Columns

Following the 2000 contested election of George W. Bush, it was hard for progressive Americans to imagine a worse scenario of the wrong President becoming elected. The late George H. W. Bush, if I recall correctly, at one point lamented that his son had made it harder for more Bushes to be President. Bush "senior" had believed Jeb would be better, if I remember correctly.

Yet, look at how things have turned out!

Trump is a formidable threat to the American way of life, and gravely jeopardizes the future of the U.S. When those of us who are already mentally compromised see this unfold, it is hard to not have our symptoms worsen as a result. 

Intelligent and conscientious individuals currently participating in government in the U.S., and there are some, are flabbergasted by this dishonorable idiot occupying our highest office. Those who can be bought out for sums that Trump would consider small, are already bankrupt, morally. They will say and do whatever the President tells them to say and do, because they are only interested in their own perceived fortune. 

(This is not to deny that plenty of mentally ill people think Trump is great. However, since I am the person writing this column and because I feel that Trump is bad for disabled people and exacerbates our symptoms, this is what you're getting.) 

In recent television news--actually, for the past two years, video of Vladimir Putin shows an expression of sadistic mirth. Putin is the puppeteer controlling Trump and is laughing about his ability to totally mess with the institutions in the U.S. Putin is also laughing at Trump. 

For people who are already mentally compromised, it is very difficult not to become completely paranoid. Some of us may need an increase in antipsychotics until, one hopes, at some point, we again have reasonable people in charge. 

The U.S. could be indelibly changed for the worse. This is a very difficult prospect for people who may feel, to an extent, helpless and reliant on a safety net. 

If you are a mentally ill person and aren't comfortable with the actions of the current, criminal government, it is helpful to remind yourself of a few things: 

Firstly, you are not alone. Reasonable people from all areas of society are in a sort of emergency mode. We are all in the same boat. If you feel despair over the current government, you are not alone. 

While society is being wrecked, you should do extra things to take care of yourself. You should utilize existing resources, in many cases at the state level, to obtain help that could be available. 

You should validate yourself. What you feel and what you perceive create your perspective. Although you could have some delusions, exaggerations, or illusions, your perspective is valid, because that's what you feel. Not everything you think is wrong. When you disagree with someone, you are not always wrong. 

Continue to accept treatment and be proactive and collaborative in your treatment. 

Do the things that are necessary to maintain your body and your mind. This includes oral hygiene and a diet that is adequately nourishing and not extreme. Exercise is great if you can do it. However, many people with mental illness are too sedated to be able to exercise.  

Keep informed, but don't obsess with world events and/or politics. There are enough unimpaired people who can do the highly demanding work of trying to rescue the Earth from the current assemblage of evildoers. If you take good care of yourself, it helps the world situation, even if it is only in a small way. If you feel compelled to be involved, remain within your reasonable limits as to how much activity you can handle. 

And finally, don't give up. Inevitably, the societal pendulum will go the other way. In the future, our society will find ways to solve the extreme problems we face. This could seem like a stretch to some, who might believe we're doomed. However, it is my gut feeling that human beings will get past this primitive stage in our development, and we will emerge from it to create a much better society.