PSYCHIATRIC VIEWS ON THE DAILY NEWS

Tonight is the first presidential debate for our upcoming elections. Usually, mental health gets short shrift in these debates, so here are some last-minute questions that I hope are asked. In contrast to the Goldwater Rule against any personal psychiatric analysis of public figures, asking about policies is fine.

Given the worrisome rise of mental disturbances over at least the last decade, spanning both of your administrations, what would you now do to improve the mental health of our citizens?

1. Do you think that climate instability is worsening our collective mental stability and, if so, in what ways?

2. Has legalizing marijuana in some states been a benefit or mistake? Why or why not?

3. Should psychedelics be legalized? Why or why not?

4. How would you reduce the divisiveness between Democrats and Republicans?

5. Since you both were President during the COVID-19 pandemic and now, although less severe, cases are rising again, what would you do differently if you were faced with a similar pandemic challenge once more?

6. What do you think about physician-assisted suicide?

7. How do you like our Surgeon General publicly coming out about our loneliness, social media harm, and gun control problems, and what would you do to address those problems?

8. Do you think that your administration would be helped by having a psychiatrist consultant at a high level in your government?

9. How would you assess your own mental health in your readiness for the stress and challenges of being President at your advanced ages, and would you agree to have an expert and objective mental health exam before the election?

Perhaps we can use any attention—or none—in this debate about mental health to make recommendations for the next time around. What would you like to ask?

Note: This article originally appeared on Psychiatric Times.