A comment thread on another post is about to veer off the original topic, so I thought it might be best to start another discussion here.
Let me preface by saying I am not a healthcare professional. I do have experience with mental illness. My wife is severely mentally ill (bipolar II), and living with her has increased my interest in mental illness in general.
As for Donald Trump, it appears extremely likely that he is mentally ill. Only a fool would attempt diagnosis at a distance, but to this fool he would appear to be suffering from narcissistic disorder and sociopathy. After seeing an especially bizarre Trump speech, I suspect he is also abusing some sort of drug(s).
I believe that Mr. Trump’s illness is the reason he says so many hateful, terrible things. I doubt that he actually believes the incendiary statements he makes. I believe he says them for three reasons related to his illness:
1) to manipulate his followers into giving him the adulation he craves
2) to gain attention from the news media and, yes, from all of us
3) to aggressively and desperately respond to criticism.
It is characteristic of the narcissistic sociopath that they desperately crave attention and positive reinforcement. They consider themselves beyond the boundaries and rules of society. They perceive others not as fellow human beings, but as tools to be used for their own aggrandizement.
Narcissistic sociopaths consider themselves to be literally better than everyone else. This jibes with Trump’s frequent statement that he always wins and never loses, and has or is the best of everything (“I have the best words”).
The narcissistic sociopath is also unable to accept criticism or any negative comments about himself. This would explain the “thin-skinned” candidate’s unhinged reactions to each and every tweet, blog post, and other public statements that cast him in a negative light, explaining, for example, his bizarre defense of his penis during a Republican debate. A sociopath would normally ignore criticism, but one with narcissistic feature would feel compelled to respond to any criticism.
Trump’s speech above also made me think he may be abusing drugs, most likely stimulants. The rapid speech, bursts of anger, repetition, and flitting from one subject to another without completing a thought or even a sentence reminded me of the ramblings of a speed freak (something my younger self observed on occasion). I’m not suggesting Trump uses crystal meth—if anything, I’m sure he could get only the very best cocaine. But something is definitely not right.
So I cannot hate Donald Trump. Yes, he acts like an asshole, but so do many people with untreated mental illness (believe me I know). It is most fortunate that he will not become president. But, as B. Allen Wallace has said, “'Righteous hatred' is in the same category as 'righteous cancer' or 'righteous tuberculosis'. All of them are absurd concepts.”
What I have a hard time dealing with is why his particular way of manipulating his followers works. What’s going on in those folks’ heads? Another diary for another time, perhaps.