Primaries, Presidential Politics and a Few Good Shrinks: A Stress Analysis for the Candidates

The chronic stress of present-day presidential politics must lead all rational Americans to an incontrovertible conclusion: the time has come to assign a few good shrinks to the candidates.Imagine how bored their Docs must get waiting for plaque to build up in coronary arteries or watching for a polyp to crop up on intestinal walls. On the other hand, psychological experts would have their hands full immediately.
The candidates need real pros to provide feedback when their verbal habits veer off track, help them unload repressed feelings when the media frustrates them, and provide emotional support after the 'accusation of the day' from their own and the opposing party.
The presidential aspirants might require a team of specialists: a marriage counselor when things get tough with the prospective First Partner, a Psychologist to help with the self-esteem issues that stem from striving to be adored by several hundred million people, and when all else fails, a Psychiatrist to give their brain cells a boost of serotonin.
We Americans suffer from the illusion that our chosen leaders must have their collective heads on pretty straight. Not necessarily true! When you're at the top, people get squeamish about pointing out your idiosyncrasies. Would you tell the prospective President of the most powerful country in the world that his temper tantrums with the media represent unresolved rage towards his/her mother? Of course not, but a good Shrink would!
We need a permanent policy mandating a few good shrinks to follow each potential leader. Wouldn't it inspire confidence in our candidates - and set a great example for our kids - if the networks ended their news programs with this important message:
"And finally, ladies and gentlemen, we come to our Presidential candidate Smith, who consulted a counselor today because
.....the pressure of running for the most powerful position in the world was stressing him/her out.
.....he/she had a nightmare last night that revealed deep-seated feelings of inadequacy.
.....and, worst of all, the prospective First Partner was peeved at him/her during dinner.
The presidential aspirants exhibit these natural human reactions whether we want to believe it or not. Do you want someone running your country that is not in touch with his/her deep-seated feelings of inadequacy?
We should require each candidate running for the highest office in the land to submit to a complete psychological evaluation. Our team of shrinks could be summoned to the primaries to pinpoint potential problems. Family members would be interviewed to evaluate the level of dysfunction in the prospective First Family. This way, we could tell if a future "Prez" was about to experience a midlife crisis. A candidate with sociopathic tendencies could be eliminated before he/she got into serious trouble.
Think about it! Can we afford to take a chance with the future Big Guy/Gal's psyche? That's pretty risky! Remember, our lives will ultimately be dependent on the ongoing health of his/her brain cells.
Dr. John J. Parrino is a Psychologist and author in Atlanta, Georgia. His website is http://www.drparrino.com/.

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Just About Everybody In the Entire World Has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

I attended a presentation on an emerging new diagnosis: VICARIOUS PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The speaker discussed her research on this diagnosis being considered for the DSM IV. The DSM stands for The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. The DSM is the "Bible" for determining medical diagnoses for mental illness, and the "IV" is the Roman Numeral for the 4th edition, because the medical establishment requires more than lowly numbers, like 1,2,3,4, etc., for there to be status associated with their work, oops "profession".If the new diagnosis of Vicarious PTSD were to be put into effect, then all doctors, and anyone having anything to do with LISTENING, or even READING, etc., about the trauma of others could be emotionally damaged so much that they, themselves, could be considered having had the experiences VICARIOUSLY and, as a result, they too would qualify for disability, the same as their patient! Naturally, if this new diagnosis is put into effect, there may be an increase in disability claims by the medical profession. So I say in order to "beat them to it" submit claims now!
Even better than to qualify for VICARIOUS PTSD, though, is to become aware that instead of having secondary Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, we all, or mostly all, have PRIMARY PTSD because our parents spanked us! This spanking caused us all such trauma terror that we are ALL (or almost all of us) are without responsibility for our future actions and/or conduct! Come to think of it, perhaps the spanking all started with the doctor who spanked us when we were born and it is this that begins our life trauma. Perhaps we all need to file a class action suit against all doctors, or use that as a back-up in case there are zero disability funds left when everyone files for disability, when unemployment finally runs out, and there are zero jobs to be had, zero funds, left and/or we are turned down for loans to attend university, college, etc., and when or if, our credit runs out.
Another alternative might be for us all to attempt to return to our infancy as adults, and "re-do" it, sort of like the movie "Ground-Hog Day". We could in our imaginations go back to that very first spanking incident. We could "re-create it until we "get it right". For instance we could imagine ourselves with infant voices saying, as soon as we are picked up and about to be spanked: "Dr., if you spank me, I will sue you!
B. Todish can be reached at btodish@verizon.net. Consider visiting http://www.powerplayradiorantz.com/, scroll down to "Listen to Barbara Todish here" especially Humanity 102, Humanity 103 for additional information on Vicarious PTSD, etc.
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