Photo by Raphael Renter | @raphi_rawr on Unsplash, cropped
Donald Trump’s decisive 2024 victory has revealed a disturbing trend: the manipulation of political fearmongering to cultivate mass hysteria. Social media videos of liberals screaming, crying, and spiraling into despair may seem like caricatures, but they reflect a genuine mental health crisis, particularly among young leftists. The root cause, however, is not Trump himself but the cynical narratives peddled by ideological actors who exploit fragile minds for political gain.
Therapists have observed clients abandoning personal growth to obsess over apocalyptic fears about Trump. One client relapsed into cocaine use, another isolated in bed for days, and many have threatened to sever family ties over differing political views. These regressions often stem from a pervasive external locus of control—the belief that their lives are dictated by external forces rather than their own choices. While such a mindset can foster victimhood, it is actively encouraged by media and cultural elites who frame Trump as an existential evil.
Dr. Paul Conti defines good mental health as cultivating gratitude and personal autonomy—qualities absent in those consumed by political panic. By amplifying fears of “systems” like racism, sexism, and homophobia, progressive rhetoric fosters dependency and ingratitude, robbing individuals of agency and resilience. The result? A generation crippled by anxiety, depression, and compulsion, unable to focus on personal struggles or meaningful relationships.
This phenomenon isn’t accidental—it’s deliberate. Fearmongers in the media and academia weaponize despair to maintain political loyalty. For some, this manifests in performative displays, like screaming in cars or shaving heads for “reproductive rights.” But the deeper tragedy lies with those who are truly broken, their healing interrupted by confected fears and apocalyptic visions.
America’s mental health crisis demands attention, but so does the role of cynical political narratives in perpetuating it. A culture of fear benefits only those in power while devastating those most in need of hope and healing.
