Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman recently opened up about his experience with depression, which prompted him to take a leave of absence from the Senate. Fetterman returned to the Senate after undergoing treatment for depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for six weeks. In an interview with People Magazine, he said that he did not believe his depression was “significant enough to go get help” for years.
Fetterman said his Senate campaign against Republican challenger Mehmet Oz “accelerated” his depression. His debate with Oz on Oct. 25 was when the depression started to kick in, he said, adding that he remembers reviews describing his performance as a “disaster.” At the time, Fetterman was recovering from a stroke in May and was facing communication challenges as a result of the stroke, on which Republican critics pounced.
However, Fetterman has no regrets about his decision to participate in the debate, saying, “I believe that I had a responsibility to do the debate.” After that point, he said, “that was where the depression really started to set in.” Even on election night, Fetterman’s wife, Gisele Fetterman, noticed that the now-senator was not as happy as someone would expect him to be.
Fetterman recounted that when he was swearing in to his new position on Capitol Hill, his “depression was in full force.” Shortly after he was sworn in, he decided to do something to address his mental health and ultimately made the decision to check himself in to Walter Reed.
At the hospital, Fetterman recalls being surrounded by people who were dealing with far worse physical and mental health issues than his own. He was humbled by their courage and realized that he had to focus on himself rather than worry about what other people thought of him. With the help of medical professionals, Fetterman was able to get his depression under control and is now determined to raise awareness for mental health in order to give hope to those struggling with similar battles.
Fetterman has since become an advocate for mental health reform, speaking out against stigma surrounding mental illness as well as highlighting how it affects everyone regardless of age or race. He believes strongly in destigmatizing conversations around mental health so that more individuals feel comfortable talking about their struggles and seeking help if necessary. Ultimately, Fetterman’s story serves as a reminder that no matter what our circumstances may be, we can all take steps towards improving our own wellbeing which will benefit both ourselves and society at large.
Fetterman’s depression went into remission, and he decided to check out of Walter Reed last month once he started to feel joyful about life instead of just feeling that it is “bearable.” He is grateful for the experience and encourages others to seek help if they are struggling with depression. “I don’t care if you’re a liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, we all can be depressed — and we all can get made healthier,” he said. “Go to the doctor or whoever you’re able to. Address your depression. I was skeptical it would make anything better, but it did. It works. And I’m so grateful.”