During the 2016 presidential campaign, I wrote a letter to this newspaper regarding Donald Trump. As a practicing psychotherapist at the time (now retired), I used available public information about Trump to suggest that he had several troubling psychological diagnoses: Anti-social (disregard for the rules and laws), narcissistic (all about me) and hyperactive (impulsive). My point was to shed light on his character and discourage support from voters.
A psychological theory that was popular during my therapy training was called transactional analysis (TA). It was a way of understanding the often unconscious workings of the psyche in order to help clients gain a greater understanding of themselves and better regulate unwanted emotions and behavior. Within TA was the principle of the “drama triangle” and its core parts: rescuer, victim, and persecutor. Dysfunctional behavior is often influenced by this triangle, which can be the result of early life forces such as critical, abusive, or neglectful family patterns. It is not uncommon for people to have awareness of how one or two parts of the triangle apply to them, but it is also likely that one or more parts are denied.
