Category: Bullying

STICKS & STONES CAN BREAK MY BONES BUT NAMES CAN NEVER HURT ME…NOT! by Art Smukler

by artsmuklermd, posted in Bullying, Politics, Psychiatry, Self Examination, World events, a psychological view

Remember the old cliche’ used by parents and teachers to “train” a child to control his anger? “Sticks and stones can break my bones but names can never hurt me.”

Well, the theory goes that name calling can’t physically hurt you. But is that really true? Ask Jeb Bush if being called “low energy” by Trump doesn’t make him feel physically ill. I heard Jeb speak a year before the Republican primary, and thought he’d make a great president. I wish he’d appropriately retaliated to Trump’s obnoxious words and didn’t let him get away with it. I assume that the entire Bush family will never forgive Trump. I wouldn’t.

How about John McCain? Trump, who never served in the military, likes people who weren’t captured, negating all that McCain suffered and gave to our country. Do you think that the anger inside McCain doesn’t still hurt? Here’s another family who will probably never forgive Trump.

Name calling and devaluing trigger our autonomic nervous system, the place in the brain where Fight or Flight is regulated. Think of the times you were enraged — the burning in your stomach, jaw clenching, sweating, trouble catching your breath… All physical symptoms.

I could go on and on, but let’s consider what this man is now doing to ALL OF US! He names the Russia investigation, Spygate and a Witch Hunt. He’s a genius at name-calling.

What he is not a genius at is being a good human being. If someone disagrees with him, he attacks. He calls himself a counter puncher. I call him a brilliant name caller who hurts a lot of people and is hurting our country.

What is also OBNOXIOUS is that Republicans are afraid. Some heroes scale walls, like in France, to save a child, others can stand up and call Trump out. That hero can save our country.

If you enjoyed reading, Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist, you might also enjoy Dr. Smukler’s novels, Chasing Backwards, a psychological murder mystery, Skin Dance, a mystery, and The Man with a Microphone in his Ear. All are available as paperbacks and eBooks.

POTUS AND PROPECIA, WHY IT’S IMPORTANT, by Art Smukler, author & psychiatrist

by artsmuklermd, posted in Bullying, Politics, Psychiatry, Self Examination, World events, a psychological view

Dr. Harold Bornstein MD is now Trump’s enemy. He admitted that his 35-year-long patient, Donald Trump, used Propecia to keep his orange locks robust and healthy. Given the situation, most of us would shrug, take out our Fonzi combs, and slick back our manes (Or what was left of them). Well, the president’s reaction was a little different. He nixed Bornstein’s White House appointment and recently had his henchmen break into the hirsute doctor’s office to remove all his (Trump’s) personal records, when really, all he needed to do was ask for them.

It is wrong of Bornstein to say anything about any patient’s private info. Period! But setting that aside, let’s theorize why all this National Enquirer stuff matters? Why does this guy who sits either in the oval office or in a golf cart or on top of his 10 billion dollars, need to always be right — all the time?

Examples:
There were more people at my inauguration than Obama’s.
I’m smarter than any other president.
I was cheated out of winning the popular vote.
My hair is real! Here, feel it!
I know more than the generals.
I know more than my chief of staff.
I am so healthy I’ll live 200 years.
Everyone’s lying. Russia is a witch hunt! There is no collusion or obstruction or whatever you call it. None! A witch hunt.
I want to talk to Mueller, but I may have to fire him.
I AM THE PRESIDENT! Ya Ya Ya Ya Ya
Blah, Blah, Blah

I remember an incident when I was 16 years old and a new driver. I was driving my date across town using a “back way” that made me feel really smart and really cool. Well, after we got where we were going, my date casually mentioned that it might have been faster to just take the main road instead of taking all the turns down small darkened streets. I remember nodding, but thinking I WILL NEVER EVER TAKE HER OUT AGAIN! HOW DARE SHE POINT OUT THAT SHE’S SMARTER THAN ME! WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS? I AM RIGHT AND SHE IS WRONG!

Well, I did take her out again and I really liked her. I can’t remember her name or exactly how long we dated, but I do remember and continue to remember how being wrong is no big deal. What’s more important is getting good and correct information, whoever’s right. It’s a relief being surrounded by smart people. It helps us make good and well thought out decisions.

Back to Trump. The fragility of his self-worth must be off the self-worth charts. He has to be right, because if he isn’t right he falls apart inside. Just read his immature, silly tweets.

For a 70 plus year-old man to be so insecure is sad. For him to be the leader of the free world is absolutely terrifying. What is so terrifying is that Trump cares more for his hair and himself than he cares for the country that he swore to defend and protect. He overtly lies whenever he feels threatened even if it could endanger our very existence.

Trump vowed to “Drain the Swamp” and has instead created a swamp filled with a man so insecure that he’d rather swim in Propecia than treat a long-term friend and physician with any modicum of respect. No surprise, he calls everyone a name who disagrees or challenges him.

That’s why Propecia is important. It’s a clear symbol of how scary it is to have a man who “must be right” in charge of our country, and how all the cowards in congress are determined to keep bowing to this narcissist.

If you enjoyed reading, Inside the Mind of a Psychiatrist, you might also enjoy Dr. Smukler’s novels, Chasing Backwards, a psychological murder mystery, Skin Dance, a mystery, and The Man with a Microphone in his Ear. All are available as paperbacks and eBooks.