A Shrink Asks: What's Wrong with Obama?

American Thinker ^ | June 11, 2010 | Robin of Berkeley

[neverdem]

So what is the matter with Obama? Conservatives have been asking this question for some time. I've written a number of articles trying to solve the mystery.  

Even some liberals are starting to wonder. James Carville railed about Obama's blasé attitude after the catastrophic oil spill. The New York Times' Maureen Dowd revamped Obama's "Yes We Can" motto into "Will We Ever?"

The liberal women of the TV show "The View" have expressed sympathy for Michelle Obama's living with a man so out of touch. Peggy Noonan, hardly a vehement Obama foe,  recently pronounced him disconnected. 

Obama's odd mannerisms intrigue a psychotherapist like me. He also presents a serious diagnostic challenge.  

For one, Obama's teleprompter and the men behind the Blackberry keep him well-scripted. We know so little about the facts of his life.

But it's more than just a lack of information. Obama himself is a strange bird. He doesn't fit easily into any diagnostic category.

Many people attribute Obama's oddness to his narcissism. True, Obama has a gargantuan ego, and he is notoriously thin-skinned.

Yet a personality disorder like narcissism does not explain Obama's strangeness: his giggling while being asked about the economy; his continuing a shout-out rather than announcing the Ft. Hood shootings; or his vacations, golfing, partying and fundraising during the calamitous oil spill.

Take also Obama's declaring on the "Today Show" that he wants to know whose ass to kick. Consummate narcissists would never stoop to this vulgar display of adolescent machismo.

Obama is flat when passion is needed; he's aggressive when savvy is required. What's most worrisome is that Obama doesn't even realize that his behavior is inappropriate.

So if it's not just simple narcissism, what is wrong with Obama? Since I've never evaluated him, I can't say for sure. But I can hazard some educated guesses.

If I saw a client as disconnected as him, the first thing I would wonder: Is something wrong with his brain? And I'd consider the following theoretical diagnostic possibilities. 

--Physical problems: There are a multitude of physiological conditions that can cause people to act strangely. For instance: head injuries, endocrine disturbances, epilepsy, and toxic chemical exposure.

It makes me wonder: Did Obama ever have a head injury? His stepfather in Indonesia was purportedly an alcoholic abuser. Was Obama subject to any physical abuse?

-- Drugs and alcohol: Damage to the brain from drugs and alcohol can also cause significant cognitive impairments. Obama once said that there were 57 states -- and didn't correct himself. Memory problems can be caused by both illicit and prescription drug use.

Obama admits to a history of drug use in his youth. Did his usage cause some damage? Does Obama still use? 

--Asperger's Syndrome: Also known as high-functioning autism, Asperger's causes deficits in social skills. A person with Asperger's can't read social cues. Consequently, he can be insensitive and hurtful without even knowing it. 

Could Obama have Asperger's? He might have some mild traits, but certainly not the full-blown disorder. In contrast to Obama, those with Asperger's get fixated on some behavior, like programming computers. Obama lacks this kind of passion and zeal.

--Mental Illness: Obama's family tree is replete with the unbalanced. His maternal great-grandmother committed suicide. His grandfather, Stanley Dunham, was particularly unhinged: He was expelled from high school for punching his principal; named his daughter Stanley because he wanted a boy; and exposed young Barry to not just drunken trash talk, but unrestricted visits with alleged pedophile Frank Marshall Davis (who might or might not be Obama's biological father). Barack Sr. was an abusive, alcoholic bigamist.

Since mental illness runs in the family, does Obama have any signs? Yes and no. No, he is not a schizophrenic babbling about Martians. But there are red flags for some other conditions.

While Obama doesn't appear to hallucinate, he seems to have delusions. His believing he has a Messiah-like special gift smacks of grandiose delusions. His externalizing all blame to conservatives, George W. Bush, or the "racist" bogeyman hints at persecutory delusions. 

Along with a delusional disorder, Obama may fit for a mild psychotic disorder called schizotypal disorder. It may explain some of Obama's oddness. 

People with schizotypal disorder hold bizarre beliefs, are suspicious and paranoid, and have inappropriate and constricted affect. They have few close friends and are socially awkward. A schizotypal is someone like your strange cousin Becky who is addicted to astrology, believes she is psychic, and is the oddball at social gatherings.

Schizotypal Disorder does ring some bells vis-à-vis Obama. One way the diagnosis doesn't fit, however, is that schizotypals are generally harmless, odd ducks. Not so with Obama.

--Trauma: My gut tells me that Obama was seriously traumatized in childhood. His mother disregarded his basic needs, dragged him all over the place, and ultimately abandoned him.

But I think there may be something even more insidious in his family background. While I can't prove it, the degree of Obama's disconnect reminds me of my sexually abused clients.

With serious sexual abuse, the brain chemistry may change. The child dissociates -- that is, disconnects from his being -- in order to cope. Many adult survivors still dissociate, from occasional trances to the most extreme cases of multiple personality disorder.

Apparently, young Barry was left in the care of Communist Frank Marshall Davis, who admitted to molesting a 13-year-old girl. As a teenager, Obama wrote a disturbing poem, "Pop," that evoked images of sexual abuse -- for instance, describing dual amber stains on both his and "Pop's" shorts.

Would trauma explain Obama's disconnect? In many ways, yes. A damaged and unattached child may develop a "false self." To compensate for the enormous deficits in identity and attachment, the child invents his own personality. For Obama, it may have been as a special, gifted person.

Let's return now to my original question: What is wrong with Obama? My guess is a great deal. The answer is complex and likely includes some combination of the above.

Along with the brain issues are personality disorders: narcissism, paranoia, passive-aggressiveness. There's even the possibility of the most destructive character defect of all, an antisocial personality. Untreated abuse can foster antisocial traits, especially among boys.

If my assessment is accurate, what does this mean? 

It means that liberals need to wake up and spit out the Kool-Aid...and that conservatives should put aside differences, band together, and elect as many Republicans as possible.

Because Obama will not change. He will not learn from his mistakes. He will not grow and mature from on-the-job experience. In fact, over time, Obama will likely become a more ferocious version of who he is today. 

Why? Because this is a damaged person. Obama's fate was sealed years ago growing up in his strange and poisonous family. Later on, his empty vessel was filled with the hateful bile of men like Rev. Wright and Bill Ayers. 

Obama will not evolve; he will not rise to the occasion; he will not become the man he was meant to be. This is for one reason and one reason alone:

He is not capable of it.

A frequent AT contributor, Robin is a psychotherapist in Berkeley and a recovering liberal. You can e-mail Robin at robinofberkeley@hotmail.com. She regrets that she may not be able to acknowledge your e-mail.

[Bitsy]

If the puppetmeisters

I have always thought Soros as one of those puppetmeisters. What do you think? I think he tried to topple Britain - black friday? Maybe that was a trial run.

[Nowhere Man]

Bookmark bump

[Former Proud Canadian]

mark

[Neoliberalnot]

Excellent assessment. My wife and I were discussing his mental imbalance just last week based on his irrational behavior and comments.

[CitizenM]

There is so much I agree with here, having said most of this since Obama was a candidate, and I am not a professional. Just someone who lived with a narcissist. I don't know if it is narcissism or Asberger's, but whatever, that is not the only problem. Both emotional problems leave pathways for many other anti-social behavior symptoms, such as Obama displays.

It is for this reason that I have been screaming that when we nominate individuals for high political positions they should undergo a battery of serious personality tests first. Tests such as people have to take for management positions in many industries. Those tests reveal a person's ability to work with others, inclinations for lying, ability to complete tasks, etc. If it is important to industry...why not to our country...to make sure our high elected officers are devoid of emotional faults that render them ineffective and incapable of being a worthwhile leader??? It is time we are more careful about who we place at the head of our country than just worrying if they seem charismatic or can give a good speech, as so many Americans are so gullible to want and as the media promotes as being important, more important than Eperience.

Falling prey to the charm of a narcissistic person, or one with narcissistic traits is easy. Just like Obama, the first tell tale signs of this problem are the unusual calmness in the face of an emergency...people mistake this for strength and they are fooled into believing that the "calm" person they see will help them. It is not strength, it is an inability to know what to do, and the afflicted person feels helpless, so they pretend to be calm. Others think that should be admired, when the reality is, the afflicted person just wishes no one would get upset and the problem would go away and everyone would shut up so he/she can go on with their life.

The other early sign is the blaming everyone else for everything they have no clue about how to fix, what to do, or even care about...but just do not want to accept the blame for. This ties in with the "thin skinned" syndrome. Obama, like those with similar personality disorders, simply cannot accept criticism, even objective, constructive direction. People like Barack..well, they think they are better than everyone, and know it all. If criticized, they retaliate. They must have constant adoration and thought of as the most intelligent, most handsome, most thoughtful, most helpful, etc. in all situations. And...that is why he was so susceptible as a "tool" for those anti-Americans who have used him. They fed his ego. Their adoration was his drug and he continually needs to feast on that drug.

The third important sign is a gift for speaking, and a glib manner. Narcissists and those with strong narcissistic traits can charm people so easily. That is because they are really professional actors. They have made a lifetime of working to say the right thing to the right crowd at the right time. It has been their only salvation for covering up their low self esteem problem. If they can please someone with words, that person will like them. They feel they "fit in." Heaven knows Obama must have had to develop this trait to fit in with his family, his friends, his surroundings. Being a bi racial child, in a community where he was so different, and being thrust back on his grandparents by two parents who abandoned him at different times...well, that had to make him want to try to get people to accept him. Thus his narcissistic abilities worked overtime and became his fantasy personality. The real Obama is so deep down inside him, I doubt if he knows himself who he is.

Yes, I have also long predicted he will have some sort of emotional break down as things turn against him and he can no longer control the news, the naysayers, or the public turning against him. The people pulling Obama's strings will slowly fade as they continually realize he is of no use and has no ability to fool anyone anymore. All it will take is more people like the author of the article to start writing what we have all been seeing. But, so many who supported this sick man are still too embarrassed to admit their mistake. So, because of another fault in human nature, shared by millions, mostly the media, we suffer and have to endure a leader who is emotionally dysfunctional at the least and less than qualified to run this country...let alone a lemonade stand.

[unkus]

ping

[left that other site]

I have sent this to everybody on my list!

Even the liberals are questioning the Lyin’ King!

But he has surrounded himself with sycophants and panderers who love their own power and position more than they love America.

[unkus]

When the puppetmeisters finally reach a situation they cannot manipulate Barack through, then perhaps they will have him quit.

*************************

They will destroy the puppet, and hang the blame on their “class enemies”.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The danger is that if something happens to him it will make him a martyr. And, it won’t be “right wingers” that did the dirty deed.

[bamahead]

Thanks for posting this. Fascinating psychology!

[ohiogrammy]

Finally, finally, I am seeing some lib friends say they have had enough, it took the oil spill! All we can do now is pray we make it through another 2.5 years.

[cpforlife.org]

This thought just hit me as I’ve read through this thread:

0bozo sees the BP oil blowout much like sadam hussein saw the Kuwaiti oilfields he destroyed as he was being expelled by US Forces. Revenge.

0bozo knows he is being rejected by an ever-growing number of Americans and IMO he has stalled efforts as much as possible in the Gulf as revenge.

Aside from the fact that the BP disaster helps 0bozos ultimate objective to overwhelm the system; this disaster in his sick mind is an unexpected gift. He can watch people he hates get destroyed he could never destroy directly.

[Ronbo1948]

I posted your remarks on my blog with some pics of the injury:

http://ronbosoldier.blogspot.com/2010/06/did-obama-ever-have-head-injury.html

The question is: “Was Obama a psychopath before the injury or afterwards?”

The answer is: “Does it matter?”

My observation of Obama leads me to wonder if he’s the man to start the Second American Revolution/Civil War?

So far he shows much potential....

[School of Rational Thought]

bump for later

[OldArmy52]

Ah, give poor Obama a break!
After all, simular criticisms could have been made about other great leaders....Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, Chavez, Lenin, Stalin, etc etc.

[Ronbo1948]

“I think with Obama it boils down to one thing - revenge.”

I’ve seen the movie before...it’s called “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare...At the end of the play all the major actors are dead and the country belong to Norway.

[max americana]

First the shrink is asking, “What’s wrong with Obama?” Then, the shrink is suggesting different things that COULD be wrong with Obama. Somehow, almost magically within a sentence or two, the shrink goes right from that to a conclusive diagnosis.

And these people charge $175 an hour for this kind of crap?
*****

and the prognosis? “Did you love your mother?...” I could pay $1.75 for a street bum to listen to me.

[Niuhuru]

“But he shouldn’t be seated in the Oval Office. He should be on a psychiatrist’s couch.”

He kind of reminds me of people who wait until after they’re married to start working on their mental issues. Bad timing, but worse if you are in a position of authority.

[OldArmy52]

Egads! That pic! There’s Darth Obama in the foreground, but take a look at “Machinegun Molly” there behind him. Now THERE’s a nasty!

[Niuhuru]

I don’t think they want to face it, it’s too terrible to face and deal with.

[OldArmy52]

This kind of disrespect to our President proves the President/Govt should have control over all Internet content, so to not allow such talk.

After all, a prominent Democrat correctly described this kind of anti-Government talk as Sedition (and should be prosecuted).

There is no longer room in America for this kind of hateful speech towards Democratic Party Presidents (but is just fine towards non-Democratic Party Presidents as the Dem’s treatment of Bush showed...movies about him being murdered, calling for him to be dead, etc)