KLIKDAPIK

A germ of a story is coalescing around  doubts a senior EU diplomats belief has that Barack Obama is mentally unstable. The mental condition of any individual is nuanced with more facets than a dodecahedron. Many different kinds of mental discomfort from mere neurosis to blown out psychosis (total abandonment of reality). I do not believe our fearless leader is diagnosably mentally ill.

BUT…

As a therapist (retired) I can submit that you can be mentally unstable and not be mentally ill. The diagnosis that most readily applies to president Obama is Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Virtually every presidential candidate now and in the past has shown signs of narcissism. Every human being has some aspects of narcissim. For a lack of any concern for self baits tragedy.

 What kind of person tries to be the most powerful man on the planet?  A narcissist of course! I doubt that you could win a presidential election without a good dollop of self consumption to fuel the fervor.

Such narcisstic types are very often attractive and charismatic  Charisma that  tends to wear thin as soon as it’s gets him what he wants. In general such a personality is interpersonally exploitive and real shallow in empathy for others. They will “feel your pain” if it gets them what they want. They will lie if it gets them what they want, and tell the truth if it gets them what they want. There is no distinction between truth and untruth in the mind of  the narcissist There is only the question; “does it get me what I want?”  Every criminal to a greater or lesser degree,has narcissistic aspects in his/her personality. All things are on a continuum in the emotional landscape of people. Nothing is cut and dried. This self consumption can be quite dysfunctional when the internal picture blocks out real-world.

Greatness often come to the man with the narcissistic bent, or a jail cell.  The sense that they don’t have to follow the same strictures as the rest of us, their lack of empathy with others, their love of power and control all serve to compel the personality toward what ever object is their desire. An aside at this juncture submits that many career criminals are caught during periods of ‘super confidence’ when they feel they have gotten one over on the “the man”. These periods of feeling invulnerable reveal that they are blind to the reality of their situation.

The POTUS is, as are most who attain that post, narcisstic. Sometimes he seems utterly disconnected from reality. But he sees that he is a night on shining armor, possessing of special insight and knowledge that others do not have. This thinking constitutes a “blind spot” where what he believes has obscured what is real.       A Russian general swaggered into an American Headquarters and announced that in an hour the Russians were going to begin air activities in Syria and that we are to “get out of the way” a week prior to this interview. It is obvious, Putin just slapped Obama in the face.