“Power not only corrupts but also magnifies existing psychopathologies, even as it creates new ones. Fostered by the flattery of underlings and the chants of crowds, a political leader’s grandiosity may morph into grotesque delusions of grandeur. Sociopathic traits may… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“In Donald Trump, we have a frightening Venn diagram consisting of three circles: the first is extreme present hedonism; the second, narcissism; and the… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“Even those with less-severe Other-blaming traits end up damaging relationships because they lack an ability to attend or respond to their partner’s emotions with… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“Other-blamers instinctively seek out those willing to be controlled, manipulated, or intimidated. This sets up relationships with submissive people who will not challenge, correct,… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“People with NPD have a strong need, in every area of their life, to be treated as if they’re special. To those with NPD,… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“And empathy? Even Trump’s former mentor, the notorious Roy Cohn, lawyer for gangsters and Joseph McCarthy, said that when it came to his feelings… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“one way in which severe sociopaths do have a certain, frightening type of empathy. It is the empathy of the predator. A tiger stalking… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“to have poor shame tolerance. They learned in childhood to manage feelings of inadequacy by adopting unhealthy coping mechanisms to forestall or avoid shaming… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“Other-blamers and abusers lie so frequently that their partners often do not know what to believe. How can a relationship of any kind withstand… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“In his constant attempts to redefine the truth against the wrongdoings he has enacted, Donald Trump behaves like an aggressive perpetrator who fundamentally has… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“We have learned through research on trauma survivors that early events that stimulate our fight-or-flight response have long-lasting effects. It usually directs us to… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“In that regard, one final clarification is in order. Trump is now the most powerful head of state in the world, and one of… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“The human brain can protect us from seeing and feeling what it believes may be too uncomfortable for us to tolerate. It can lead… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“In neurochemical terms, when he feels threatened or thwarted, Trump moves into a fight-or-flight state. His amygdala is triggered, his hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activates, and… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“As children, Other-blamers were likely exposed to developmental or attachment trauma, such as abusive, shaming, rejecting, or neglectful parenting. Parents who are substance abusers… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
“Impulsive, sensation-seeking, and incapable of experiencing empathy or guilt, a narcissistic psychopath treats other people as objects of need fulfillment and wish fulfillment. This… — Bandy X Lee Copy Share Image
