# Mental health hold on Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 27, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461 "2019-12-27T18:29:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/1 "2019-12-27T18:29:56Z")
> **[Pelosi “has the right” to submit Trump to an “involuntary evaluation": Yale...](https://www.salon.com/2019/12/27/pelosi-has-the-right-to-submit-trump-to-an-involuntary-evaluation-yale-psychiatrist-bandy-lee/)** > > “I am beginning to believe that a mental health hold . . . will become inevitable," Lee tells Salon in an interview In this Salon article Bandy Lee says that Nancy Pelosi has the right under the law to request a psych evaluation of turnp, looking prospectively at the 25 amendment. What do we know about the law of psychiatric holds? What about as applied to the potus? How would that go down? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/2 "2019-12-27T18:50:55Z")
She doesn’t reference any special Congressional powers. If you thought your next door neighbor was homicidal, suicidal, or gravely disabled, you would call local law enforcement. In my area, if LEO considered there to be legitimate danger, they would bring to a local ER for medical clearance where we would rule out things like intoxication, brain tumors, meningitis, etc. and then set you up with a mobile crisis evaluation. Those generally end with a discharge, or transfer to a psych facility either voluntarily or as a 5150. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/3 "2019-12-27T18:53:57Z")
I am for any legal action that serves to bring on his looming psychotic breakdown. Anything from mental health holds to supreme court rulings to disclose his financial history. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/4 "2019-12-27T19:59:23Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > [https://www.salon.com/2019/12/27/pelosi-has-the-right-to-submit-trump-to-an-involuntary-evaluation-yale-psychiatrist-bandy-lee/](https://www.salon.com/2019/12/27/pelosi-has-the-right-to-submit-trump-to-an-involuntary-evaluation-yale-psychiatrist-bandy-lee/) > > In this Salon article Bandy Lee says that Nancy Pelosi has the right under the law to request a psych evaluation of turnp, looking prospectively at the 25 amendment. > > What do we know about the law of psychiatric holds? What about as applied to the potus? How would that go down? Sure, she can request it. Not gonna happen. It wouldn’t “go down” Come on, you can’t possibly believe this article. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/5 "2019-12-27T20:47:01Z")
If it’s in Salon, it’s probably not true. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/6 "2019-12-27T22:20:43Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Sure, she can request it. Not gonna happen. It wouldn’t “go down” > > Come on, you can’t possibly believe this article. :rolleyes: Well, I don’t doubt that Bandy Lee is saying that. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/7 "2019-12-27T22:22:38Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Sure, she can request it. Not gonna happen. It wouldn’t “go down” > > Come on, you can’t possibly believe this article. :rolleyes: Believe what about the article? You mean it is entirely fabricated? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/8 "2019-12-27T22:27:55Z")
“As a coworker, she has the right to have him submit to an involuntary evaluation, but she has not,” Lee told Salon. "Anyone can call 911 to report someone who seems dangerous, and family members are the most typical ones to do so. But so can coworkers, and even passersby on the street. The law dictates who can determine right to treatment, or civil commitment, and in all 50 U.S. states this includes a psychiatrist. From the article. I wonder what happens when this occurs. So it’s not going to happenever? OK, I still wonder what happens when this occurs. tornp is very unstable. It’s easy to be confident about theoreticals. What about the real situatuon we are in? What percentage of the way do you think he has gone towards “batshit unpresentable”, so far? If that happens 25 will come up. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/9 "2019-12-27T22:53:34Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > As a coworker, she has the right to have him submit to an involuntary evaluation… No, Pelosi doesn’t have the right to force anyone, let alone the President, to submit to an involuntary examination. > [@](#): > > What about the real situatuon we are in? The real situation is that Trump is President, Pelosi can’t do anything about that, and the Salon article is revenge fantasy. > [@](#): > > Believe what about the article? You mean it is entirely fabricated? Yes. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/10 "2019-12-27T22:56:54Z")
Pelosi, of course, will never come within a million miles of this. Why? Because she’s sane. If Trump is truly insane, then the remedy has to come via the constitutionally approved process, the 25th Amendment. That has to be initiated by Republicans. Democrats need not play any part in it whatsoever. Wonderful, but mere wishful thinking. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2019, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/11 "2019-12-27T23:38:51Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Pelosi, of course, will never come within a million miles of this. Why? Because she’s sane. > > If Trump is truly insane, then the remedy has to come via the constitutionally approved process, the 25th Amendment. That has to be initiated by Republicans. Democrats need not play any part in it whatsoever. Wonderful, but mere wishful thinking. So if tranp becomes non functioning what do you think happens? It’s clear that Republicans can’t be trusted to judge whether turnop is insane. I can’t see Rs doing anything except try to hide him. They would probably rather destroy the country in a war than use 25. They would rather be russian subjects than use 25. So what happens when they try to hide him for 48 hours or so? Pelosi is his coworker and he needs to be compos mentis in front of her to do the nations business. She is also his adversary and is in the business of removing him for unfitnes. She is where the rubber hits the road in this. It is in dealing with her that he will fail. It won’t be with republicans. They like his effluvia. I get how everyone likes to be all knowing. Congratulations by the way. OK so donnie is insane. The rebupkis are hiding him. Nancy needs to meet with him for the countries business. What happens. Don’t tell me you’re not curious about this. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/12 "2019-12-28T00:10:24Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > So if tranp becomes non functioning what do you think happens? > > It’s clear that Republicans can’t be trusted to judge whether turnop is insane. > I can’t see Rs doing anything except try to hide him. They would probably rather destroy the country in a war than use 25. They would rather be russian subjects than use 25. So what happens when they try to hide him for 48 hours or so? > > Pelosi is his coworker and he needs to be compos mentis in front of her to do the nations business. She is also his adversary and is in the business of removing him for unfitnes. She is where the rubber hits the road in this. It is in dealing with her that he will fail. It won’t be with republicans. They like his effluvia. > > I get how everyone likes to be all knowing. Congratulations by the way. > > OK so donnie is insane. The rebupkis are hiding him. Nancy needs to meet with him for the countries business. What happens. Don’t tell me you’re not curious about this. Why would they try to hide him? The article is a joke. There is no way that this could happen. What do you think would happen if some shrink from Yale showed up at the front gate of the White House and demanded to see Trump. Probably a few laughs from the secret service guys but not much else. No need to hide anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Peebles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Jim\_Peebles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_Peebles)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/13 "2019-12-28T00:23:12Z")
The Soviet Union used to stifle political dissidents with psychiatric “treatment”: > **[Political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry_in_the_Soviet_Union)** > > There was systematic political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union, based on the interpretation of political opposition or dissent as a psychiatric problem. It was called "psychopathological mechanisms" of dissent. > During the leadership of General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev, psychiatry was used to disable and remove from society political opponents ("dissidents") who openly expressed beliefs that contradicted the official dogma. The term "philosophical intoxication", for instance, was wide... Here Trump is the political dissident and those proposing this want to adopt methods like the Soviet Union used. Think about it. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/14 "2019-12-28T00:49:37Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > So if tranp becomes non functioning what do you think happens? He already is pretty much non-functioning. I mean, he doesn’t contribute much at all to his administration. It’s the other people who do things. He doesn’t even come up with ideas–he just cops things from Fox news. Unfortunately, a lot of co-workers (and company heads) are like that, so it’s not that unusual. To call in a 5150 on someone they have to be an immediate threat to themselves or someone else. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/15 "2019-12-28T00:53:55Z")
> [@Jim\_Peebles](#): > > The Soviet Union used to stifle political dissidents with psychiatric “treatment”: > [Political abuse of psychiatry in the Soviet Union - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_abuse_of_psychiatry_in_the_Soviet_Union) > Here Trump is the political dissident and those proposing this want to adopt methods like the Soviet Union used. Think about it. I thought about it. Turmp needs a psychiatric hold. I think those students were treated badly. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/16 "2019-12-28T00:56:17Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I thought about it. Turmp needs a psychiatric hold. I think those students were treated badly. And who do you think I going to put him on one? What agency do you suppose it is that has the power to knock on the White House door and say “You’re coming with us, Mr. President”? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/17 "2019-12-28T01:01:38Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > He already is pretty much non-functioning. I mean, he doesn’t contribute much at all to his administration. It’s the other people who do things. He doesn’t even come up with ideas–he just cops things from Fox news. > > Unfortunately, a lot of co-workers (and company heads) are like that, so it’s not that unusual. To call in a 5150 on someone they have to be an immediate threat to themselves or someone else. He is not non-functioning at all AFAICS. He’s a 73 year old out on the campaign trail. He is unstable though and getting worse. Non functioning to me is: they won’t let him out of his room. You know they have already had these thoughts. It has worked out so far but one day it won’t. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/18 "2019-12-28T01:03:17Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And who do you think I going to put him on one? What agency do you suppose it is that has the power to knock on the White House door and say “You’re coming with us, Mr. President”? Slow down son. First you need to admire my answer. Everyone wants to be nostradamus. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/19 "2019-12-28T01:07:24Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > Why would they try to hide him? The article is a joke. There is no way that this could happen. > > What do you think would happen if some shrink from Yale showed up at the front gate of the White House and demanded to see Trump. Probably a few laughs from the secret service guys but not much else. No need to hide anywhere. If he is non compos mentis they will try to hide him it seems to me. If you have another theory feel free. What else would they do? Have you watched their antics lately. But he is not there right now. So I guess there’s that to argue with. “He’s not drooling yet” Q: What will the Rs do with a vegetable trump if the public doesn’t know it yet? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461/20 "2019-12-28T01:27:05Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > “As a coworker, she has the right to have him submit to an involuntary evaluation, but she has not,” Lee told Salon. "… What kind of fucked up offices has Lee worked in?! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mental-health-hold-on-trump/845461.md?page=2)