Introduction - An Ethical Dilemma

Summary

This is the first book to explore an ethical dilemma that psychiatrists increasingly face in the age of Donald Trump: is it ethical to comment on the mental health of public figures? Psychiatrists may intervene when a patient is unsafe, but what is their role when a politician appears ill and is a risk to the country? The APA’s Goldwater Rule declares that when a psychiatrist is asked for an opinion on a public figure, it is unethical to comment – yet controversy rages on the issue. Diagnosing from a Distance probes the dramatic history and complex ethics of the issue. With accessible style yet scholarly substance, this book begins with Adolf Hitler; traces the debate over Barry Goldwater, including Goldwater’s libel suit against Fact magazine; explores the rise of professionalism in the formation of the Goldwater Rule; documents errant CIA profiling during the Nixon years; and examines the controversy over President Trump. In light of this history, this book proposes a humane alternative to the Goldwater Rule. Based on original interviews and archival sources, Diagnosing from a Distance will change the way you think about the First Amendment, the media, and psychiatric ethics.