Mental health is (unfortunately) an extremely stigmatized subject here in the United States. For far too long, folks have written off serious health conditions like depression and anxiety as people being whiny or lazy. In reality, mental health can be—and is—just as debilitating as physical health. It’s just as important when it comes to quality of life. And that can be especially true if you live with marginalized identities or barriers to accessible and affordable mental health care and treatment.
With this in mind, it really is brave and inspiring of Democratic Sen. John Fetterman to share the reason he’s voluntarily checked himself into the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, as of Wednesday night, as reported by CNN.
According to a statement from his Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson, Fetterman, who is a freshman senator for Pennsylvania, checked himself into the facility in order to “receive treatment for clinical depression.”
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“On Monday, John was evaluated by Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress,” the statement reads in part. “Yesterday, Dr. Monahan recommended inpatient care at Walter Reed. John agreed, and he is receiving treatment on a voluntary basis.”
The same statement noted that Fetterman has lived with depression “off and on” over the years. But it’s become “severe” more recently.
His wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, shared a statement on Twitter on Thursday saying she’s “so proud” of him for seeking help.
“After what he’s been through in the past year, there’s probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John,” she wrote in part. “I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs.” She also (understandably) asked for folks to respect their family’s privacy at this time.
She went on to say, “This is a difficult time for our family, so please respect our privacy.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also took to Twitter to openly support Fetterman, saying that “millions of Americans” live with depression every day, and that he is glad his colleague is getting the help he “needs and deserves.”
New York Rep. Ritchie Torres also tweeted his support and shared that he’d been hospitalized for depression himself in 2020.
Fellow Democrat from New York, Rep. Yvette Clarke, also shared support for Fetterman.
Being open about mental health is always brave. But it’s perhaps especially so in Fetterman’s specific situation, as he suffered a stroke in May 2022 and faced a stunning amount of judgment and scrutiny while on the campaign trail. He experienced speech impairments, for example, and thanks to cultural and societal ableism, a lot of folks questioned his ability to win his seat. But he defeated Mehmet Oz easily in the end.