Lincoln Letter to John Stuart

[wsanto]

I am not a psychiatrist but I believe Lincoln had a melancholic personality type. This is a defined personality type that it characterized by introspection, intelligence,deep thought, an orderly manner (for Lincoln this is demonstrated in his organized thinking and writing and communicating), loyalty to family and friends and society, and a desire to avoid conflict and please others. Melancholics aren't overtly sad or depressed but can be confused as such. They typically have lower than normal seratonin levels. Seratonin is a neurotransmitter that is associated with mood and mood disorders. A lot of modern antidepressants work by increasing seratonin levels in the brain.

I believe that he also suffered from episodic Reactive Depression. Reactive Depression is an acute form of clinical depression that is directly related to a traumatic life event. It is a self-limiting process that resolves as the sufferer begins to learn to cope with the event. At times it is treated by clinicians when it is severe or prolonged (sorry Roger).

Unlike Major Depression, Reactive Depression it is not a chronic condition (although it may be recurrent). Melancholics, with their lower than normal seratonin levels, presumably, may be more prone to deeper and more severe bouts of Reactive Depression.