President Trump bears the weight of the world on his shoulders. As the chief executive officer of the United States, he must ensure the nation’s economic prosperity, its credible security, and its social health. As we’re learning, each of those challenges bears particular complications.
And as Trump’s spirited Charlottesville-focused press conference on Tuesday suggests, Trump is struggling to keep his emotions in check. Moreover, it doesn’t seem like the stress level is heading any other direction than up in the days ahead. His White House remains riven with factions and doubt, North Korea remains an imminent threat, and Republicans in Congress are increasingly skeptical that the president is capable of governing.
Of course, Trump doesn’t want to change his ways. He believes he is right and his critics are either “fake news” or mortal enemies, or both. Yet, that doesn’t mean the president is out of options.
As a first step, Trump should work to reduce his evidently overwhelming stress levels. And to do so, he should speak to a counselor or psychiatrist.
I don’t mean this in jest. As someone who has OCD, I have found that occasionally speaking to professionals can help balance out irrational thoughts and reduce stress. If nothing else, the conversations don’t do any harm. In addition, while publicly talking about mental health remains taboo in our society, Trump wouldn’t need to tell the public that he is talking with someone. The only people who would need to know are Trump, the professional in question, and the Secret Service. If the president so desired, all three groups would keep quiet about the meetings.
Ultimately, Trump needs to consider the national interest as much as his own. If he continues to allow his stress to boil unchecked, one of two things will happen. He will either do something so outrageous that he gets impeached, or he will have a cardiac event. He must act now to mitigate his stress.
