No, “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) is not a clinically recognized mental health disorder. It doesn’t show up in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the gold standard for psychiatric conditions published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
However, the media company “Detroit Metro Times” says it’s real. In their report “Yes, Trump Derangement Syndrome is a real thing,” journalist Joe Lapointe says, “‘Trump Derangement Syndrome’ is a valid and logical reaction to the deranged behavior of President Donald J. Trump. He is a dangerous buffoon and his second term in the White House may be worse than his first.”
Lapointe went on to say, “I didn’t really believe that there was such a thing as Trump Derangement Syndrome – hatred of President Trump so intense that it impairs people’s judgment. It’s not that I didn’t notice the harsh, unyielding language against him – I’ve said a few tough things myself – but that throughout the campaign, Trump seemed to do things that justified it.”
However, the Therapy Group of DC says that TDS is a “partisan insult, not a psychiatric diagnosis.” In other words, if you storm into a psychiatrist’s office ranting about Trump’s latest comments on TruthSocial or the fact that he’s trying to destroy democracy, don’t expect Blue Cross to cover your TDS treatments.
