It’s the question circulating all over social media: Did you hear what happened to Mitch McConnell?
The Senate Minority Leader suddenly stopped speaking earlier this week at a press conference, leaving many – including fellow politicians – questioning whether the GOP senator had some kind of health episode.
While his exact condition is unknown – though we know he had polio as a child – many are theorizing and reporting on elements of his health. But is that such a good idea?
Experts say that this kind of gossip could lead to incorrect assumptions and ultimately affect the person’s mental health, even if they’re a public figure. Still, politicians have a responsibility to disclose health conditions given the power they wield in society. Though it’s never polite to discuss someone’s private health issues, in the case of a politician it may be more warranted.
“When a highly powerful elected official is observed publicly experiencing a medical issue that impacts cognition to a significant degree, it is reasonable to expect public discussion as well as a public response from the leader,” says Laura Petiford, marriage and family therapist and psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Mitch McConnell and where speculation goes awry
Many reports have surfaced about Mitch McConnell’s health history; for example, he fell back in March and was hospitalized for a concussion. But generally, “we are only seeing the outward symptoms and we are not able to get the full spectrum of someone’s health and their health history based on what we see in the media,” says Amy Morin, psychotherapist and the host of the Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin podcast. “Drawing conclusions about someone’s conditions based on what we see isn’t likely to yield an accurate diagnosis.”
What start out as whispers – “What’s wrong with that person?” – get louder with each tweet speculating on a cause, each TV media hit.
“Once media outlets or experts declare they think someone has a specific condition, people start looking for signs and symptoms that confirm the disorder,” Morin adds.
Politicians, like anyone else, also deserve time to take care of themselves and figure out what’s wrong. “Public figures, including political leaders, deserve a certain level of privacy regarding their personal health issues,” says Brad Fulton, associate professor of management and social policy at the Indiana University – Bloomington. “In general, sharing such information without their consent violates their privacy.”
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Plenty of medical experts will weigh in on public figures in the news. That said, “it’s not ethical for health practitioners to diagnose people from afar, regardless of whether they’re a celebrity or a politician,” Morin says. “But it may be important to assure that someone in a position of power is getting treated by a professional to ensure that they still have the ability to perform the duties assigned to their position.”
Fulton adds: “There may be situations where a political leader’s health directly impacts their ability to perform their duties. In those cases, there might be a legitimate public interest in knowing about their health condition. Yet, such discussions should avoid being speculative or sensational.”
Whatever the case, when considering personal health matters, Fulton says “it is important to balance the public’s right to information with the individual’s right to privacy.
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