Did Any US Presidents Have OCD?

February 16th is President's Day. I am wondering how many of our Presidents have had OCD? I guess we will never really know. I do know that many of our Presidents suffered with depression and anxiety, which are co-existing conditions. I was looking around the Internet and came across this..."If you suffer from stress and anxiety disorders, you are not alone. Many famous people also suffered or have suffered from the same or similar illness. A survey shows that 49% (18 out of 37) of US Presidents from 1776 to 1974 suffered from mental disorder. The most common disorders are depression (24%), anxiety (8%), bipolar disorder (8%), and alcohol abuse/dependence (8%). ¹"

One well known presidential depression sufferer was Abraham Lincoln, who many consider our greatest President. If you want to read about it, check out From Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness Copyright © 2005 by Joshua Wolf Shenk. Shenk says that many people in Lincoln's family suffered from a variety of mental issues, and that he often had thoughts of suicide. To me it is quite an accomplishment that Lincoln was able to function as he did and turn the destiny of our nation. I will write more about our Presidents tomorrow.

I hope that you have a great President's Day!