Sen. Mitch McConnell talks health and post-hospital rehabilitation
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell said a fall and pneumonia led to a recent hospitalization and that he is currently in rehab to “continue to regain my strength.”
Few new details about Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health have emerged since he was hospitalized in June, fueling conspiracy theories online about whether he is alive.
McConnell, 84, was reported unconscious at his home in Washington last month and advanced lifesaving measures were put in place. His office announced earlier this month that his health was improving.
McConnell addressed concerns about his condition in a social media post on July 13, saying he had “temporarily lost consciousness” and was taken to hospital after a fall. He shared a photo of himself in a hospital bed, adding that he was suffering from “mild pneumonia.” The image sparked further speculation online, with many claiming it was created or altered by artificial intelligence, even after the longtime lawmaker’s office confirmed his health was improving.
Experts say it’s normal to worry about the health of public figures, especially politicians who can have a major impact on the rights of Americans.
“When a very powerful elected official is observed in public with a medical problem, it’s natural to expect not only a public response from that leader, but also a public discussion,” Laura Pettiford, a marriage and family therapist and psychiatric nurse, previously told USA TODAY.
Even though conspiracy theories generally sound ridiculous, experts say they highlight people’s eagerness to understand the unknown.
“The human brain likes to understand things, it likes predictability, it likes to have control over its environment,” psychotherapist Stephanie Serkis previously told USA TODAY. “When you feel threatened by your surroundings, conspiracy theories can help you make sense of your pain.”
And when it comes to conspiracy theories, “we’re all susceptible,” says Dolores Albarracin, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
“Because we cannot physically verify many of our beliefs, such as whether the Earth is round, we have to trust sources and documents. If we can trust reliable sources, we are usually safe, even though all sources can be wrong. Trusting unreliable sources puts us at risk,” Albarracin previously told USA TODAY.
But speculation about health can sometimes be harmful, experts added.
Brad Fulton, a professor of business administration, data science and philanthropy at Indiana University Bloomington, previously told USA TODAY that public figures, including political leaders, “are entitled to a certain level of privacy regarding personal health matters.”
Plus, in this day and age, it’s easy to ignore other people’s boundaries.
“In the age of social media, ordinary people have been trained not only to share their most private moments, but to expect the same from others,” psychologist Rene Carr previously told USA TODAY.
Contributions: Alyssa Goldberg, David Oliver, Charles Trepagny, USA TODAY
