A Less Perfect Nation

On this day of our nation’s independence, I’m reminded of a recent New York Times op-ed written by Michelle Goldberg, entitled “The Mental Health Toll of Trump-Era Politics." Although never published, this was the letter I wrote to the editorial board in response:

To the editor:

As a psychoanalyst in our nation’s capital, I have witnessed firsthand the erosion of our political institutions and its impact on my patients. The vitriol that pervades political discourse can be triggering and evoke memories of dysfunctional homes where fights between parents could quickly devolve into violence.

According to a “shocking” new study cited by Michelle Goldberg, nearly 5 percent of Americans have contemplated suicide as a response to the current political climate, a figure that even the study’s author questions could be a “statistical fluke.” It’s possible, but I seriously doubt it. While some Americans externalize their rage and fears into social activism; others internalize it and, yes, in some cases, take their own lives.

Bessel van der Kolk, author of the current bestseller The Body Keeps Score, writes that “our capacity to destroy one another is matched by our capacity to heal one another.” He tells us that ultimately healing will require us to restore a sense of community. Surely the restoration of our republic is something we can all agree on; after all, our mental health depends on it.

TYGER LATHAM, Washington, DC