Fetterman details how he went from a skeptic to seeking help over mental health
October 12, 2023 12:16 PM
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) urged others to seek help for mental health issues on TV on Wednesday.
Fetterman appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he was asked about going public with his own mental health struggles. The junior senator was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in April, where he had been receiving treatment for “major depression” over six weeks.
“It’s a privilege and it’s a duty to talk about this because I want everybody to know — now, you have an enormous platform — I want anyone who’s listening to this, who sees this, if you are suffering from depression, please get help,” Fetterman said, “because it works.”
Fetterman admitted that before receiving treatment, he was “the biggest skeptic ever.”
“I get emotional because when you’re in the blackness and depression tricks you into thinking that you’ve lost, even though you might’ve won. You know, I was a skeptic, I’m like: ‘I’m never going to get better. Like, this is never going to change,’ and it takes you in a very more dangerous kind of direction,” Fetterman said. “I really want to emphasize anyone that is on that slope, don’t ever, ever, ever make the decision to ever harm yourself.”
The show would go on to name a segment from the interview as “Don’t Ever Make The Decision To Harm Yourself” on its YouTube channel. It has received over 100,000 views as of the morning the following day.
Fetterman also commented on his improved health following a stroke he suffered on the campaign trail. He implied that Fox News becomes sadder the more he improves because his previous blunders were “like candy to Fox News.” Additionally, Fetterman laughed at the conspiracy theory that he has a body double.
Meanwhile, the senator also joked that his fellow lawmakers are not “the best and brightest.”
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During the interview, the senator had a screen in front of him auto-generating captions because he still suffers from hearing loss. He also wears a hearing aid.
According to Fetterman, President Joe Biden will be “delivering for Israel” in light of Hamas firing thousands of rockets and also sent dozens of fighters there on Simchat Torah, a Jewish holiday celebrating the annual cycle of the Torah scroll reading. The death toll is roughly 2,500, while an increasing number of people in the area are being captured as well.