Fake News and Journalism

12.27.19

To the editor:

It doesn't make sense to describe sociology rather than events as driving politics (Brooks, The Media Is Broken, 12.27.19).  Are 'events' not sociological in the first place?  We need to appreciate the 'lenses' through which we take in the news, [but] David Brooks overlooks how most Americans get their news in the first place; that is, the role of non-journalistic media as a primary source.  Journalism is a noble profession and foundational for our democratic process. But journalism is constantly under attack. There are constant efforts, from within and outside our country, to manipulate the very content of the 'events' that are reported. The sociological, political result is that we are living in a polarized world of alternate realities where the very 'events' reported are in dispute.

Respectfully

Larry S Sandberg

Michelle Goldberg: Democracy Grief is Real

12.15.19

To the editor:

As a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, I agree with Michelle Goldberg that many people are experiencing a kind of grief and despair about our country unlike other times in their lives (Democracy grief is real, 12.15.19).  This includes one elderly patient, born in the 1920's, who has seen a lot of life! 

Soon after President Trump was elected many people focused their anxiety, anger, depression and fear onto him: Donald Trump was THE problem. But over time, many people (myself included) have been confronted with a more  ominous reality.  Donald Trump has destroyed the Republican Party. Many, if not most, Republicans think like him  and act like him: Trump is  victim of a 'witch hunt,' Ukraine interfered with our elections, the Mueller report was a waste of taxpayers money ... on and on.  It is as if an isolated cancer, with the help of Vladimir Putin, infected our democracy and it has now metastasized destroying our two party system and life in a fact based world. Many patients look to the 2020 election cycle in an effort to remain hopeful while terrified by the prospects of  Democratic loss.

Respectfully

Larry S. Sandberg

Trump's Pathological Narcissism

To the editor:

Perhaps it was in an effort to appear balanced that you chose to publish a letter (10/20/19) that offered a counter-argument to the the prevailing view that Donald Trump has severe narcissistic pathology. But quoting an expert, Allen Frances, and then taking his words out of context is misleading at best. What Allen Frances wrote two years ago was that there were, in essence, exclusionary criteria that precluded making a diagnosis: 'he does not suffer from distress and impairment required to diagnose a mental disorder.'

Is there anyone observing President Trump today, supporters and non-supporters alike, who would conclude that President Trump is not in distress? That he doesn't grasp the source of distress as his own psychopathology is, by definition, a narcissistic perspective. But reports of his distress are in the news on a daily basis and evident in his tweets. Can one honestly look at President Trump's decision making and conclude there is no impairment? Even Republicans have been up in arms about Syria and the G7 fiasco.

Ironically, and sadly enough, President Trump hits the ball out of the park when it comes to narcissistic personality disorder. Only five of nine characteristics are needed to make the diagnosis; he has all nine! Legitimate differences of opinion exist as to how to handle an unfit President. But the public should understand, without doubt, that they are witnessing the unraveling of narcissistic pathology in the most powerful man in the world.

Respectfully

Larry S Sandberg

Trump's Lies and His Lying Accomplices

10.26.19

To the editor:

Jennifer Senior (NYT 10.26.19) points out how President Trump's attack against the truth has been sustained by self-serving Republican politicians and by media that profit from packaging and disseminating lies. A large number of Trump supporters believe these lies.

This historical moment reflects a profound betrayal of the public trust. At the end of the day, no one likes being lied to. As the impeachment inquiry moves forward, patriotic civil servants - with unimpeachable integrity - will come forward in public hearings to literally speak truth to power. Will President Trump's political cronies engage these brave men and women as truth seekers? Or will their political agenda demand they attack and discredit? I suspect the latter. Either way, I am hopeful that more and more Americans will recognize they have been fed a steady diet of lies and ultimately repudiate this President for degrading our country and the office he holds.

Respectfully

Larry S Sandberg

Trump, Narcissism an His Inevitable Fall

10.11.19
To the editor

While Jennifer Senior (NYT 10/11/19) persuasively argues that President Trump suffers from a narcissistic personality disorder, it is his impaired judgement that makes him unfit for office and a distorted sense of reality that he attempts to forcibly impose on the public that can be crazy making for those who see through him.

The challenges of the Presidency are infinitely more complex than running a real estate business. It’s obvious he’s been in over his head from day one when he lied about the size of the inauguration crowd. He has been a wrecking ball to our country, the international order and the environment. As the damage grows day by day the reality of his unfitness will overwhelm his lies and conspiracy theories.

I don’t know when President Trump will fall but his fall is inevitable. Sadly, mental health professionals who spoke out early on were ignored or denigrated rather than taken seriously. We’re all paying the price.

Respectfully
Larry Sandberg

Nancy Pelosi and Hate

12.8.19

To the editor:

As is often the case, President Trump's supporters use as a line of defense an accusation that more accurately applies to the President rather than his critics (Hating the word 'hate', Maureen Dowd, 12.8.19). While gender issues may have played a role in why Speaker Pelosi was asked if she 'hated' President Trump, I would suggest the power of her response - 'As a Catholic, I resent your using the word hate ...' - was not because she was like 'John Wayne, minus the racism and colonialism.' Rather, her response, in effect, transcended gender. She was speaking as a Catholic, embodying her faith and touching on a universal value for believers with unquestionable authenticity. This stands in stark contrast to President Trump where faith is a political calculus to his conservative base rather than an embodiment of religious values.

Respectfully submitted

Larry S Sandberg

Pain As A Symptom

2.17.19
To the editor

Regardless of whether we consider pain a sensation or an emotion (Haiter Waraich NYT 3/17/19) it is a symptom with many causes. Opiates are no more a cure for pain than Tylenol is a cure for febrile seizures. The underlying condition must be addressed.

This point was driven home to me many years ago when I treated a man with intractable back pain who made a suicide attempt. Electroconvulsive therapy treated his depression and eradicated his pain. Fifteen years later his wife called me after failed back surgery - his depression had returned.

This case illustrates, albeit dramatically, the link between mind/brain and body.

Attention to the psychological and social dimensions of pain - not only the concretely physical symptoms -- are necessary for all patients complaining of pain.

Respectfully submitted
Larry S Sandberg

Climate Change and Catastrophic Thinking

2.17.19

To the editor:

In his powerful piece on climate change (2.17.19, Time To Panic), David Wallace-Wells makes frequent reference to the value of 'catastrophic thinking' as a way to mobilize appropriate action to fight global warming. But what he is describing is realistic thinking rather than catastrophic thinking - at least as the term is commonly used within psychology. Catastrophic thinking is distorted thinking based on excessive worry. Learning to reign in such thinking is key to managing anxiety. Decision making often becomes frozen or problematic in such states.

If catastrophic thinking is not the solution to the cognitive biases that - in Wallace-Wells words - lead to 'delusion' and 'self-deception' then what is? An insistence on the legitimacy of scientific facts, that our elected officials believe in such facts and that denial - turning a blind eye to reality - is an unacceptable response to the real catastrophe, the frightening catastrophe we all face. We need to be able to think about the catastrophe in order to face it, not think catastrophically.

Respectfully submitted,

Larry S. Sandberg MD

Gun Violence

To the editor:

Jaclyn Corin (2.14.19, Would congress care more if Parkland had been a plane crash?) writes powerfully about the toll of gun violence in our country and the willful indifference of politicians to deal with it as the crisis it is.  Sadly, I think the answer to her question as to why more is not being done is as simple as it is shameful: follow the money.

Why did a Russian operative insinuate herself into the world of the NRA?  Because they know full well the influence and power they have in the political realm.  Money talks and money is used to silence critics of the NRA and to silence the consciences of politicians who do nothing while our children die.

Respectfully

Larry S Sandberg

In Favor of Impeachment Proceedings

To the editor:

In an effort to strategize how to defeat President Trump in 2020 (4.21.19, How 2020 Democrats are Gaming Out Trump Impeachment Quandary), Democratic candidates cynically miscalculate as they shy away from calling for impeachment proceedings in the wake of the Mueller report. The rationale is three-fold: the electorate is uninterested in impeachment, the votes do not exist in the Senate to remove President Trump and his base will be energized with such efforts.

Our democracy has been weakened by Russian interference and by a President who attacks the very institutions we depend upon as the bedrock of society. Lies, creating false narratives, have infected the minds of many Americans leading to a pervasive atmosphere of paranoia. But resisting calls to impeach gives in to the very paranoia we need to fight. It reinforces the notion that speaking the truth and doing the right thing will result in harm; that illuminating the facts will hurt the truth tellers as if we exist in an authoritarian world rather than a democracy.

It is worth remembering that President Trump won by a slim margin with Russian support in a country that voted Barack Obama into office twice. There is a strong case to be made to those swing voters. Impeachment proceedings, in addition to clear policy statements, are a critical part of that case.

Respectfully

Larry S.Sandberg

President Trump's Impact On Our Bodies

11.29.19

To the editor:

David Brooks (NYT, 11.29.19, The Wisdom Your Body Knows) writes about how our bodies express our emotional states and are the nexus between our thinking minds and the world around us - especially our relationships. He gives as an example the physical response to the bully on the playground: quickened heart rate, rapid breathing and the urge to fight, take flight or freeze.

But what does this look like when living in a world where 'emotional granularity' is lacking; when the 'bully on the playground' is the President? As a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, everyday I see the detrimental effects of physical bodies activated - constantly primed for danger - while feelings of helplessness and powerlessness complicate defining constructive action. In this situation, it is important that individuals can define modes of engagement (protest, political involvement) that feel purposeful while, at the same time, mindfully getting out the 'playground' by detaching from the 24/7 media attention our President commands.

Respectfully

Larry S Sandberg

The Mueller Report and Complacency

1.31.19

To the editor:

Many Americans wait with a mixture of desperation and hope for Robert Mueller's report to free this country from the menace of President Trump. But our elected officials should act to remove President Trump from office independent of the findings of Mueller's investigation. Trump (NYT, 1/31/19 An Angry Trump Pushes Back Against His Own 'Naive' Intelligence Officials), in harshly criticizing and challenging the findings of Intelligence officials, makes blatant his inability to integrate objective facts into his own thinking and decision making. This danger cannot be overestimated given the power he possesses. He poses a threat to all Americans. I urge all citizens to contact their Congressional representatives and to avoid complacency by placing their hopes on the outcome of the Mueller investigation.

Respectfully submitted

Larry S. Sandberg MD

Empty Storefronts on the Streets of NYC

11.24.19

To the editor:

Tim Wu writes persuasively about the impact of e-commerce on brick and mortar small businesses that have historically fulfilled an important service while being part of the social fabric of the neighborhoods in which we live (NYT, Better, cheaper and faster than Amazon, 11.24.19). What I don't understand is how landlords prefer to have empty storefronts generating no income rather than supporting businesses that are part of the character of our communities. How does a landlord profit from having no tenant in a space for years on end? What role does the city play in regulating occupancy rates? If this is the new normal during economically good times, what will happen during hard times? As a lifelong resident of New York City I would like to know what, if anything, city agencies are doing to confront the epidemic of lost businesses on the streets of New York.

Sincerely,

Larry S. Sandberg

See No Evil ... Hear No Evil ...

11.18.19

To the editor:

It is disheartening to know that many Americans are tuning out the impeachment hearings and not availing themselves to unadulterated information from career non-partisan civil servants who have put patriotism before self-interest to speak truth to power (House hearings roll on, but many tune out, 11.18.19). The integrity of those who have come forward (with the notable exception of Ambassador Sondland) is unimpeachable.

We are living in an age of disinformation honed by the Russians and perfected by President Trump in his ability to gaslight a large sector of the population. How else to understand the defensive mantra by his supporters that the impeachment proceedings are nothing more than a 'witch hunt?' These hearings, reluctantly undertaken by Nancy Pelosi, pose serious political risks to Democrats. But not moving forward would have damaged the very foundation of our democracy.

Former Senator Moynihan famously said '"Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." In my opinion we have a responsibility to pay close attention to these historic hearings and decide for ourselves as best we can - absent the commentary and spin of others - what the facts are.

Respectfully submitted

Larry S Sandberg

Trump and Shamelessness

Tot the editor:

Brett Stephens (Trump and the Annihilation of Shame, 4.12.19) painfully, albeit accurately, deconstructs a core cultural dynamic catalyzed by a Trump presidency – the annihilation of shame. But to describe the public response as acquiescence is incomplete.

President Trump flaunts those aspects of his personality for which he should feel ashamed. He has turned shame into shamelessness; the universal urge to hide in shame has been turned into exhibitionism. An essential aspect of being human has been undone and made its opposite.

But without a receptive audience – within congress and the public at large – he simply could not get away with this. He has brilliantly managed to infect his supporters with the very shamelessness he feels. President Trump’s behavior has blinded his supporters to the shamefulness of his behavior … and to their own shame.

Meanwhile the rest of the country feels ashamed of our President and judges his shameless supporters – rather than misguided - as bad people who should feel ashamed adding to the polarization in our country. 2020 cannot come too soon.

Respectfully submitted

Larry S. Sandberg MD

Republican Collusion and Wishful Thinking

11.24.19

To the editor:

Charles Blow argues that those who support Trump are devoted to his 'version of the truth and his version of reality.' But as suggested in his piece, like a life threatening virus, President Trump has infected the minds of many Republicans such that truth and reality no longer matter. This fact is what makes him so dangerous. If his political appointees were as reality based as the career civil servants who have courageously come forward to testify, we would not ... could not be in this mess.

President Trump is not going to change. Republicans in Congress are on trial figuratively if not literally. Or at least they should be. I would prefer to see an all out campaign by Democrats that is focused on the fact that the public is being lied to and manipulated by officials who are betraying their oaths of office. An ad campaign that juxtaposes the testimony of career civil servants with the bald lies of Republicans might impact some independent voters.

Respectfully

Larry S. Sandberg MD

Trump and the Impeachment Process

To the editor:

David Brooks (9.27.19, Yes, He's guilty. Impeachment is a mistake.) makes the outrageous claim that proceeding with the impeachment process is 'completely elitist,' will 'probably achieve nothing' while 'increas(ing) public cynicism' and 'distort(ing) the Democratic primary process.' He is wrong on all counts.

The impeachment inquiry is being carried out by our elected officials who are fulfilling their obligation to serve this country. Americans, through the ballot box have elected the ' 100 mostly millionaire senators' who may ultimately determine President Trump's fate. We hope, if not trust, they will do the right thing. Interpreting the impeachment inquiry as a statement of mistrusting the voting public is a Fox News talking point not reasoned argument.

Rather than increase public cynicism, this decision plainly asserts that the rule of law still matters in our country and that ideals, rather than political calculation, inform the conduct of our elected officials.

The public has reason to expect, if not demand, that our elected officials dispassionately examine the evidence as it becomes available. Facts matter. The truth matters. I have faith that enough moderate Republicans - elected officials and the public at large - realize the gravity of this historical moment and will not be deterred by cynicism or political self-interest.

Respectfully

Larry S Sandberg

Biden and Mental Competence

3.8.19

To the editor

Frank Bruni (Donald Trump’s Outrageous 2020 Advantage) laments the seemingly double standard at play comparing Joe Biden’s misstatements to those of Donald Trump. But the appropriate response is not that others should be given a pass as Bruni implies in describing Biden’s gaffes as ‘picayune’.

Mental fitness is essential to fulfill the responsibilities of being President. If objective criteria existed, as they should, to make such an assessment Donald Trump would not be in office.

It matters if Biden’s errors reflect a stable benign trait or signs of cognitive impairment that may worsen over time. Ideally, the American public would not be left in a position to ponder this question.

Respectfully submitted
Larry S Sandberg

The Whistleblower and The Blowhard

To the editor:

President Trump defends himself against a whistle-blower complaint by calling the individual 'partisan' while admitting he does not know his/her identity. (Trump calls whistle-blower 'partisan' and defends conduct with other leaders, 9.20.19). How does someone level an ad hominen attack against an anonymous figure ? If that someone is Donald Trump it appears he can say or do pretty much whatever he wants and his supporters will shamelessly go along at great risk to our country.

Many mental health experts, like the canary in the coal mine, have suggested that President Trump is dangerous. The complete absence of self-reflection and any capacity to understand his own fallibility compels a world view whereby any complaint against him is an attack rather than potentially revealing a painful truth. His decision making is compromised as a result. Too many Republicans, fearing President Trump's wrath, have abdicated their responsibility by remaining silent.

Respectfully submitted

Larry S Sandberg

Trump & Learned Helplessness

6.21.19

To the editor:

While Michelle Goldberg (Trump bets we’ll stop caring about migrant kids, NYT, 6.21.19) writes persuasively about the various reasons public outrage to President Trump’s (mis)conduct repeatedly wanes, I think two psychological phenomena have come together in a toxic brew.

The first is ‘learned helplessness’ which occurs when one repeatedly fails to effect change to an aversive situation.  This can be a cause of clinical depression and is a useful way to understand the impact of constantly hitting a brick wall.  Looking to 2020 paradoxically worsens this problem as President Trump can be given a free pass until then.

But ‘learned helplessness’ could not happen without ‘Trump’s people’ supporting him every step of the way.  Those people who know better but turn a blind eye or whose self-interest leads to an abdication of responsibility cultivate the ‘malignant normalization’ of the abnormal – a term introduced by Robert Jay Lifton to describe the conduct of Nazi doctors. 

As one of many mental health professionals who has given voice to President Trump’s evident mental instability, the silence among those who know better is deafening. Or worse, we are deemed unethical for speaking out. Meanwhile millions of people laugh as late-night comedians are overflowing with material as if laughter is the only medicine we have. 

Respectfully submitted,

Larry S. Sandberg MD

The writer is Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical Center and psychoanalyst.