Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, has opened up about his struggle with depression in an exclusive interview with CBS.
The senator, who won a tight election last month, revealed that he had been experiencing symptoms of depression for months before the election. He described it as a "downward spiral," where he couldn't get out of bed or perform even basic tasks.
Fetterman spoke candidly about how his mental health struggles affected his family and his ability to connect with voters during the campaign trail. He stated, "I was in a dark place, I wasn't able to show up for my family, I wasn't able to be present for myself."
The senator emphasized that he has been seeking treatment for depression since 2019, after his mother's death from cancer. He credited his wife and medical professionals with helping him find the right treatment plan.
Fetterman also acknowledged that his experience highlights the importance of mental health in politics. "We need to talk about this more," he said. "We need to normalize it. We need to make sure that we're not stigmatizing mental illness."
In an effort to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness, Fetterman has become an advocate for mental health awareness and advocacy. He plans to continue fighting for increased funding for mental health services and promoting policies that support vulnerable populations.
As a senator, Fetterman aims to bring attention to this crucial issue and create positive change in his community. His openness about his struggles with depression is inspiring others to speak out and take action against the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Fetterman's courageous conversation highlights the need for politicians to prioritize their own mental health and well-being, while also addressing the growing mental health crisis in the country.
The senator, who won a tight election last month, revealed that he had been experiencing symptoms of depression for months before the election. He described it as a "downward spiral," where he couldn't get out of bed or perform even basic tasks.
Fetterman spoke candidly about how his mental health struggles affected his family and his ability to connect with voters during the campaign trail. He stated, "I was in a dark place, I wasn't able to show up for my family, I wasn't able to be present for myself."
The senator emphasized that he has been seeking treatment for depression since 2019, after his mother's death from cancer. He credited his wife and medical professionals with helping him find the right treatment plan.
Fetterman also acknowledged that his experience highlights the importance of mental health in politics. "We need to talk about this more," he said. "We need to normalize it. We need to make sure that we're not stigmatizing mental illness."
In an effort to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness, Fetterman has become an advocate for mental health awareness and advocacy. He plans to continue fighting for increased funding for mental health services and promoting policies that support vulnerable populations.
As a senator, Fetterman aims to bring attention to this crucial issue and create positive change in his community. His openness about his struggles with depression is inspiring others to speak out and take action against the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Fetterman's courageous conversation highlights the need for politicians to prioritize their own mental health and well-being, while also addressing the growing mental health crisis in the country.
. I mean, Fetterman's been dealing with depression since 2019, which is already a long time... how many others are just quietly suffering? And what about all the people who don't have access to good mental health services like he did? It feels like politicians are just using their platforms to virtue signal instead of actually making real change 
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. What about all those years between 2019 and last month? Where was his therapy then? Or was he really struggling with depression back then, or was it just a cover story for something else? I'm not saying he didn't have some mental health issues, but come on, let's not take everything at face value 
. This is like the perfect example of how the establishment wants to control the narrative and make us feel sorry for them while they're still making decisions that benefit themselves 
I think its so cool that John Fetterman is being super open about his depression struggles, like, who wouldn't want to talk about it? 
Mental health affects so many people and hes doing a great job of raising awareness about it. He's not just talking about it in politics but actually doing something about it too 
I'm loving how Fetterman just broke down those barriers and shared his real story 
about living with depression. It's like, we all know it's a thing, but to hear someone as influential as him talking about it openly is a total game-changer 
. His willingness to be vulnerable and honest about his struggles is so inspiring – I'm already feeling motivated to speak up too 
! And I think this is what needs more discussion in politics, you know? Like, mental health isn't just something you deal with on your own, it's a real thing that affects everyone 
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It takes a lot of courage to talk about your mental health, especially when it's not always easy for people to do so 
I think this is super important because we need more politicians who are willing to be vulnerable and honest about their own struggles 
might b more 2 do with politics n all than just helpin people...
. I mean, we already struggle with getting people to take their physical health seriously why can't we do the same for our minds? 
Fetterman's openness is really inspiring and I love that he's using his platform to raise awareness and push for change 
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. Can't wait to see what other changes he brings to the table 
But for him, it was a "downward spiral" and basically paralyzed him. Interesting that he credits his treatment plan to his wife and medical pros... what specific treatments did they recommend? 
And how's he planning on normalizing mental health in politics? Is this just PR or is there actual change happening? 
we need more politicians like him who are willing to talk about their mental health and prioritize their well-being. It's time for us to break the stigma surrounding mental illness and make it okay to ask for help