Following my opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal titled “Is ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ Real?”, I received a varied and intense response. While some thanked me, others were quite angry. I faced accusations of excusing Donald Trump, downplaying harm, and even neglecting my professional duties. The hostility in some messages was palpable.
What really caught my attention was how the disagreement quickly escalated into anger. Just by questioning the notion, I made people uneasy. This reaction resonated with me, as it mirrored what I’ve been observing in my clinical practice.
Over the last decade, I’ve noticed a psychological trend that has seeped into American life, transcending education, geography, and socio-economic backgrounds. It seems to be the hallmark of our political era: a chronic state of political anxiety where anger feels routine and perceiving threats has become standard.
In my therapy sessions in both Manhattan and Washington, DC, the emotional turmoil regarding Donald Trump remains constant. Rather than dissipating, it has ingrained itself deeply into people’s identities, influencing conversations long after news cycles end.
When I stated in the Journal that Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) isn’t an official psychiatric diagnosis, some perceived it as taking a side. In reality, I was drawing a clinical line. The anxiety, obsessive thoughts, disrupted sleep, strained relationships, and pervasive mental focus that many face are genuine, concerning, and deserving of attention. People are not faking it; they are indeed struggling. My aim was to argue that labeling these experiences politically doesn’t address the core issues or aid in recovery.
We live in a culture that currently prizes emotional intensity over restraint. Expressions of anger are celebrated, while remorse is often questioned.
This pattern is familiar to many. Individuals report intrusive thoughts they can’t shake, compulsively checking the news, and scrolling late into the night, despite knowing it heightens their anxiety. Some feel physically agitated and struggle to relax. For many, it’s hard to stop fixating on Donald Trump, even if they wish to.
This fixation often starts to dominate daily routines. It can dictate whom you feel comfortable dating, where you gather socially, which family events you skip, and even your vacation choices. Friendships narrow in scope, and conversations around politics become more frequent. The focus shifts from mere belief to active behavior.
I began to see this as an obsessive political preoccupation—not a formal diagnosis, but a framework for understanding how a political figure can become the nucleus of persistent intrusive thoughts and emotional activation. The mind stays in a state of alertness, constantly searching for perceived threats, even if those threats are vague or remote.
One reason this phenomenon endures is the human inclination to seek a villain, which simplifies a chaotic world. Villains clarify responsibility, making it easier to navigate complexities. Political anger can offer guidance and purpose, especially when personal life feels uncertain.
Trump didn’t initiate this dynamic; he has merely become its most potent embodiment. Even when personal conflicts resolve, the underlying emotional frameworks persist. Identity remains intact, with anger becoming somewhat self-sufficient.
The end result is a society struggling to detach from political discourse. Politics is no longer just about sharing opinions; it influences relationships, workplaces, and daily choices. People often feel exhausted, as they find themselves perpetually bracing for the next outrage.
This is not meaningful civic engagement; it’s emotional overload. A thriving democracy cannot operate under relentless vigilance. When everything seems like an existential crisis, it becomes difficult to differentiate real dangers from emotional tendencies.
That said, navigating this doesn’t require surrendering personal beliefs or disengaging from politics altogether. Emotional regulation should not be misconstrued as political capitulation. Donald Trump will remain a fixture in the news, that much is clear.
Ultimately, however, the pressing question is whether individuals will allow politics to dominate their emotional landscapes. At some point, we need to decide if sustained outrage is to become the norm in our lives.
