Mental hospitals have a long and sordid history in popular culture. In 1948, “The Snake Pit” was a groundbreaking film that looked into the horrors of a mental institution.
For Donald Trump, calling Kamala Harris “mentally impaired” and “mentally disabled” at a rally this past weekend was downright demure for him.
If not previously scripted by Steven Miller, the adjective of choice for Donald would likely have been from his usual bag of slurs like “nut job” “whacko, “ or “sicko” his pet name for E. Jean Carroll.
Trump made the offensive comments about Harris at a rally in Wisconsin on Saturday and doubled down the personal attacks while campaigning in Pennsylvania on Sunday.
Crooked Joe Biden became mentally impaired. Sad. But lying Kamala Harris, honestly, I believe she was born that way. There’s something wrong with Kamala. And I just don’t know what it is, but there is definitely something missing. And you know what, everybody knows it.
Trump’s comments are insulting not only to Kamala but to the people who actually do have mental disabilities.
How we talk about mental health matters.
I was recently honored to have my video Perpetual which deals with my own battles with depression and suicide ideation selected to be shown at the Mental Health Suicide Awareness Film Festival in Denver part of Mental Health Matters and the screening was this weekend.
This past Sunday while Trump was doubling down his attacks on the vice president as mentally impaired, I was part of a Zoom panel addressing the importance of changing the narrative on mental illness transforming how we perceive this complex issue and shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness understanding and support.
The language we use to talk about mental illnesses how we frame the issue, the content that gets shared on the web and social media have enormous consequences.
Taking Us Back
Like everything about Trump his ill-informed, inappropriate characterization should come as no surprise coming from a man whose emotional evolution got stuck in 1972.
If not 1952.
As with most of his clueless comments, they are not only insulting, they are long past their expiration date and out of step with how we as a culture have generally progressed.
Public understanding of mental illnesses like PTSD and depression has come a long way baby, at least from the 1970s.
When Senator John Fetterman disclosed that he had checked into Walter Reed National Medical Center to be treated for clinical depression the response was overwhelmingly one of admiration and compassion.
It wasn’t long ago that admission of depression or mental illness could jeopardize a career, or derail a political career.
On July 25 1972 Eagleton newly chosen as George McGovern’s running mate disclosed he had been treated three times for “exhaustion and depression.” And had received psychiatric care and electric shock treatment. The public couldn’t deal with it. McGovern was behind him 1000 percent but a week later dropped him.
In 1972 the politics of mental health loomed over another major political figure.
Just over 50 years ago politicians, the media, and society treated as a scandal the discovery that democratic Vice-presidential hopeful Senator Thomas Eagleton of Missouri had been hospitalized for depression. Back then the idea that a political figure was seeking psychiatric help let alone electric shock therapy was astonishing.
Treatment for mental health carried a heavy stigma of shame.
It is something I know first-hand.
The Problem That Dare Not Speak Its Name
“The Story of My Psychanalysis” by John Knight 1952
Six months before Eagleton’s psychiatric secret was revealed, I was sneaking off to a therapist appointment in my suburban town. A clandestine operation worthy of any Cold War secret, the information of my teenage visits to a psychiatrist was on a need-to-know basis.
My mother was sworn to secrecy, and no one outside the immediate family knew.
It was so shame-filled and hush-hush that even my best friend never had a clue. When I would regularly beg off for after-school activities every Tuesday afternoon my cover to friends was I was seeing a cardiologist for a heart problem.
No one questioned the legitimacy of an otherwise healthy 17-year-old girl having cardiac problems that required weekly appointments. The heart metaphor was an apt one and I suppose having atrial fibrillation felt a lot safer than admitting I had emotional problems including depression.
The topic was taboo.
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest 1975 Cuckoo is slang for crazy which is slang for mentally ill.
No one wanted to be perceived as cuckoo or crazy. An admission of mental health problems could mean you were one step away from becoming a psycho in a straight jacket headed for a padded cell in the looney bin.
Emotionally charged and derogatory references about people with mental illness appeared commonly not only in print but on TV, in movies, and in day-to-day conversation.
Who in their right mind wanted to be considered having a screw loose? Or off their rocker? Sicko was common as was nutty, loony, disturbed, and demented.
It was all pretty depressing.
The public perception of mental health has progressed
Times have changed. Mental health problems have not.
The openness to compassionately talking about mental health and removing the stigma is crucial.