After spending weeks in hospital for depression, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) says he is pleading with people struggling with mental health to seek treatment.
“Please. Go find your cure. It works and it saved me from anguish,” Fetterman said in an interview with MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough.
Fetterman returned to the Senate last month after undergoing six weeks of treatment for depression at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
The senator, who suffered a stroke in last year’s election campaign, said the competition with Republican challenger Mehmet Oz had “accelerated” his depression, and when he took office in his new position, his “The depression was totally strong,” he said this year.
“It’s not about who’s tough and who’s not,” Fetterman said, adding that men in particular only ask for help when they need it.
He said he would never forget his decision to go to Walter Reed, saying his thoughts were: He was skeptical but wanted to “give it one last chance.”
His wife, Gisele, has previously said that on election night last year, Mr. Fetterman pointed out that he was not as happy with the victory as he expected.
“That’s the dark side of depression. It makes you feel like you lost when you could have won,” Fetterman said. “I’m lying there watching this hurt my kids because they were confused. They thought why wouldn’t you be happy just because you won?” I guess.”
The senator said another contributing factor to the depression was the “social media bombardment” directed at family members.
“I’ll let you go whatever you want me to do, but my family knows.
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