Mental illness and politics

[Citizen James]

If you discovered a candidate had been treated for a mental illness (such as clinical depression) would it make you less likely to vote for them, or even rule them out entirely.  Would the method of treatment (talk, medication, shock) be  important to you? 

Would you prefer it if they had not recieved treatment, or had self-medicated (alcohol or other drugs) but managed to keep it down to rumors?

[WalterMitty]

it wouldnt make a difference to me.

i dont think we should disqualify anyone from office just because they had or have an illness.

[specific_name]

It might prove that they're human, if this is something that we want from politicians.

[John Dibble]

There are varying types and degrees of mental illnesses, so this question is a bit vague. For instance depression hits some people harder than others - someone with mild depression might still be able to perform their job while someone with severe depression would be less likely to do it.

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

I wouldn't. But unfortunately too many americans vote in mentally ill people(christian fundies) to office...

[MODU]

All of them.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'd elect them to anything - as long as they weren't showing signs of going back into it.

[MasterJedi]

I'd vote for anyone in this situation but other mental illnesses probably not because they are more severe.

[Dr. Cynic]

I have clinical depression... It has nothing to do with a candidate's abilty or inability to run the country.

[Gabu]

If anything, I think that having had depression would make a candidate be much better able to empathize with other people's problems.  I know it worked for me.

[Everett]

If the person is otherwise competent, then I wouldn't have any problems with him/her having clinical depression. My standards have fallen pretty low considering the ability of our current president to make sane decisions, but still.

[Governor PiT]

Not president but other offices I guess. Justice Requist had paranoi. I have OCD, Aspergers, and Paranoia and I plan on running for office on day and I will be open about it.

[David S]

I'd like to believe that the guy with his finger on the button is not a homicidal maniac. Although now that I think of it the current prez seems to have such tendancies.

[Gabu]

I'd like to believe that the guy with his finger on the button is not a homicidal maniac. Although now that I think of it the current prez seems to have such tendancies.

Depression hardly makes you a homicidal maniac.  If anything, the president would kill himself, not someone else.

[Person Man]

Yeah. Depression is a pretty normal part of human life.

I wonder if anyone's thoughts were to change if it was a chronic masturbator, though.

[The Duke]

I had no problem voting for someone with depression for any of the legislative offices, and with slight reservation for the executive offices.  The only office I think this would be disqualifying for is the gy who gets the nuclear launch codes.

[opebo]

Yeah. Depression is a pretty normal part of human life.

I wonder if anyone's thoughts were to change if it was a chronic masturbator, though.

Considering the great majority of our politicians are/have been male, it is safe to say there have been lots and lots of chronic masturbators in office.

Haha well maybe not 'in office', but they did it somewhere.

[Ebowed]

Wouldn't affect my vote.

[Person Man]

Yeah. Depression is a pretty normal part of human life.

I wonder if anyone's thoughts were to change if it was a chronic masturbator, though.

Considering the great majority of our politicians are/have been male, it is safe to say there have been lots and lots of chronic masturbators in office.

Haha well maybe not 'in office', but they did it somewhere.

I dunno.... I' sure you would find patches of upholstery that glow in UV light and crumbs of dorritos on desks.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

As anyone who ever read Fear and Loathing on the Campaign trail '72 would know, long term Senator and former VP candidate Ed Muskie was a long term sufferer from ''clinical depression'' yet he managed to hide it effectively from everyone and the media never called him out it (but they did in regards to Tom Eagleton, McGovern's original VP.. which sank his campaign. And the media is liberal.)

That's at least two high ranking depressants; so there must be as many as there are closeted gays in congress.

[Person Man]

As anyone who ever read Fear and Loathing on the Campaign trail '72 would know, long term Senator and former VP candidate Ed Muskie was a long term sufferer from ''clinical depression'' yet he managed to hide it effectively from everyone and the media never called him out it (but they did in regards to Tom Eagleton, McGovern's original VP.. which sank his campaign. And the media is liberal.)

That's at least two high ranking depressants; so there must be as many as there are closeted gays in congress.

I am guessing there about 10 closeted homos in congress...

[Bono]

I'd like to believe that the guy with his finger on the button is not a homicidal maniac. Although now that I think of it the current prez seems to have such tendancies.

Depression hardly makes you a homicidal maniac.  If anything, the president would kill himself, not someone else.

What if it was depression with psychotic features?

[KEmperor]

I'd like to believe that the guy with his finger on the button is not a homicidal maniac. Although now that I think of it the current prez seems to have such tendancies.

Depression hardly makes you a homicidal maniac.  If anything, the president would kill himself, not someone else.

What if it was depression with psychotic features?

You mean like a hat?

[AkSaber]

Successfully treated? Sure, for all of them.