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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Medical expert analyzes trending IV therapy, concerns about peptides
Dr. Mike Varshavski joins ‘Fox & Friends’ for Wellness Week, examining trending self-care treatments. He evaluates IV vitamin therapy, highlighting its hospital-critical role versus unproven benefits for general wellness, citing potential risks like vitamin imbalance. Dr. Mike also differentiates creatine, a research-backed supplement, from unregulated peptides marketed with unverified anti-aging and muscle growth promises, urging caution for patients.
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We are officially living in the “maxxing” era.
From “looksmaxxing” to improve appearance to “sleepmaxxing” for better rest, these viral terms all point to the same goal: squeezing every ounce of potential out of a specific trait or habit.
With a growing focus on optimizing wellness and maximizing longevity, the trend has evolved into what’s known as “humanmaxxing,” sparking a bigger question: How far can people go to optimize the human body?
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While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions.
While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions. (iStock)
For some, the movement begins with biohacking. According to Dave Asprey, a Texas-based wellness expert who refers to himself as the “father of biohacking,” optimizing your body starts with changing your environment.
Asprey has defined biohacking as “the art and science of changing the environment around you or inside you so that you have full control of your own biology.”
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His public advice focuses on boosting cellular energy through everyday choices like intermittent fasting, high-fat diets, red-light therapy and supplement routines.
“My goal right now is 180 years, because I’m doing something about it now instead of waiting,” he once said.
Clinical experts warn that extreme self-experimentation skips the rigorous safety checks that typical medical science requires. (iStock)
Others have embraced a more data-driven approach. Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint in Los Angeles, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data.
“Methodically, we sought to build an algorithm with science and data that could better care for me than I can myself,” Johnson wrote on his website. “My mind did not have the authority to override the algorithm.”
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Johnson’s routine involves tracking hundreds of health metrics, eating a precisely measured diet, taking dozens of supplements, and undergoing advanced medical treatments in an effort to reduce his biological age.
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At the far end of the spectrum are those investing in technologies aimed at pushing the limits of human performance.
London-based tech investor Christian Angermayer recently described humanmaxxing as a strategy toward human maximization.
Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data. (iStock)
“I don’t think we should become something different, because I think humans are awesome, but I think we can maximize the potential [that] is already in us,” he said in an interview with The New York Times.
Angermayer’s investment firm, Apeiron Investment Group, focuses on technologies intended to help people “live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.” He also founded atai Life Sciences, a biotechnology company that develops psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions that are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
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As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions.
Public guidance from the National Institute on Aging notes that while some anti-aging therapies have shown promise in laboratory research, there is not yet sufficient evidence that they can safely extend human life.
As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions. (iStock)
Clinical experts also caution that extreme self-experimentation can bypass the rigorous safety standards applied to conventional medical treatments.
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According to the Endocrine Society, taking substances such as testosterone or growth hormone without a medical need can lead to serious health risks, including cardiovascular complications and long-term disruption of the body’s chemical balance.
While many humanmaxxing habits overlap with standard healthy lifestyle practices, experts say consumers should be cautious of expensive or experimental interventions that promise dramatic anti-aging or longevity benefits without strong scientific evidence.
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A new test could make it easier to detect high-risk prostate cancer cases earlier.
The blood test, called Stockholm3, is showing promise in clinical trials, beating out the traditional, standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
In a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the test’s efficacy in more than 12,000 men — mostly Swedish or European — aged 50 to 74.
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All participants were tested with PSA and Stockholm3 and were followed for two years. During the follow-up period, 443 men were diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests. (iStock)
Stockholm3 missed “significantly fewer” serious cancer cases than PSA. The number of men incorrectly classified as high-risk was similar across both tests, according to a press release.
Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a researcher at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, wrote in a statement that one of the major challenges in prostate cancer is being able to identify the cases that are “truly dangerous.”
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“Our results show that Stockholm3 identifies significantly more aggressive cancer cases than PSA without increasing the number of unnecessary follow-ups,” she said.
“These results point toward a potential change in how prostate cancer screening can be conducted,” the researcher added. “A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures.”
“A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures,” a researcher commented. (iStock)
Study co-author Hari Vigneswaran, chief medical officer of Stockholm3-maker A3P Biomedical, commented on these “promising” findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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He confirmed that the PSA has been the standard for prostate cancer screening since the 1990s despite its “well-documented limitations.”
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“It leads to invasive and costly follow-up testing, contributes to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive cancers and, most importantly, it misses a substantial share of aggressive disease,” Vigneswaran said.
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival is close to 100%. (iStock)
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%, which highlights the importance of early detection, according to the doctor.
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Data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database show that metastatic prostate cancer has risen over the past decade, suggesting that “we have not improved early detection of the aggressive, curable disease that screening is meant to catch,” Vigneswaran said.
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“The goal of screening is to find the cancers that need treatment while they are still curable, without raising the number of men who screen positive but don’t have aggressive disease,” he said.
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher. (Getty Images)
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher.
The findings did have some limitations. Stockholm3 is an investigational device and is not available for sale in the U.S., Vigneswaran noted.
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The test estimates a man’s risk of aggressive prostate cancer, but a biopsy remains the gold standard for confirming the disease.
The company plans to seek FDA approval to use the test for routine screening and will “generate the evidence needed to support that pathway, including U.S. data,” Vigneswaran said.
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