Now considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, presidents in American history, Abraham Lincoln led the United States through one of the country’s most tumultuous and uncertain times during the Civil War. And although the leaders of nations are seen as strong and courageous figures and as role models through their strengths, it’s important to also place a focus on the struggles that these leaders faced, and how they overcame it to achieve the greatness we see on the surface. It’s these weaknesses we can use to learn from and apply in our own lives to better ourselves and keep the legacy of great leaders like Lincoln alive.
Although Abraham Lincoln faced great political strife with the Civil War, one of his greatest battles was a personal one: depression. It’s been said that Abraham Lincoln’s depression stemmed from personal losses dating back to his childhood. In his book The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln, Michael Burlingame states that the death of Lincoln’s mother was a lowlight of his lifelong sense of melancholy. Grief can, in some cases, lead to mental illness. Although not everyone who loses a loved one will develop a mental condition, losing someone close to you is a dramatic life change and ushers you into a time of high emotional risk and vulnerability, and the loss can serve as a trigger for conditions including but not limited chronic depression, anxiety, and alcohol or substance abuse.
Grief can lead to extremely intense feelings such as sadness, pain, detachment, and low self-esteem. Lincoln lost his brother at 3, and his mother at nine along with several other family members. He lost his friend to Typhoid fever in 1835.
While discussing mental health openly was uncommon during Lincoln’s time, there are documented instances where he expressed thoughts of suicide. Suicidal ideation is a symptom of severe depression and should be taken seriously. Lincoln’s writings and personal accounts indicate that he wrestled with feelings of despair and contemplated ending his own life, and his neighbor once said Lincoln told him he felt like committing suicide often, leading to neighbors and friends keeping an eye on him.
Nevertheless, Lincoln had a great desire to find meaning in his life and be productive in his pursuits, spending time in solitude and contemplation to make crucial life decisions and to grow in wisdom. He started making daily routines for himself, learning that having a routine, whether it be for work or just a simple to-do list, helped him move forward.
Lincoln further used coping mechanisms to navigate through his darkest moments, using his sense of humor, storytelling, and writing poetry and reading as an outlet for his emotions. Additionally, the support and companionship of his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, played a significant role in helping him weather the storms of depression, emphasizing the importance in having a support crew, whether it be just one person or a group of people.
Lincoln’s humor was known to be an embodiment of his personality. Although Lincoln is portrayed as calm, composed, and stoic, the humorous and jovial Lincoln portrayed by historians and experts serves to represent his inner self. In fact, according to historians, when photographers took photos of Lincoln, he had to hold his pose for 30 seconds or longer because he would often smirk or laugh. His closest friends spoke of his jovial and humorous expression and his profound belly laughter, especially during his storytelling, when he would break out laughing before even getting to the punch line. Lincoln’s humor can be seen as a way of him coping with his mental health struggles.
Coping mechanisms like these can do wonders in improving someone’s mental health. Abraham Lincoln’s personal battles with depression and suicidal ideation shed light on the universality of mental health struggles, even among those who achieve great heights. By understanding Lincoln’s journey, we recognize the importance of acknowledging and addressing mental health issues with compassion and empathy. While Lincoln’s ultimate legacy rests on his extraordinary leadership and his contributions to American history, it is crucial to remember the challenges he faced internally and the resilience he demonstrated in the face of his mental health battles.
To learn more about Abraham Lincoln’s bout with mental health and how he managed it, try these sources, as well as those linked in the article:
2 responses to “How One of America’s Greatest Leaders Managed his Mental Health”
Good job Sizan Bhaia
Learned a lot and like it..Thanks!