(Image source from: politico.com)

President Donald Trump’s anxiety is now a legitimate phenomenon validated by therapists, who say that the problem is politically-related, according to reports. It has always been noticed by therapists that people oftentimes bring up Trump’s name during therapy, expressing their fear of his policies and rhetoric.

Till date, there has not been a more controversial president than Donald Trump in the recent history of America and Americans and the aforementioned statement from psychologists’ offices across the United States make it more certain.

A mental health problem, motivated by the present President’s actions, may soon be on the rise and Americans better watch out.

Therapist Elizabeth LaMotte told CBC News that people fear the end of the world, and it’s a constantly unsettling feeling. One of her patients also asked her whether the President would “blow us up”. The word was coined by Jennifer Panning, a psychologist, who defined it as “increased worry, obsessive thought patterns, muscle tension and obsessive preoccupation with the news.”

Experts are not surprised, considering the atmosphere is for the most part politically-charged and there is constant reporting of negative news.

Trump Anxiety

Those with Trump anxiety have been showcasing symptoms similar to patients raised by parents with personality disorders - people with feelings of grandiosity, attention-seeking, megalomania and lack of empathy.

The observation is backed by the American Psychological Association (APA) after a February 2017 survey titled "Stress in America™: Coping with Change", on the mental health of the U.S. citizens. The poll results show that two-thirds of Americans are stressed about the future of the nation, which includes both Democrats and Republicans though the former is more affected than the latter.

"The stress we're seeing around political issues is deeply concerning because it's hard for Americans to get away from it," said Katherine C. Nordal, Ph.D., executive director for professional practice, APA.

She says that the stress is mainly due to the conversations, news and social media that constantly remind us of all the issues that stress us out the most. Can Positive Thinking Cure Depression? Symptoms, Care & Treatment of Mental Health Disorders Explained By An Expert.

Trump figured prominently in APA’s findings and they were able to connect stress levels to consumption of electronic news. Stories of hard knocks faced by migrant families and the president’s own equation with some of the world leaders are factors that are being added to the stress.

Although it has not been considered as an official diagnosis, the effects of the collective anxiety are actual and it is bit by bit eating away at American's mental health.

-Sowmya Sangam