Staff Reports
According to experts, Joe Biden's tendency to make tall claims has reached a new level. This prompted them to believe that he may be suffering from a condition known as confabulation, which is a type of cognitive disorder that's linked to dementia. Dr.Tanveer Ahmed said that confabulation occurs when the brain tries to fill in gaps by creating false stories.
At a rally in Milwaukee, Biden talked about his grandfather's death, the collapse of a bridge in Pittsburgh, his father's education, and his interaction with an onboard conductor. At a campaign event, he also tried to revive a debunked story about his father and his encounter with a same-gender couple in the 1960s.
During a trip to Hawaii, Biden told the survivors of a fire that almost destroyed his home. However, his embellished retelling differed from the media reports at the time. According to the reports, the fire only consumed a small portion of the kitchen and was under control in around 20 minutes. Critics have since called his stories outright lies, adding to concerns about his health and fitness.
As Biden is the oldest sitting president in the U.S., he would reach the age of 86 if he is re-elected. A recent poll conducted by the Economist-YouGov revealed that 45% of voters believe that his health conditions and age prevent him from effectively carrying out his duties. A fellow Democrat from Minnesota, Dean Phillips, is also considering challenging him for the Democratic nomination.
The White House did not comment on the allegations. Despite his age, Biden maintained that he's still in good shape and is capable of running for a second term in 2020. To make matters even more clear, he regularly updated reporters about his recent spin class and Pilates sessions while he was in Nevada.
Critics believe that Biden's repeated lies have raised concerns about his mental health and the effects of his age on his ability to perform his duties. Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman noted that confabulation could be a symptom of a more serious mental illness, such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Due to his medical history, Biden is more susceptible to such conditions.
It's hard to tell why Biden would continue to make these claims without examining his own records. Criminology professor Kim Dodson said that confabulation might be a possible explanation since people who do this tend to believe their own false memories. The extent of this phenomenon is unknown, but it's common among individuals who have experienced traumatic stress or sleep deprivation.
In people with vascular dementia, confabulation is a common symptom of a condition that affects the flow of blood in the brain. It can impair their cognitive abilities and memory. Due to his history of heart conditions and the condition known as atrial fibrillation, it's believed that Biden is experiencing this confabulation.
The impact of Biden's confabulation on his political career will only be known after the 2020 presidential election. It's also not clear if his exaggerated claims are merely a symptom of a deeper mental decline or if they are genuinely exaggerated. Regardless, Biden's ability to tell stories has not gone unnoticed by Americans.
