Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman recently disclosed his belief that his political career was at risk when he sought treatment for depression at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Fetterman, in a segment aired on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” expressed his concerns about the public’s reaction to his mental health struggles.
“Well, when— when it got released where I was and where it was going, it was — it was a big story,” Fetterman said. “And so, I had assumed that that would be the end of my career. And I don’t know what that — what kind of impact that would have on my family or anything, so I — I really didn’t know what would happen at that point.”
NBC’s Kristen Welker had inquired if Fetterman harbored worries about openly discussing his mental health and depression, particularly in February when it became public knowledge that he had checked into Walter Reed. Fetterman responded with a focus on the potential positive impact of his openness.
“And it would be my goal to … if somebody could hear this kind of a message and this conversation that we’re having might make a different choice,” Fetterman told Welker. “And that’s why — I’m sure I never thought at any point in my life that it would be a career boon to talk about these kinds of topics.”
Fetterman further elaborated on his experiences leading up to his decision to seek help. He recounted having “dark conversations” with himself about self-harm and described December 2022 as a particularly challenging time when he struggled to get out of bed.
“People hear all their lives about ‘I can’t get out of bed,’ and you really can’t understand what that really means. You can’t get out of bed until it happens to you. And it did,” he explained. His family, particularly his children and wife, were significantly affected by his condition.
As a member of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, Fetterman is committed to increasing awareness about mental health issues and reducing the stigma associated with seeking help for depression and mental health. He shared his own skepticism about treatment and its effectiveness, emphasizing his personal journey of recovery.
“And I would say to the biggest skeptic in the world: ‘I was that person. Oh, it’s not going to work. It’s not going to change. This is how I’ve always been,’” he said. “But I was wrong. And it does work. And if it can work for me — because I was absolutely convinced that there is no coming back — then that means, I think, it would be applicable to 99% of people out there that could hear this.”
Nearly a year after his stay at Walter Reed, Fetterman remains vocal about mental health, aiming to assist others facing similar challenges.
“It’s a risk that I wanted to take because I wanted to help people and know that I don’t want them to suffer the way — or put any kinds of despair that I’ve been in. And if that conversation helps, then that’s — I’m going to continue to do that,” he concluded.
