Psychiatry – Page 55 – Art Smukler, MD

I have a lot of fantasies. How is it possible to be a psychiatrist and not live with millions of them circulating amongst the billions of neurons that run my brain? It’s not possible. So, here’s my latest.

The president of the United States is threatening Harley with major taxes and sanctions because they won’t do what he says. I mean Geez, why wouldn’t everyone do whatever one of the greatest narcissists of all time says? A real stumper. But, being the brilliant psychiatrist and author that I am, I have the answer. My wife of many decades disagrees with the brilliant adjective, but she’s only one in a billion. So to prove her wrong, I need a billion readers to agree with me. Well, maybe just a million.

Back to business!

Imagine this. Instead of going to Sturgis, South Dakota, thousands of Harley guys and gals on big Hogs, Sportsters and Softails ride to DC and show Mr. Narcissist what they really think of him. I can hear the roar and picture all the fabulous tattoos and girls wearing helmets and bikinis. In the background, Bob Dylan is bellowing out a new folk tune screaming all about freedom and decency.

I’m there too, smoking a pipe and getting another wear out of my black cardigan sweater. Not really. My daughter convinced me to stop smoking over thirty years ago and I don’t own a black cardigan. But, I’ll be right there with the Harley leaders on my silver Softail and revving my engine. Not really… I will be watching it on TV and wishing. I’m actually afraid of being fatally maimed on the streets of LA.

Wait. To prove everything is not a total fantasy, I did have a cycle many years ago — a Honda 350. See, I am somewhat cool.

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.

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.