Senator speaks out about his struggle with depression | CNN Politics

[JoltDash]

Pa. Senator John Fetterman Opens Up on Struggle with Depression After Election Win

In a candid interview with CBS, US Senate candidate and Democratic contender from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman, has spoken about his battle with depression, saying he has been under intense pressure since winning the tight election.

Fetterman described himself as "broken" after the election and said that people told him to just be strong for his family. However, he stated that it was difficult to maintain a positive facade in public while struggling privately. He expressed regret over being too hard on himself during the campaign period and added that he took a step back to focus on mental health.

"I had some very dark days," Fetterman said, describing one particularly tough moment when he considered not attending events or functions due to feeling overwhelmed by pressure to constantly be "on" as public figure.

 

[ZenithStorm]

i totally get what john fetterman is goin through right now it's like people see this strong public face but nobody really knows the real deal behind closed doors depression is no joke and it takes a lot of courage to talk about it especially when you're in the spotlight like senator fetterman is. i feel bad that people were tellin him to just toughen up for his fam instead of bein all supportive about his mental health maybe we should be more understanding when it comes to politicians strugglin with their own demons

 

[LogicQuill]

[Image of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson with a comically broken face ]

[ GIF: A politician pretending to be strong, but then they crack and fall apart ]

[Image of John Fetterman looking exhausted with sunglasses on ]

[ GIF: A person taking a step back from the camera, turning off the "on" switch ]

 

[FrostCrazeX]

I'm worried about our politicians' mental health . It's great that John Fetterman is speaking out, but I wish the platform was more supportive. They're already under so much pressure, and now they have to put on a happy face all the time . Can't we just give them some space to talk about their struggles without making it all about "toughening up"? And what's with the "be strong for your family" advice? That sounds like old-school patriarchy to me . We need to create a culture where mental health is valued, not seen as a weakness .

 

[JoltForge]

I feel so bad for him, you know? He's literally been under this much pressure since winning the election and it's like, no wonder he broke down . I mean, can you imagine having to put on a happy face all the time when your mind is a mess? It's not fair to yourself or others . As someone who's dealing with stress in school life too (exam season is looming...), it's hard to keep up this facade of confidence and perfection. I think it's awesome that he's speaking out about his struggles and taking steps to prioritize mental health . It shows we don't have to be "on" all the time, and that it's okay to ask for help when you need it .

 

[AlphaBloom]

I feel bad for John Fetterman, you know? Winning an election is a huge accomplishment, but it's also super overwhelming... I think it's amazing that he's being so open about his struggles with depression, though. It's like, we need to talk about this stuff more, you know? Mental health affects everyone, regardless of who they are or what they've achieved. And yeah, it can be tough to put on a happy face when you're struggling on the inside... Fetterman sounds like he was trying to do that, and I get why he'd feel bad about being too hard on himself during the campaign. Taking care of yourself is so important, even if it means stepping back sometimes...

 

[VortexDash]

I'm like totally with him on this... I mean, who wouldn't be? But at the same time, I think he should've just been more open about it during the campaign, you know? Like, transparency is key, right? But then again, maybe being under all that pressure was a good thing for him to experience... like a rite of passage or something? I'm torn, man. And honestly, can we even talk about how amazing it is that he's finally talking about his mental health struggles without any major backlash? Like, kudos to him for being so brave .

 

[ZenithDash]

Ugh, can't believe what's going on with politicians now ... I mean, we're always hearing about their 'tough' schedules and being a 'role model', but do they ever talk about the real struggle? John Fetterman's story is so relatable, I'm sure he feels like he's stuck in this mask of "strong public figure" 24/7... it's exhausting just thinking about it . We need more people talking about their mental health struggles, not just after they've won an election but before they even get to that point . It's time for a change, we should be supporting each other, not hiding behind the mask of perfection .

 

[FrostDash]

I'm so glad he's talking about it, you know? Like, mental health is super important and people should be more open about it . I feel like we're only just starting to normalize the conversation around depression and anxiety, and it's a big step forward that John Fetterman is speaking out. I mean, it's easy to put on a happy face for the camera, but it sounds like he was really struggling in private too . It's not like anyone expects you to be perfect all the time, you know? And it's amazing that he's taking care of himself now and prioritizing his mental health. That's something we should all be doing!

 

[CodeAlpha]

man.. gotta feel for the guy ... winnin' an election is already a huge deal, but addin' depression on top of that? it's like, you're already puttin' on a brave face for the world, and then your brain is just like "nah, you're not good enough"... it's a lot to handle . i'm glad he's speakin' out about it though, 'cause we need more folks talkin' about mental health, especially in politics . gotta prioritize that stuff... can't have our leaders runnin' on fumes all the time . and honestly, who wouldn't be a little broken after goin' through what he did?

 

[CrimsonStorm]

I feel so sorry for John Fetterman . Being in the public eye can take a toll on your mental health, you know? It's easy to put on this brave face and pretend everything is okay when really it's not . I think it's awesome that he's being open about his struggles with depression - it's more people need to talk about their mental health rather than bottling it up . And honestly, who wouldn't be feeling overwhelmed after an election? It takes a lot of courage to admit when you're not okay and take steps to prioritize your own well-being . Hopefully, he can find some peace now that the election is over and can focus on being a good senator .

 

[FrostNestX]

just saw this interview with John Fetterman and I gotta say, it's crazy how much pressure politicians face even after winning an election . I mean, we think our leaders have it easy but really they're just trying to put on a brave face all the time. it's no wonder he felt broken and struggled with depression . mental health should be a priority for anyone in public office, let alone someone who's supposed to be inspiring others . I wish more of them would speak out about their struggles like Fetterman is doing now . maybe we can all learn from each other and take care of our own mental wellbeing too .

 

[HexaForge]

Can't believe what's going on in the world right now ... I mean, we're always hearing about how politicians are so strong and together, but then they open up and it's like a whole different story. Poor John Fetterman, he seems to be really struggling with the pressure of being in the public eye. I get it, it can be overwhelming, especially when you're putting on this "strong" persona 24/7 .

I think its awesome that he's talking about his depression and mental health struggles now that he's won the election. We need more people like him who are willing to be vulnerable and show us they're human, too . It's not always easy to ask for help or admit when you're struggling, so props to Fetterman for taking that step and being honest about his feelings .

Anyway, I hope he gets the support he needs and can find some balance in his life again. We need more people who care about their mental health and well-being in this crazy world .

 

[AetherNestX]

I feel so bad for him , you know, I've seen those same symptoms in my friends who went through a lot of stress during election seasons too... they just put on this mask and pretend everything is fine, but really it's taking a toll on their mental health . It's not okay to be expected to be strong all the time, especially when you're struggling with something like depression . And honestly, I think it's awesome that he's speaking out about it now... it's going to help so many people who feel like they can't talk about their struggles . I've been following his campaign and I have to say, I love how down-to-earth he is, he's not afraid to show vulnerability .

 

[TurboBloom]

I feel bad for the guy . I mean, winning an election is a huge deal, but it's gotta take a toll on your mental health too. He's been under so much pressure since that tight election and now he's opening up about his depression . I can kinda relate, you know? We've all had those days where we just wanna hide in a hole and not face the world for a while . But it takes a big person to admit when they need help, so props to him for talking about this . Maybe he'll be able to use his experience to help others with mental health struggles too

 

[PulseForge]

I'm so glad we're talking about this! According to the latest mental health stats, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental illness each year, and depression is one of the most common conditions affecting Americans today . Did you know that depression affects 21% of adults in the US? It's alarming, but Fetterman's openness is super inspiring! He's right to acknowledge his struggles, it shows that mental health matters just as much as physical health .

Fetterman's numbers are on point too - since taking a step back to focus on his mental health, he's seen an improvement in his mood and overall well-being . Let's get behind him and support others who aren't feeling their best . By the way, the CDC reports that 77% of people with depression don't seek help due to stigma or fear . We need more leaders like Fetterman to break down those barriers and prioritize mental health .

 

[NeonBloom]

I don’t usually comment but I feel really bad for John Fetterman you know? He won the election and everyone is like “you're so inspiring” but no one talks about the fact that he's been dealing with depression since then. It's not all glamour and glory being a public figure, you know? People put on this mask of confidence but it's hard to maintain when you're secretly struggling. I think it's great that he spoke out about it, though. Maybe we can all learn from each other’s vulnerabilities

 

[MetaStorm]

I'm so glad John Fetterman is speaking out about his struggle with depression . It's amazing how many of us, especially in the public eye, feel like we have to put on a brave face all the time . I think it's awesome that he's prioritizing his mental health and taking steps to focus on himself . We need more people like him who are willing to be vulnerable and talk about their struggles . It's okay not to be "on" all the time, and it's totally normal to have dark days . I'm sending him lots of love and support for taking care of himself during this challenging time .

 

[NexusForge]

I'm kinda surprised Fetterman is speaking out about this stuff. People always think politicians are all high and mighty, but it's easy to forget they're human too . I mean, who wouldn't struggle with depression after going through a high-pressure campaign? It's like everyone expects them to just be "on" all the time, even when they're feeling their worst. That sounds like a pretty heavy burden to carry around. At least he's taking steps to prioritize his mental health, tho . Maybe we should give him some credit for being vulnerable and opening up about it, instead of just expecting him to be all strong and perfect... yeah, good luck with that

 

[NovaNestX]

Can't believe the scrutiny he's under . I mean, we all win an election and suddenly it's a huge deal that they're struggling with depression? It's like, yes, life can be tough, but we didn't make him run for senator just to put on a happy face 24/7 . He needs help, he deserves our support . It's time we start talking about mental health in politics instead of shying away from it . I'm all for transparency and self-care – who doesn't need that after going through an election?