Jonathan Alpert: Is "Trump Derangement Syndrome" Real?

In this episode of the Brian Kilmeade Show, host Brian Kilmeade explores the concept of 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' (TDS) with psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert, author of the forthcoming book *Therapy Nation: How America Got Hooked on Therapy and Why It's Left Us More Anxious and Divided*. Alpert argues that while TDS may not be a formal clinical diagnosis, the symptoms he observes in patients—such as obsessive fixation on Trump, anxiety so severe it disrupts daily life, and even fantasies of violence—are clinically significant and indicative of a deeper societal pathology. He contends that the mental health profession has increasingly become politicized, with some therapists refusing to treat patients based on their political beliefs and promoting ideological agendas over evidence-based care. The conversation expands to examine how inflammatory rhetoric from public figures on both sides of the political spectrum fuels polarization, with examples from celebrities like Robert De Niro, AOC, and James Carville, as well as the tragic assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the subsequent glorification of the suspect. Alpert warns that when politics dominates personal identity and mental health becomes a tool for ideological expression, it undermines both individual well-being and national unity. He urges listeners to reevaluate their therapeutic relationships and prioritize mental health outcomes over political conformity.