Case Conceptualization: Charles Lindbergh

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this case conceptualization may not necessarily reflect the opinions of other mental health professionals.  Any diagnosis presented in a case conceptualization is projected, and many not represent an actual diagnosis given to any individual.  Any diagnosis given in a conceptualization will be from the most up-to-date Diagnostic & Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association (current issue being utilized: DSM V-TR)

            Personally, I find Charles Lindbergh to be a fascinating individual.  His intellect (for those of you who are fans of The Big Bang Theory, he reminds me of Sheldon) coupled with his passion for the skies allowed him to make history and evolve the way humans travel.  As I have suspected however, behind that intellect was a complex human being who had to endure painful psychological experiences yet felt compelled to suppress his feelings in order to pursuing his passion.  So what is there to learn about the Lone Eagle’s mental health, and how does that information teach us about the human condition?  Let’s explore, shall we?...

            As discussed in chapter 1, Charles was born to parents with a significant age difference; while his mother Evangeline was a historically-appropriate age to be raising a child, C.A. Lindbergh had just turned 43 when Charles was born.  This age may not be unusual to see now, however in 1902 this would not have been too common; this coupled with C.A.’s personality may have been a disadvantage for Charles’ development, and to think what Lindbergh could have become had he a more nurturing father.  Charles’ parents’ separation in 1909 was likely the best move for all three, and likely led to the development of an Oedipus Complex relationship with Charles and his mother (it was likely easy for Lindbergh to subconsciously/unconsciously push his father away).

            It was also detailed in chapter 1 that Charles moved to Washington D.C. after his father was elected to Congress, and the struggle he experienced acclimating to the environment.  It is always difficult for children to be uprooted from what they know and love, especially considering Charles had to transition from living in a rural to urban environment; in Lindbergh’s case he was fortunate since his father’s time in Congressional sessions was short-term, and he could return to Minnesota once Congress was at recess.  The shyness present may have only been seen in Washington D.C. and not in Minnesota, which if true would appear more like an Adjustment Disorder than Social Anxiety Disorder.

            Discovering his love of aviation as a child would be the primary protective factor in his life, specifically if he was ever struggling with the separation of his parents or his constant struggle in school he would have something to fixate on and utilize as his escape (we all have something like this in our lives we utilize to overcompensate for areas where we struggle/lack).  The focus on his career later on likely reflects this point, especially after Charles Jr’s kidnapping and murder.

            Because aviation was a brand-new industry in the early 1920’s, Lindbergh likely believed that college was the next step so he had the education required to pursue the path.  Due to his struggles with academia, Charles would have been unlikely to succeed; even after he made the decision to drop out of college, he was still insightful enough to find another way into the industry by enrolling in flying school.  Since academia at the time was not designed to benefit those with a STEM brain (as I believe Lindbergh had), Lindbergh would have likely pivoted to attending a trade school/training program after high school instead, which I believe he would have done had he the foresight.

Charles is now in his element, doing what he is passionate about and engaging with others with the same passion (“Aviation created a brotherhood of casual acquaintances.”)… except reports circulated that he had difficulty connecting with his peers, and this statement just quoted is likely the reason why: he had already framed the interactions as superficial, and did not appear to want to make the effort to solidify alliances in the new industry.  The pattern of social struggle has now been established and solidified as a likely struggle with social anxiety.

            At just 23 years old, Lindbergh received the opportunity of his lifetime when he was hired first as a chief pilot for an aircraft corporation, then received further responsibility of supervising aircraft mail delivery in the Midwest.  Charles now had a career for a lifetime: he could pursue his passion while simultaneously providing a necessary service for his community, however he still was not satisfied…

            The Orteig prize was available to anyone who could successfully fly across the Atlantic.  What made Lindbergh believe he could be the one to make it happen?  My likely hypothesis: sheer intellect and a strategy.  Charles likely was infatuated by the idea of conquering a feat which had never been completed (maybe something like the Star Trek theme expresses: “to boldly go where no man has gone before”).  Just 25 years old, he set out to achieve the impossible and made it seem easy.

            Despite any doubt, Lindbergh accomplished a feat most thought impossible and became a huge celebrity overnight.  In later years, Lindbergh confessed in countless writings that he never expected the level of fame he achieved.  Charles was confident he would be successful and the fact that he was extremely intelligent would lead many to believe that he should have anticipated the possibility of achieving significant fame, however due to the likelihood that he would never have been famous in his career path, no one could have properly prepared him to handle that level of fame.

            So how did Lindbergh handle his fame?  Not well, however he came up with strategies for coping with it to the best of his ability: for example, Lindbergh discussed in his writings how he bought himself a pair of eyeglasses and took the lenses out, then would wear them out so as not to be recognized.  Lindbergh confirmed this strategy worked.  However, he also described a situation in which he and Anne were having dinner in a restaurant in Paris, and were sitting at a table near another American couple who recognized him; Charles overheard the couple discussing Charles Jr., which he later expressed frustration with how rude Americans could be.  Lindbergh also struggled with interviews with the press, which led to his hatred of all media after discovering the sensationalism that came with his words being twisted to sell newspapers (for those who are old enough, do you remember playing Telephone?  How did that go?)  While Lindbergh did not love being famous, he was grateful for the opportunities fame brought.  Charles’ life was content until that fateful night in 1932…

            For those of you who are parents (I am not, so unfortunately I cannot fully connect to this), Charles had to live the nightmare you all try extremely hard to avoid.  Was Charles Jr’s kidnapping and murder a consequence of his fame?  Likely the worst he could have imagined, especially considering the FBI reported that the kidnapping plot had been planned for a year: living in a house that you believe is isolated yet someone located you, then was able to take your sleeping child without your detection.  Once it was determined that Charles Jr was missing, you had every level of authority involved seeking him would likely have let you believe he would be found, then having to deal with receiving excessive ransom notes demanding $50,000 ($1.14 million in May 2025 money) for Charles Jr’s safe return (and this was happening in the midst of the Great Depression), only for his remains to be found six weeks later.  I’m sure Lindbergh wished he relied more on his intellect than emotion to save Charles Jr., however the kidnapper figured out (with or without intention) that him becoming emotional would weaken him (as playing into emotion showcases vulnerability).  Lindbergh then attends court almost every day, watching Bruno Hauptmann’s trial unfold, even having to testify and having to see evidence that reminded him of what had transpired.  Even Hauptmann’s eventual conviction and execution was not enough to keep Lindbergh and his family in the United States, and he himself admitted to moving his family to Europe to escape the emotional torment of the experience.  While he rarely spoke of the experience in his writings, I believe he likely carried the pain with him for the remainder of his life, leading me to believe a trauma disorder is present…

            Charles’s life in Europe was mostly uneventful, however his ties to Germany would haunt him upon the family’s return to the U.S. in spring 1939 and the rise of threat of war in Europe.   After World War II began and it seemed apparent that the U.S. might become involved, Lindbergh thrust himself into preaching neutrality and allowing the European powers to resolve the conflict themselves.  Lindbergh’s involvement in the America First Committee sent many Americans into a tizzy, which led to accusations him of being a Nazi sympathizer.  In his memoir, Lindbergh disclosed that after being awarded the Order of the German Eagle by Hitler that he never wore it again after receiving it, and was unable to return it.  After delivering radio addresses on behalf of the AFC, he confirmed in his journal that the majority of the feedback from the public was positive, so there were some Americans passionate about pacifism.  Based on the information I have accessed, I do not believe he was a Nazi sympathizer; as explained in chapter 7, because Lindbergh spent a few years living in Europe, it gave him a front-row seat to observe the rising tension which in turn gave him an understanding most Americans would not have since many had not spent time there to observe it for themselves.  In the journal he kept during wartime, Lindbergh himself even expressed his confusion as to why Germans rioted against the Jewish people.  As Americans we have seen both now and in retrospect that many of its citizens at that time did not do deeper research or “fact-check” what they were reading because they had faith in what the media was presenting to them, but again sensationalism in the media allowed Americans to be brainwashed into believing what was being presented to them.  As alluded to in chapter 7, the end of WWII brought down the fame meter for Lindbergh, however it appears to me that this likely brought him significant relief; many who encountered him in later years recognized and acknowledged him, but he seemed to handle those encounters much better.  In turn, many who met him recognized his defects of character, as one gentlemen who encountered him at the height of his fame described him as a “funny fellow” and “woman-shy”.

            As WWII comes to an end, Charles is now free to pursue his passions which likely led to greater overall life satisfaction without feeling that the world was on his heels.  Life was peaceful, however a scandal he would bring about in the 1950s that was kept secret until 2003 will make the world question everything we know about Lindbergh and his character…

            In 1957 while staying in Germany as a consultant to commercial airlines and the U.S. Air Force, Lindbergh met Brigitte Hesshaimer, a 31-year-old hatmaker who was living in Munich.  They began seeing each other, and this illegitimate relationship consummated with the birth of three children!  Even though Charles still primarily lived in the U.S., he would visit Brigitte and the children multiple times a year, however would introduce himself to the children as a Mr. Careu Kent.  Surprisingly, Brigitte was not the only “other woman” in Lindbergh’s life; he also had affairs with Brigitte’s sister Marietta as well as Valeska (surname unknown at this time), who was his German translator and private secretary.  Lindbergh sired two children with both women, bringing the number of illegitimate children up to seven (just one more than he welcomed with Anne).  Shortly before his death, Lindbergh penned letters to the three women requesting for them to keep his identity as their children’s father a secret.  While Marietta and Valeska’s respective families have kept quiet on the matter, Brigitte’s children learned the truth and went so far as to take DNA tests, which confirmed Lindbergh’s paternity.

             For someone whom I believe to live with Social Anxiety Disorder, what is there to make of this revelation?  How could someone who appears to struggle in social situations find himself falling in love with a woman not his wife (I know this was common at the time) then having children with said woman, and not just with one woman but with two more?  Unfortunately this is a piece of Lindbergh’s story we will never be able to reveal since he kept it tightly under wraps for the remainder of his life, although part of me wonders if he truly believed these families would keep this secret after his death?  While Brigitte’s children released a book chronicling this story (The Double Life of Charles A Lindbergh, 2005), this would be a difficult source to utilize, as Brigitte might have exaggerated or omitted important details, or the children themselves could emphasize certain elements to capture an audience.

            After consulting with as much information as I can get my hands on, what’s the verdict on Charles Lindbergh’s mental health?  I believe his primary diagnosis is Social Anxiety Disorder.  The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition – Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) provides criteria that allows mental health professionals to determine if a client shows a wide variety of mental health disorders (although the criteria is only a guideline; speaking from my own professional career, I have seen many clients who still have certain diagnoses with symptoms not included as DSM criteria).  The first criteria Lindbergh meets in the Social Anxiety Disorder diagnosis is “the social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety.” (DSM, 229)  At a young age he was described as “painfully shy”, and even as an adult a man who had met him described him as a “funny fellow” and shared his belief that “…the great Lindy is woman-shy.”  Even if Lindbergh himself was unaware of his projection of shyness, he likely would have felt some anxiety in social situations if others could perceive his shyness.  Another criteria that made it likely Charles had social anxiety is “the social situations are avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety.” (DSM, 229)  In his journals, Charles discussed meeting the public after one of his America First Committee speeches: “There are few things I dislike more than shaking hands with an endless line of people.  Your hand gets sore and everybody says silly things because there isn’t time to speak sensibly.” (Lindbergh, 481)  These symptoms lasted at least six months, and while he may not agree, did cause “clinically” significant impairment in his functioning.  Returning to the quote from Lindbergh discussing the beginning of his journey entering flying school: “Aviation created a brotherhood of casual acquaintances.”  Imagine pursuing a dream when you don’t intend on solidifying a network that could help in a field that was in its infancy.  The secondary diagnosis I believe Charles Lindbergh experienced is Unspecified Trauma-and-Stressor-Related Disorder, a diagnosis characterized by any traumatic symptoms that are not explained by any other trauma diagnosis; I believe this diagnosis applies to Lindbergh since he rarely discussed Charles Jr’s kidnapping and murder, and I believe he carried much of this pain with him throughout the remainder of his life that I can imagine him having flashbacks or hypervigilance around dates or objects, especially with the manner in which it all happened.

            One question remains: should Charles Lindbergh’s legacy be one worth remembering?  Yes: the next time you are sitting on a flight, take a quick moment to thank him for your ability to travel around the world in the fastest way possible.