Senator speaks out about his struggle with depression | CNN Politics

Senator Fetterman Opens Up About His Struggle with Depression in Rare Interview.

Pennsylvania Democratic Senator John Fetterman has spoken candidly about his struggles with depression, sparking a conversation around mental health and the pressures of high office.

The 50-year-old senator was interviewed by CBS News for an exclusive segment on Sunday evening. During the conversation, he revealed that he had been experiencing symptoms of depression since he left politics in 2007 after winning re-election to the state Senate.

"I've always been a pretty happy guy," Senator Fetterman said. "But after I got out of office, I started feeling like I was losing myself, and I couldn't find my way back."

Senator Fetterman's struggles with depression are all too familiar for many Americans. He has spoken about how the intense scrutiny of his life can be overwhelming, making it difficult to navigate everyday challenges.

"I've been under a microscope since I got elected," he said. "I think that played a big role in my downward spiral."

The senator acknowledged that seeking help was not always easy. In fact, he admitted that he struggled with suicidal thoughts during this period.

"It's funny, because when you're running for office, people are so focused on your policies and your qualifications, but nobody ever asks about your mental health," Senator Fetterman said. "And if I'm being honest, it was a real struggle to find the right words."

Senator Fetterman emphasized that mental health awareness is crucial in addressing depression.

"We need to talk more openly about our struggles," he urged. "We need to create safe spaces for people to share their stories and seek help without fear of judgment or repercussions."
 
πŸ˜” Mental health is like, soooo important fam πŸ€—. I mean, we all think politicians are always on top of their game, but honestly, they got feelings too πŸ’•. John Fetterman's story is a good reminder that even when you're in high office, you can still struggle with stuff πŸ˜”. And yeah, it's wild how people only care about your policies and qualifications until something goes down πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. We need more open conversations about mental health so people don't feel like they're alone πŸ’¬.
 
😐 I'm glad Senator Fetterman is speaking out about his struggles with depression, it's a big deal that someone in such a high profile position is being honest about their mental health. 🀝 But at the same time, it's kinda sad that he had to go through all this alone, without people asking him about it when he was running for office. πŸ™„ I mean, we should be talking more openly about our mental health, but like, how many times do you have to put your own well being on the backburner before someone takes notice? πŸ€” Still, I'm happy that he's using his platform to spread awareness and create safe spaces for people to share their stories. πŸ’– It's a step in the right direction, even if it's about 20 years too late for him 😊
 
omg I'm so glad he's speaking out πŸ™ his story is so real it's like, we don't talk enough about mental health in politics especially when you're running for office or already in a high position. I feel like everyone's always focused on the policy stuff but what about the person behind it? Senator Fetterman's struggle with depression is super relatable imo and I'm loving that he's using his platform to bring awareness to the issue πŸ’‘
 
Ugh, another politician spilling their tea about their mental health issues πŸ€•... I mean, good on them for being open and all, but can't we just have a decent app where we can track our own moods instead of relying on politicians to speak out? And what's with the "losing yourself" vibe? πŸ™„ It's like they're trying to make it sound like everyone else is perfect except for them... and honestly, it's kinda depressing πŸ˜”.
 
🀯 you guys, I'm like super worried about our politicians πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ, they're human too, and they can struggle with depression just like us! πŸ’” it's so important that we create a culture where they feel comfortable talking about their mental health without fear of judgment. 🀝 as someone who's always trying to stay organized and productive πŸ˜…, I can relate to feeling overwhelmed and lost for words when things get too much. it's time for us to support our leaders in seeking help and prioritizing their well-being πŸ’•, maybe we can even start a conversation about mental health awareness in the workplace πŸ“šπŸ’Ό
 
Ugh, can we talk about how the scrutiny thing is still so hard on politicians even after they leave office? 🀯 I mean, Fetterman's been open about his depression struggles and it's like, good for him that he is, but at the same time, can't we just have a conversation about mental health without making it all about how being in public office is super tough? πŸ™„ It feels like politicians are always stuck between keeping their personal stuff private and not being able to talk about it because of the spotlight. And then there's this line "It's funny, because when you're running for office..." which just feels like a reminder that even if they're trying to be honest, their mental health struggles still get reduced to something about being in politics. Can't we just have a conversation about mental health without bringing up the whole "being a politician" thing? πŸ€”
 
πŸ˜” its so brave of john fetterman to share his struggles with depression, especially after being in the public eye for so long πŸ’― it makes me feel like im not alone when im feeling overwhelmed & struggling to find myself 🀯 mental health is everything we need more people like senator fetterman speaking up about it & more safe spaces created for us to talk about our feelings without fear of judgment ❀️ let's keep spreading awareness & support for each other πŸ’•
 
I'm thinking, like, what's up with politicians not talking about their mental health stuff? I mean, John Fetterman is basically saying that it was super hard for him to deal with the pressure after he left office. He had suicidal thoughts, which is wild. 🀯 And he's right, people don't ask about your mental health when you're running for office. It's all about policies and qualifications. But, like, what about their well-being? We should be supporting them more, not just their campaign promises.

I've been reading a lot about mental health lately, and it's crazy how stigmatized it is in politics. I think Fetterman is a great example of someone who's speaking out and being honest about his struggles. It takes courage to do that. And I'm with him on this - we need more open conversations about mental health, not just in politics but everywhere. 🀝 We should be creating safe spaces for people to share their stories without fear of judgment or repercussions. It's a good thing he's speaking out now because it might help others who are struggling too. πŸ’ͺ
 
depressing stuff πŸ€• like we really needed another politician spilling their guts about mental health. but seriously, can't we just talk openly about it already? like, isn't that what therapy is for? btw, 2007? that's ancient in politics years πŸ˜‚. also, "losing myself" after leaving office? sounds like a fancy way of saying they couldn't handle not being a public figure πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. but honestly, gotta give the guy credit for trying to break down stigmas and create safe spaces for others to talk about their struggles πŸ’‘
 
OMG, I'm like super glad Senator Fetterman is speaking up about his struggles with depression πŸ™! It's so true that mental health is not always discussed openly, especially in high-profile positions. Like, people are more focused on the candidate's policies and qualifications than their own well-being πŸ˜”. It's crazy how he had to deal with suicidal thoughts and struggling to find help because of it πŸ’”.

We need more leaders like Senator Fetterman who are willing to talk about their struggles and encourage others to do the same πŸ—£οΈ! Mental health awareness is so important, and we should be creating safe spaces for people to share their stories without fear of judgment. I'm all about DIY solutions, but sometimes you just need a professional help β˜•οΈ. Anyway, kudos to Senator Fetterman for being honest and opening up about his struggles πŸ’ͺ!
 
πŸ˜” I feel so bad for John Fetterman, you know? He's always been this strong and happy guy, but depression can sneak up on anyone. πŸ€• I've had my own struggles with anxiety, and it's like this constant companion that you just wanna shake off. But honestly, it's not that easy. πŸ’”

What really struck me was how tough it was for him to open up about his mental health struggles. Like, he's a politician, for goodness' sake! You'd think they're all super supportive and understanding, but I guess even politicians struggle with the same stuff as everyone else πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ.

I'm so glad he's using his platform to raise awareness about depression and mental health. We need more people like him speaking out, not just in politics, but in our everyday lives too. It's time we break down that stigma around mental illness and start having open conversations about it πŸ’¬.
 
OMG, I'm so glad Senator Fetterman is speaking up about his struggles with depression πŸ€—πŸ’–. It's like, we need more people in positions of power talking openly about mental health, you know? It's still such a stigmas surrounding it, and it's like, so not okay πŸ™…β€β™€οΈ.

I mean, I can totally relate to feeling lost and uncertain after leaving something big behind. It's like, your identity is tied up in that thing, you know? And the scrutiny can be overwhelming πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. But seeking help is SO important, and it's not weak at all πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ.

I love that he's pushing for more open conversations about mental health, though πŸ—£οΈ. We do need to create safe spaces where people feel comfortable sharing their struggles and getting support without fear of judgment 😌. And let's be real, it's not just about him - it's about all of us who are struggling with our own mental health 🀝.
 
πŸ€” I'm glad Sen Fetterman is speaking out about his struggles with depression, it's a huge step in normalizing mental health conversations πŸ’–. But, I gotta say, I feel like we're still not doing enough to support our lawmakers and public figures 🀝. If he had access to the right resources and support back then, maybe things wouldn't be so tough for him now πŸ™. And let's be real, it's easy to talk about mental health awareness when you're in a position of power πŸ’ͺ. What about the everyday people who are struggling but don't have the platform to speak out? We need more than just words, we need action πŸš€.
 
idk wut else 2 say lol, senator fetterman's story rly touched me πŸ€—. i feel like we dont talk enuf about mental health n politics... its all about the policies nd qualifications but wot about ur mental wellbng?! u gotta take care of urself 1st b4 u can even think bout helpin others 🀝. im glad hes speakin out nd startin a convo w/ ppl abt it πŸ‘
 
I'm so done with politicians talking about their mental health struggles πŸ™„. Like, I get it, depression is real, but can't we just focus on the issues at hand instead of having a therapy session on live TV? πŸ’β€β™€οΈ It's all about optics and public image now. And honestly, I think Senator Fetterman's got a point that mental health awareness is crucial, but let's not make it all about him πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. What about the rest of us who aren't in the spotlight? Shouldn't we be having this conversation too? πŸ’¬
 
I feel so bad for Senator Fetterman, struggling with depression and feeling like he lost himself after leaving politics πŸ€•. It's crazy how mental health awareness is still not on everyone's radar, especially in high office πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. I think it's awesome that he's speaking out and bringing attention to this important issue πŸ’‘. We need more people to talk openly about their struggles and seek help without fear of judgment 🀝. It's a tough subject to discuss, but I think it's a necessary conversation to have πŸ—£οΈ.
 
just watched senator fetterman's interview πŸ€• and it's heartbreaking how intense scrutiny can affect your mental health, especially in public life... like, we know ppl are worried about policies and qualifications but what about the person behind those words? πŸ€” it's crazy he struggled with suicidal thoughts after leaving office 😱 and now he's speaking out to raise awareness... hope more ppl take his words seriously πŸ’¬
 
man this is so relatable 😩 senator fetterman's story is like a mirror held up to all of us who've been struggling in silence... I mean who hasn't felt like they're losing themselves after some major life change? 🀯 for me it's when I transitioned from gaming pro to full-time content creator lol, but same feels. and can we talk about how hard it is to even acknowledge your own struggles with mental health? I've seen so many people downplay their feelings or pretend like everything is fine just to avoid the conversation πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ but honestly that's exactly what makes it harder to get help 🚫
 
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