U.S. Sen. John Fetterman praised for going public with depression battle

Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, still recovering from a stroke, has checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment of clinical depression, his office said Monday.

Fetterman, who has been struggling with the after effects of a stroke he suffered in late May, checked himself on Wednesday night, he said.

“While John has suffered from persistent depression throughout his life, it has only worsened in recent weeks,” his chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, said in a statement.

Fetterman was evaluated Monday by the attending physician for Congress, Dr. Brian P. Monahan, who recommended the patient’s treatment at Walter Reed, Jentleson said.

“John agreed, and he voluntarily accepted treatment,” Jentleson said. “After examining John, the doctors at Walter Reed told us that John is getting the treatment he needs, and will be back soon.”

The link of depression is known after stroke

Post-stroke depression is common, with one in three stroke patients suffering from it, and can be treated through anti-depressants and counseling, doctors say.

And it can be even more difficult when it’s dealt with publicly, like Fetterman.

“Having a stroke in itself is devastating and having to recover from a stroke in the public eye only increases the stress level when people are recovering,” said Dr. Bruce Ovbiagele, associate dean and professor of neurology at the University of California. -San Francisco.

Dr. Eric Lenze, head of the department of psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis, said he thinks it’s “interesting and heroic” for a major political figure to admit depression, “instead of saying he’s hospitalized because he’s tired or trying to hide it.”

WATCH l Fetterman beats Dr. Oz in US Senate primary race:

Patrick Kennedy, Democrat of Rhode Island and son of the late senator Edward Kennedy, said he hopes Fetterman’s honesty – and decisive action to get help – will foster more openness between the legislature and the constituents. Patrick Kennedy revealed his struggles with mental health and substance abuse when he crashed his car outside the Capitol after taking a combination of prescription drugs in May 2006.

“This is a moment for us to remove the stigma of depression and anxiety,” said Kennedy, who retired in 2010 and has become a leading voice on mental illness. “Sen. Fetterman could do more for people just by admitting they get help for depression than any bill he sponsors.”

Kennedy said Fetterman could discover “a whole new world of constituencies” when he returns to the Senate, and could help people understand the brain science behind depression.

“This is a teachable moment here,” Kennedy said.

US Surgeon General Vivek Murphy tweeted praise for Fetterman, saying he hoped his “courage will be an example to others.”

Fetterman, 53, said the stroke nearly killed him. He also underwent surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator to manage two heart conditions, atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathy.

He entered the Senate in January after winning the race for a vacant seat over Republican Mehmet Oz, a doctor best known for his television appearances as Dr.

Since then, Fetterman has had to adjust to life in Washington and every day as a member of the federal parliament.

Harder for politicians to hide illness: Raskin

While many members are still reluctant to talk about themselves or their own struggles, some have been more open about mental illness in recent years.

Pennsylvania Representative Susan Wild announced from the House floor in 2019 that her death was a “national emergency” and spoke about her husband, who recently committed suicide.

Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, who was elected in 2020, has said he dropped out of college and at times contemplated death after struggling with depression, substance abuse and grief after losing a friend.

Some lawmakers also opened up about their fear and anxiety after the January 6, 2021 uprising in the Capitol, when many fled for safety. Democratic Representatives Dan Kildee of Michigan and Annie Kuster of New Hampshire both spoke about dealing with post-traumatic stress during that time.

The January 6 attack was another inflection point in the midst of the global pandemic.

“We are living in a time of extraordinary stress and crisis,” said Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who lost his son just a few days before the insurrection and began writing a book about the experience. “We’ve had an epidemic, we’ve had incredible mental and emotional health issues.”

Raskin, who was recently diagnosed with cancer, said there was a time when political leaders had to pretend that grief didn’t touch their own families, “but I don’t think we’re living in that time.”