Senator speaks out about his struggle with depression | CNN Politics

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has bravely opened up about his long-standing battle with depression, a revelation that comes as he's still adjusting to life in the White House after winning a tight election.

The 51-year-old Democrat has been an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and has shared how his own struggles have motivated him to make a difference. As reported by CNN, Fetterman spoke candidly about the emotional turmoil he faced following his narrow victory over Republican candidate Mehmet Oz in November's midterm elections.

During a recent conversation with CBS News, Fetterman talked openly about his depression diagnosis, detailing the intense emotional pain and isolation that followed. "I was in a dark place," he shared. "I didn't know if I could do it." He credited his wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman for helping him navigate those difficult times.

Fetterman has been open about his mental health struggles, which began during his time as the CEO of Greetabl, an AI-powered tech startup he co-founded. In a 2019 interview with The New York Times, he revealed that he had struggled to cope with depression and anxiety after leaving the corporate world.

While sharing his personal story is courageous, Fetterman's actions suggest that he's committed to normalizing discussions around mental health issues. He's also become an advocate for policy changes aimed at addressing these struggles nationwide.

Fetterman's openness has sparked a national conversation about mental wellness, with many praising him for using his platform to reduce stigma and encourage others to speak up.
 
Man I remember when depression was still such a taboo topic 🀯... like, people would be too scared to even talk about it. It's amazing how much progress we've made now. Fetterman's bravery is really inspiring, especially coming from someone in the public eye. He's using his platform to raise awareness and break down those barriers, which is exactly what needs to happen. I'm loving that he's not shying away from sharing his own struggles, though - it takes a lot of guts to do that. We need more leaders like him who are willing to be vulnerable and help others feel less alone πŸ’•
 
omg I'm so glad he's talking about this πŸ™ it's like finally someone in power is being honest about their struggles... my friend went through something similar last year and it was really tough for her, but she found a great therapist and started seeing progress slowly... ugh what's the deal with midterms tho? πŸ˜‚ can we just talk about that instead lol
 
πŸ™Œ I'm so inspired by Sen John Fetterman for being so brave about sharing his struggles with depression! It takes major guts to be that open, especially in such a high-profile role 🀯 I mean, can you imagine the pressure of dealing with mental health stuff while trying to run a country? But at the same time, it's amazing that he's using his platform to help normalize conversations around mental wellness πŸ’¬ Like, finally, we're talking about this stuff seriously! And I'm loving how his wife is all about supporting him too - awws πŸ€— We need more people like Fetterman and Gisele in leadership positions who aren't afraid to show vulnerability πŸ’•
 
"The truth is, nobody can work better for you than the person inside of you." πŸ€―πŸ‘

It takes a lot of guts for someone to share their struggles like Senator Fetterman did, especially when it comes to something as personal as mental health. But honestly, his bravery has inspired so many people, including me 😊. It's about time we normalize conversations around mental wellness and encourage others to speak up too πŸ’¬.
 
So the guy's being super open about his depression 🀝 and I'm thinking, what's the real motive here? Is he trying to sell a narrative of a hero who overcame darkness? Sounds like a PR stunt to me πŸ“Ί. But let's be real, Fetterman's wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman is a total power couple πŸ’β€β™€οΈ. She's been with him since the beginning and I'm pretty sure she's been the one fueling his advocacy for mental health awareness all along.

But what really gets me is that we're having this conversation now, in 2025 🀯, because for years, politicians have kept their personal struggles under wraps. It's like they were waiting for a "safe" moment to come out and show us they care about our well-being. Fetterman's bravery might be inspiring, but let's not forget that this is just another tactic to sway public opinion πŸ—³οΈ. We need concrete actions, not just words πŸ’¬.
 
I think its super cool that Sen John Fetterman is being so open about his depression, you know? Like, hes not ashamed or anything, he's just owning it and sharing it with the world 🌟. And honestly, I think thats a total game changer for mental health awareness. Its like, he's breaking this stigma around depression and anxiety, which is totally needed. Plus, its awesome that his wife Gisele is supporting him through all of this πŸ’•. He's also doing some amazing work to try and make a difference on a national level, so im super proud of him πŸ™Œ. I think we should all be inspired by his courage and willingness to share his story πŸ€—.
 
I'm glad to see Senator Fetterman being so open about his depression struggles πŸ€—. It takes a lot of courage to share that stuff, especially when you're in the public eye. I think it's awesome that he's using his platform to help normalize conversations around mental health - it's something we should all be talking about more often 😊. But at the same time, I do worry that we might be expecting too much from him and others who are speaking out... it can't just be a PR move πŸ€”. Let's hope he's not feeling like an burden or anything πŸ’”
 
I'm kinda glad that Fetterman is speaking out about his depression, it shows he's not afraid to talk about his struggles 🀝. But at the same time, I wish more politicians would be honest about their own mental health battles, you know? Like, it's one thing for him to share his story, but what about the other senators who might be hiding behind a mask of confidence? It feels like he's setting an example, but also putting some pressure on himself to keep up the act πŸ’­. Still, I guess it's better than nothing, and it's great that he's using his platform to raise awareness 🌟. But can we please talk about how we're going to support people who are struggling in a way that's not just 'just be positive' or 'talk about it'? That'd be super helpful 😊.
 
You know, it's great to see someone in such a high profile position like Senator Fetterman talking openly about his struggles with depression πŸ€—. It takes a lot of courage to share that kind of personal stuff, especially when you're under so much scrutiny. I think it's awesome that he's using his platform to help normalize conversations around mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding it πŸ’–. It's really inspiring to see him being so honest and vulnerable, especially after going through such a tough election win πŸ›οΈ. His openness is definitely helping to create a ripple effect, getting more people to talk about their own struggles and encouraging others to seek help when they need it 🌟.
 
idk why ppl think he's so brave just cuz he talked bout depression πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ, like, u gotta deal w/ it 4 yrs straight or somethin? & yeah, good on him 4 bein an advocate 4 mental health, but its not like hes the 1st guy 2 do it. ppl r still gonna judge him 4 his 'weakness', which is just another word 4 mental illness πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ.
 
Ugh, I'm so over this forum's moderation πŸ™„. Can't they just let people share their thoughts without worrying about every single word being scrutinized? It's like, can we just have a discussion here?! Senator Fetterman sharing his struggles with depression is actually really brave, and it's awesome that he's using his platform to raise awareness. I mean, who wouldn't want to talk about mental health after going through what he has? The fact that his wife helped him navigate those tough times is so inspiring. Let's just have a calm conversation without all the drama, shall we? πŸ˜’
 
Ugh, I mean, I'm glad Sen Fetterman is speaking out about his depression, that's amazing πŸ’ͺ. It's so brave of him to share his personal struggles like that. But can we talk about how messy this forum is? 🀯 I swear, every time I try to have a calm conversation, there's always some spam or irrelevant post popping up. Can't they just clean this place up a bit? 😩 And don't even get me started on the font sizes, it's like they're trying to drive us all crazy with tiny text πŸ“š. Anyway, back to Fetterman - his wife Gisele sounds like an amazing support system, I'm definitely taking notes πŸ’•.
 
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