described Donld Trump's behavior as fitting into these categories.”

Former President Joe Biden’s critics, especially Trump, have frequently questioned his cognitive health, especially as he’s aged. Terms like “senile” and “dementia” are thrown around casually, often without medical basis. Trump also called another of his opponents, Kamala Harris, “mentally impaired,” according to NBC News. And he has labeled U.S. Rep Maxine waters “crazy,” according to Roll Call.

Some lawmakers do have mental illness

John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania senator, openly sought treatment for clinical depression after a stroke. While many praised his transparency, others used it to question his fitness for office, according to NBC News.

Patrick Kennedy, a former congressman who publicly disclosed his bipolar disorder and substance use struggles, has since become a mental health advocate, But during his tenure, his condition was often used against him, according to Politico.

Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts representative, spoke about his PTSD from military service. While he’s been lauded for his honesty, some critics have used mental illness to question a lawmaker’s judgment, according to Politico.

Questioning Trump’s sanity an insult to the mentally ill

I am insulted every time a person calls Trump “mentally ill.” Perhaps we need a truly mentally ill president. A person who feels empathy deeply. Who questions everything. Who isn’t afraid to say what needs to be said.

“Vote for the guy who hears voices, at least he’s listening” does have a nice ring to it.