# What presidents, if any were drug addicts, alcoholics or mentally ill while in office **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037 "2012-05-06T01:03:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/1 "2012-05-06T01:03:05Z")
I think Lincoln had depression. Grant was an alcoholic, but was he an alcoholic in office? I think we all know about Jimmy Carter and his addiction to whippets, so lets not even go into that one. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/2 "2012-05-06T01:54:56Z")
Reagan was pretty messed up after he got shot. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/3 "2012-05-06T02:19:08Z")
Kennedy was addicted to pain killers. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/4 "2012-05-06T02:30:44Z")
George Washington toked up. ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/5 "2012-05-06T02:31:34Z")
I don’t think historians are in total agreement about Grant’s alcoholism. Many consider the stories of his drinking as rumors started by his political enemies. He did have a few episodes of public drunkenness, but whether or not he drank daily is questionable. Especially by the time he was president he seemed to not have a drinking problem. Franklin Pierce on the other hand was an outright alcoholic. It destroyed his career and eventually killed him. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/6 "2012-05-06T03:20:46Z")
Just to get it out of the way, Andrew Johnson was thought to be an alcoholic by most of Washington, but actually rarely drank and not to excess. The one time he did (as a cure for a cold) happened to be his inauguration as vice president, so everyone though he was a drunk. I think Nixon showed signs of depression and possibly paranoia during the Watergate scandal; Henry Kissinger was seriously concerned about what he might do. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/7 "2012-05-06T03:37:28Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I think Nixon showed signs of depression and possibly paranoia during the Watergate scandal; Henry Kissinger was seriously concerned about what he might do. I also think his record shows him a paranoid asshole, whatever personality disorder that’s classified under these days. He let a lot of his worst emotions take control to the point it destroyed him; it’s like we elected Othello. Smart man but he lost his grip entirely. There’s been talk that Reagan had Alzheimer’s while in office. I don’t know how serious those claims are, or whether they’re considered valid. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/8 "2012-05-06T03:42:19Z")
> [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](#): > > Franklin Pierce on the other hand was an outright alcoholic. It destroyed his career and eventually killed him. I did not know that. Did any of his descendents go into politics and/or drink? Kissinger describes Nixon as drunk on occasions. I also seem to recall that he was taking a prescription psych med while in office that only came to light after his death. ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/9 "2012-05-06T03:56:25Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I did not know that. Did any of his descendents go into politics. . . All three of his sons died in childhood. The oldest survived to age 11 when he was decapitated in a train derailment while Pierce and his wife watched. There is obviously much speculation that this event sent him into a downward spiral. It clearly ruined his wife’s mental health. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/10 "2012-05-06T04:02:09Z")
Woodrow Wilson had a stroke towards the end of his presidency that left him virtually incapacitated, mentally and physically. His wife was pretty much in charge of him. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/11 "2012-05-06T04:09:10Z")
There’s been plenty of speculation about George W. Bush’s drinking. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George\_W.\_Bush\_substance\_abuse\_controversy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush_substance_abuse_controversy) ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/12 "2012-05-06T04:17:10Z")
Does Narcissistic personality disorder count? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/13 "2012-05-06T04:18:47Z")
Wasn’t William McKinley hooked on cocaine? ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/14 "2012-05-06T04:30:18Z")
There is this from ABC News: > **[JFK Took Many Drugs for Secret Health Problems](https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=125593&page=1#.T6X9hsXdbZg)** It probably doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/15 "2012-05-06T04:43:30Z")
JFK definitely-morphine addict and possibly a sex addict too. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/16 "2012-05-06T05:47:48Z")
Nixon was taking a mild pharmaceutical sedative given to him(illegally) by someone. I recall this mentioned with irony for the man who ramped up the drug war was a scofflaw himself. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/17 "2012-05-06T06:53:52Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > There’s been plenty of speculation about George W. Bush’s drinking. > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George\_W.\_Bush\_substance\_abuse\_controversy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush_substance_abuse_controversy) Wasn’t he about 3/4ths of the way shitfaced when he grabbed Merkel by her shoulders at the meeting in Germany? IIRC, there was a beer in front of him at the table. ---
**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/18 "2012-05-06T09:24:38Z")
All presidents: addicted to lying. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/19 "2012-05-06T09:42:09Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > JFK definitely-morphine addict and possibly a sex addict too. I don’t know about morphine, but JFK had a personal “doctor feelgood” (Dr. Max Jacobson) who provided JFK with injections of various drugs, including amphetamines, steroids, and other drugs. Dr. Jacobson nearly killed Mickey Mantle (gave an injection with a dirty needle), and had his medical license lifted. Lyndon Johnson was an alcoholic, and Bill Clinton was clearly unbalanced (the Monica Lewinsky affair). ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037/20 "2012-05-06T09:48:16Z")
Keep in mind that 200 years ago drinking was far more prevalent than it is today. People, or many of them, thought alcohol was healthy, keep you warm, improved your digestion and other benefits. John Quincy Adams started every day with a draft of hard cider. I don’t think anyone seriously regards him as a hard drinker but what would we say if Obama or Romney did the same. Also water was not always healthy, it was often polluted and germ theory wasn’t well understood. People drank more because experience had taught them that the fermentation of alcohol killed germs. > **[Colonial Williamsburg | The World's Largest Living History Museum](https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/)** > > Experience the largest outdoor educational living museum in the country, through immersive and authentic 18th-century programming for our guests. My understanding is that James Monroe had some problems with alcohol although he got a grip on the problem. Grant was certainly forced out of the Army before the civil war, he was stationed in an isolated outpost, hated his commanding officer and was separated from his wife. He had some binges during the civil war during moments when there was nothing going on and he was separated from his wife. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-presidents-if-any-were-drug-addicts-alcoholics-or-mentally-ill-while-in-office/621037.md?page=2)