Donald Trump Is Making Me Sick

I don’t mean that figuratively, either.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

I’m currently experiencing my third respiratory illness in four months. This latest illness started with an itchy throat. Over the course of several days, my chest became congested, and I began coughing. I figure I have at least another couple of days before I begin feeling like a functional human being.

Until the horrendous election in November 2024, I hadn’t been sick this frequently since childhood. Now that I have been sick three times in the last four months, I must consider that there may be psychological factors in why my immune system has been so weak.

Our culture downplays the role that our mental health plays in our physical health, primarily because it’s not visible and tangible in the same way physical injuries and diseases are. We notice people with broken arms. We notice people who carry oxygen tanks that help them breathe. We don’t always see the person who is struggling with anxiety over whether to have pizza or a hamburger for lunch. We feel uncomfortable around someone sad or lethargic, believing that if we tell them to just smile and move around the world, they’ll feel better.

I have battled anxiety and depression for much of my life. I have learned several tips and techniques for mitigating my mental illness during the many years I have been in…