Addiction
Medical and psychological professionals agree that addiction is a disease. The disease causes a craving that the sufferer can’t deny. The person feels compelled to engage in that behavior, even when it is harmful to their life in some way.
We all know that people can be addicted to substances like alcohol and drugs.
Did you know, though, that people are also becoming addicted to social media? In fact, “Internet Addiction Disorder” is becoming widely recognized in the psych world as a truly debilitating disorder.
What makes sites like Twitter so addicting is that they provide a quick jolt of affirmation and pleasure; every new follower is like a statement of success. Every retweet gives the addict a rush of adrenaline.
Narcissism
People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder and/or Borderline Personality Disorder seek a constant stream of affirmation. They go through every day trying to prove to themselves that they are truly as fabulous as they pretend to be. Twitter and Facebook are a perfect fit, in that they provide that constant feedback.
Research shows that people with Narcissism use Twitter more than the general population. Researcher Shaun Davenport of High Point University said:
“Narcissism does appear to be a primary driver for the desire for (Twitter) followers, which in turn drives tweets.”
Further research into the link between Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Twitter use shows that people with the disorder are more negative than the general population in their tweets. They tweet about negative emotions more often and use antisocial behaviors (such as lying) more often than other people.
President Trump
Obviously all of this research leads us to look at President Trump. Many mental health professionals have written about the President’s narcissism. His speeches continue to be filled with his own often exaggerated achievements. His fixation on the size of his inaugural audience and the loss of the popular vote show his inability to accept even the slightest hint that he is not the greatest at everything. He is almost the poster patient for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (if not Borderline Personality Disorder).
The President continues to tweet several times every single day, in spite of the fact that he now has the most demanding job on earth. He has refused to give up his personal phone, using it to keep up with his millions of followers. He brags about the size of his Twitter following.
The majority of Trump’s tweets are either self aggrandizing or angry. He uses captial letters a lot, and calls his perceived enemies various ugly names.
Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017
I will be interviewed by @DavidMuir tonight at 10 o'clock on @ABC. Will be my first interview from the White House. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/okiZ8ZeDgz
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2017
As I write this post it is 11:30 AM, Eastern Time. The President has already sent six tweets today. All come from his personal site, although several are also posted on his official POTUS feed.
The President of the United States is showing clear symptoms of what the mental health community recognizes as Twitter addiction.
This is just another sign that the man in charge of the country is not in charge of his own mind. This man is unstable, to put it in layman’s terms.
When will the Republicans recognize the dangerousness of this situation and act to remove him from office?
Watch this video and see what you think.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab.
