Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman will likely be with Walter Reed and be treated for clinical depression for a few weeks.
On Friday, a senior adviser to the Pennsylvania Democrat gave NBC News new details on Fetterman’s condition after his office announced on Thursday that he had checked into Bethesda Hospital for impatient treatment after his depression turned “severe”.
Fetterman suffered a stroke in May and his sensory and communication problems have been well documented since he was sworn in as a senator in January.
A senior staffer told NBC that it’s difficult to distinguish between the senator’s stroke recovery and depression, with the staffer saying it’s sometimes unclear if he’s “not hearing you or is somehow crippled by his depression and social anxiety.” “.
The counselor added that the staff and Fetterman himself were surprised by the severe onset of the depression.
However, the assistant added that it hasn’t affected Fetterman’s ability to get the job done going forward and the senator plans to be back at work.
The new details came as both Democrats and Republicans praised Fetterman for his courage in being transparent about his mental health issues.
President Joe Biden released a message of support Friday morning.
“John, Gisele – Jill and I are thinking of your family today. Millions of people struggle with depression every day, often in private. Getting the care you need is bold and important. We appreciate you leading by example,” Biden tweeted.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman will likely be with Walter Reed and be treated for clinical depression for a few weeks.
President Joe Biden released a message of support for Senator John Fetterman and his family on Friday morning
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, whose family had their own mental health issues, said he and his wife Heidi would “lift up John in prayer.”
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, felt sorry for Fetterman and shared that he had a similar experience
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, whose family had their own mental health issues, said he and his wife Heidi would “lift up John in prayer.”
“Mental illness is real and serious and I hope he gets the care he needs. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you are on, please respect his family’s request for privacy,” Cruz said.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, felt sorry for Fetterman and shared that he had a similar experience.
“I admire Senator John Fetterman for openly seeking treatment from Walter Reed for his depression,” Torres tweeted Thursday. “In 2010 I was hospitalized for depression. I wouldn’t be alive, let alone in Congress, if it weren’t for mental health care. Millions of Americans are cheering you on, Senator.’
Minnesota Democrat Senator Tina Smith spoke in the Senate in 2019 about her own battle with depression as she pushed through legislation expanding mental health coverage.
She welcomed his move to speak openly about his condition.
“In the short time I’ve worked with John Fetterman, I’ve been impressed by his resilience and heart. John is doing exactly what he should be doing, which is to seek help. Seeking help when you need it is a sign of strength, not weakness, something John is demonstrating for all of us,” Smith tweeted.
Rick Wilson, a former Republican and co-founder of the anti-Trump group Lincoln Project, said he feared Fetterman would be targeted by those politically allied with the ex-president.
“I’ve lost too many friends to depression in my life. It takes Fetterman courage to admit that he needs public help, knowing the vile taunts that will come his way from the Maga world. Better people will welcome that courage. Wilson tweeted Thursday.
Tennessee Republican Assemblyman Tim Burchett asked for prayers for Fetterman.
“This city is cruel and unforgiving,” he said. “He needs our prayers and our support.”
Biden’s surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, tweeted that he hoped Fetterman’s “courage will serve as an example for others.”
Fetterman’s chief of staff Adam Jentleson said Thursday that the senator “has suffered from intermittent depression throughout his life,” but ultimately decided to seek treatment when he was seen by Dr. Brian Monahan, the attending physician of the United States Congress.
“John is getting the care he needs and will be well again soon,” Jentleson added, brushing off concerns his health could affect his political future.
Last week, Fetterman was hospitalized at George Washington University Hospital after feeling light-headed during a Democrat retreat and was held for two nights for observation.
Minnesota Democrat Senator Tina Smith spoke in the Senate in 2019 about her own battle with depression as she pushed through legislation expanding mental health coverage. She sent out a tweet on Thursday praising Fettermand
John Fetterman (left) walks with his wife Gisele (right) as they leave their polling station on Election Day in November. Fetterman beat the Trump-backed Dr. Mehmet Oz in the crucial Pennsylvania Senate race and earned the Democrats an extra seat
Gisele Barreto Fetterman, the wife of the Pennsylvania senator, sent tweets of support after John Fetterman voluntarily checked in with Walter Reed earlier this week over depression.
The senator’s wife Gisele called it a “difficult time for our family” and asked for privacy while sharing the news that her husband had checked in with Walter Reed to be treated for major depression
Doctors said he did not suffer a second stroke.
Fetterman was spotted on Capitol Hill earlier this week attending a briefing on the recently shot down airborne objects.
The New York Times reported last week that the Democrat was struggling to adjust to life as a senator.
Fetterman declined an interview with the newspaper, but aides and allies said the already difficult Senate transition was “made significantly more difficult by the strains of his recovery” and noted that he “had a physical impairment and serious mental health issues.” . ‘
He still suffers from auditory processing issues, which means he must use devices that provide him with closed captioning to connect with his Senate peers and constituents and to attend committee hearings.
When people talk to Fetterman, he hears something similar to what the adults in the Peanuts cartoons do: squeals made by a muffled trombone, The Times reported.
Aside from the hearing problem – which is exacerbated when Fetterman feels stressed – the Times reported that recovering from a stroke has taken a “very real psychological toll” on the politician.
According to the Stroke Association, up to a third of stroke victims develop symptoms of depression.
Senator John Fetterman was spotted on Capitol Hill Tuesday after feeling light-headed after being hospitalized at GW
Senator John Fetterman (left) and his wife Gisele (right) in the Pennsylvania capital for the inauguration of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in January
Senator John Fetterman poses with his family and Vice President Kamala Harris during his inauguration ceremony January 3
Fetterman’s political trademark was somehow tied to his unconventional, tough looks — at 6ft 8 tall, with tattooed arms, a shaved head and a goatee — the former mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania looked like he was straight out of town a steel mill in Pittsburgh.
However, as The Times put it, the stroke transformed him into a “physically altered version of himself” and the senator was “frustrated” that he has yet to fully recover.
Additionally, Fetterman was reportedly concerned that he might have thrown himself permanently behind as he didn’t take enough time to rest during the campaign.
“What you should do to recover from this is to do as little as possible,” Jentleson had told the newspaper. Instead, Fetterman was forced to do as much as he could – get back on the campaign trail. It’s hard to get that back.’
Allies of his Republican Senate rival, Dr. Mehmet Oz, questioned his mental prowess as Fetterman stayed off and out of the public eye for most of the summer.
Then-Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania John Fetterman is pictured on election night after defeating Trump-backed Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz in what is probably the nation’s most watched Senate race
Senator John Fetterman arrived in the House of Representatives last Tuesday to hear President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address
Senator John Fetterman is captured in late January on the Senate subway between the Capitol and Senate Office buildings
“If John Fetterman were elected to the Senate and unable to communicate effectively, if he were unable to engage with the press, if he were unable to engage with his peers he wouldn’t be able to do his job,” said Pennsylvania Republican Senator Pat Toomey, who was retiring in September.
“It’s just not possible to be an effective senator if you can’t communicate. It’s just the essence of the job,” Toomey added, urging Fetterman to debate with Oz.
Fetterman debated Oz in late October, and his rocking performance had even the Democrats shaking.
Fetterman’s speech was muddled and he had to use closed captioning technology to understand the moderators’ and Oz’s responses.
Still, Fetterman beat the Trump-backed Oz by five percentage points, earning the Democrats an extra Senate seat in what is likely the most-watched Senate race of 2022.
On Thursday, Fetterman’s wife Gisele called it a “difficult time for our family” and asked for privacy while sharing her husband’s Senate office statement that he was seeking treatment for his mental health.
“After what he’s been through over the past year, there’s probably no one less keen to speak out about their own health than John. I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs,” said Gisele Fetterman.
‘Take care of yourselves. Hold on to your loved ones, you are not alone,” she said.