Health
Presidential depression and Abraham Lincoln’s struggle with ‘melancholy’: What historians know
He is perhaps best known for his honesty — but a lesser-known fact about Abraham Lincoln is that the 16th president of the United States battled severe depression during his lifetime.
Dr. Chris Tuell, a clinical psychotherapist and a chemical and behavioral addiction specialist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, has studied Lincoln’s mental health struggles extensively.
“Though the history books play a significant role in our perception and understanding of the ‘rail splitter’ from Illinois, it often becomes easy for us to forget that Abraham Lincoln was very human,” Tuell told Fox News Digital.
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“Lincoln led this nation through its worst crisis, while at the same time battling his own internal war of chronic depression.”
Here’s what to know.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States, is depicted in this painting at the Gettysburg Address. (Painting by J.L.G. Ferris)
Signs of Lincoln’s depression
At age 32, in a letter to John Stuart in 1841, Lincoln wrote, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on earth. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell; I awfully forebode I shall not; to remain as I am is impossible.”
Lincoln scholars have “clear evidence” that he suffered from depressive episodes beginning in his 20s, Tuell noted.
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“Lincoln’s school teacher, Mentor Graham, stated, ‘Lincoln told me that he felt like committing suicide often,’” Tuell said.
“Law partner and biographer William Herndon stated, ‘He was a sad-looking man, gloomy and melancholic. His melancholy dripped from him as he walked.’”
Contributing factors to Lincoln’s depression
The president’s mental health condition can be attributed to both genetics and traumatic experiences, according to the book “Lincoln’s Melancholy” by Joshua Wolf Shenk.
Lincoln is said to have had a family history of depression.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the U.S., battled severe depression. (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs)
“Historical records indicate that Lincoln’s mother and father were disposed to melancholy and that one side of the family ‘was thick with mental disease,’” said Tuell.
“Bereavement in childhood can be one of the most significant factors in the development of depressive illness in later life.”
As a child, Lincoln lost several close family members.
After his brother died in infancy, Lincoln’s mother, aunt and uncle all died when he was just 9 years old. A decade later, his sister died while delivering a stillborn infant.
Later, Lincoln experienced the loss of his first love, Ann Rutledge, in 1835.
As a father, he experienced the death of two young sons, Eddie and Willie.
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“According to mental health professionals, bereavement in childhood can be one of the most significant factors in the development of depressive illness in later life,” Tuell said.
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said that Lincoln’s melancholy may have been tied to his “intellectual prowess and [his tendency to] see and feel things deeply.”
How Lincoln dealt with depression
Before the age of psychotherapy and antidepressant medications, Lincoln learned to live with his depressive disposition, Tuell said.
“He would frequently use humor and storytelling to elevate his mood and distract himself from his depression,” the psychologist told Fox News Digital.
Abraham Lincoln is depicted at the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, which gave enslaved people their freedom. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“Only his closest friends had any insight concerning the extent of his condition.”
In a time period when mental health treatment was not available, Tuell noted that learning how to manage his life with his depression was Lincoln’s only choice.
“The only other option would have been for him to succumb to these adversities,” he said.
“He managed to overcome it and the Civil War to become our greatest president, by most people’s estimation.”
“It does not appear that it was in the 16th president’s persona to acquiesce. Lincoln persevered and served this country eloquently.”
Siegel noted that in Lincoln’s time, depression was referred to as “melancholy” and was typically treated with opium, a highly addictive narcotic drug that is extracted from the poppy plant.
“It does not appear that it was in the 16th president’s persona to acquiesce,” a psychologist said. “Lincoln persevered and served this country eloquently.” (AP)
Historians have noted that Lincoln’s sons brought him periods of happiness despite his ongoing depression.
“We are so used to seeing Abraham Lincoln looking depressed and sad, that we forget — and the historical record is clear on this — he would break down in laughter when playing with his boys or observing the mayhem they created,” Raymond Arroyo, a Fox News contributor and bestselling author, previously told Fox News Digital.
He is the author of the book, “The Magnificent Mischief of Tad Lincoln,” part of his Turnabout Tales series of books.
What to know about depression
Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
There are different types of depressive disorders, according to Tuell.
These may include major depression, dysthymia (an ongoing, low-grade depression) and bipolar (mood swings of depression and mania).
Depressive disorders affect approximately 18.8 million American adults or about 9.5% of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. (iStock)
“Depression can affect every aspect of one’s life — physical health, sleep [habits], eating habits, job and your relationships with friends and family,” said Tuell. “It affects thoughts, feelings and behaviors.”
While depression is one of the most serious mental health issues facing people today, Tuell noted that it’s also one of the most treatable.
Lincoln’s perseverance in the face of severe depression was something to be admired, Tuell and Siegel agreed.
“We can only speculate what Lincoln would say or do about our current state of political affairs, or even what thoughts he may have toward the new millennium’s understanding of depression and mental health,” Tuell said.
President Abraham Lincoln with General George B. McClellan at his headquarters at Antietam, Oct. 3, 1862. From left: General George W. Morell, Colonel Alexander S. Webb, General McClellan, scout Adams, Dr. Jonathan Letterman, unidentified officer, President Lincoln, Colonel Henry Hunt, General Fitz, John Porter, unidentified officer. (Getty Images)
“But now, some 159 years later, Lincoln’s historical persona continues to belong to the ages.”
Lincoln believed in the human spirit and spoke of the role people must have toward one another, Tuell noted.
“This was no more clearly expressed than through Lincoln’s own words, ‘With malice toward none; with charity for all,’” he said.
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Lincoln’s battle with depression can be regarded as an “inspiration to all who suffer from this dreaded disease or feel stigmatized by it,” Siegel added.
“He managed to overcome it and the Civil War to become our greatest president, by most people’s estimation.”
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The key to feeling better in a fast, overstimulated world might be surprisingly simple: Live a little more like your grandparents.
A growing social media trend, dubbed “nonnamaxxing,” draws inspiration from the slower, more intentional rhythms associated with an Italian grandmother.
The lifestyle is often linked to activities like preparing home-cooked meals, spending time outdoors and making meaningful connections.
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“Nonnamaxxing is a 2026 trend that embraces the slower, more intentional lifestyle of an Italian grandmother (a Nonna). Think cooking from scratch, long family meals, daily walks, gardening and less screen time,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
Stepping away from screens and toward real-world interaction can have measurable benefits, according to California-based psychotherapist Laurie Singer.
“We know that interacting with others in person, rather than spending time on screens, significantly improves mental health,” she told Fox News Digital, adding that social media often fuels comparison and lowers self-esteem.
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Living more like previous generations isn’t purely driven by nostalgia. Cooking meals from scratch, for example, has been linked to better nutrition and more mindful eating patterns.
Adopting traditional mealtime habits can improve diet quality and support both physical and mental health, especially when meals are shared regularly with others, Palinski-Wade noted.
One longevity expert stresses that staying healthy isn’t just about food — it’s also about joy and community. (iStock)
There’s also a psychological benefit to slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. Anxiety often stems from unfinished or avoided tasks, Singer noted, and engaging in hands-on activities can counteract that.
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“Nonnamaxxing encourages us to be present around a task, like gardening, baking or knitting, or just taking a mindful walk, that delivers something ‘real,’” she said.
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Palinski-Wade cautions against turning the trend into another source of pressure, noting that a traditional “nonna” lifestyle often assumes a different pace of life.
The key, she said, is adapting the mindset, not replicating it perfectly.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
The goal is to reintroduce small, intentional moments that make you feel better.
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That might mean prioritizing a few shared meals each week, taking a walk without your phone or setting aside time for a simple hobby, the expert recommended.
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Singer added, “Having a positive place to escape to, through whatever activities speak to us and make us happy, isn’t generational – it’s human.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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