Sen. John Fetterman shares his struggle with depression in an intimate interview with Jane Pauley

John Fetterman has broken his silence on his diagnosis of crippling depression that left him unable to eat and confined to his bed after being released from the hospital after more than six weeks of inpatient treatment at Walter Reed.

In an upcoming interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Senator John Fetterman revealed that his symptoms of depression worsened after he was elected to the US Senate in November in the costliest race of the midterm elections.

“The whole thing about depression,” he said, “is that objectively you may have won, but depression can absolutely convince you that you actually lost and that’s exactly what happened and that was the start of a downward spiral.” “.

Fetterman, 53, said “I had stopped getting out of bed, I had stopped eating, I was losing weight, I had stopped participating in some of the things I love most in my life.”

He checked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on February 15 after weeks of what attendees described as Fetterman withdrawn and uninterested in eating, talking about work or engaging in banter with staff.

Fetterman was elected in November to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate after defeating reality personality Dr. Oz.

Fetterman was barely a month into the service, having defeated Dr. Oz, in Washington and still recovering from the aftermath of the stroke he suffered last May when he went to Walter Reed on the advice of Capitol Hill physician Dr. Brian P. Monahan.

Post-stroke depression is common and can be treated with medication and talk therapy, doctors say.

Fetterman’s office said Friday that the Democrat had left Walter Reed after six weeks of hospital treatment for clinical depression, with plans to return to the Senate when the chamber resumes session on April 17.

The Senate is scheduled to be in recess for the first two weeks of April. and the senators will return to Washington in the middle of the month.

In a statement, Fetterman’s office said he is back at his home in Braddock, western Pennsylvania, with his depression “in remission,” and gave details about his treatment, including that his depression was treated with medication and that wear headphones to hear. loss.

Fetterman, who has a wife and three school-age children, said he’s happy to be home.

“I am excited to be the father and husband I want to be, and the senator from Pennsylvania deserves. Pennsylvanians have always had my back and I will always have my back,” Fetterman said.

I am extremely grateful to the amazing team at Walter Reed. The care they gave me changed my life.’

Fetterman was released from Walter Reed Medical Center Friday and is in ‘remission’

Doctors describe ‘remission’ as when a patient responds to treatment such that they have returned to their normal social function and are indistinguishable from someone who has never had depression.

Democrats are likely to welcome their colleague with open arms, as the party has a slim majority in the upper house and has struggled with absent senators.

Elderly Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California is being treated for shingles, and Jeff Merkley of Oregon has taken a break after his mother’s death.

Vice President Kamala Harris had to cast several tie-breaking votes as Senate President during absences.

In early March, the public got their first breath of Fetterman when his staff posted an update on Twitter.

“Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing rail safety legislation, the Farm Bill and other Senate business,” Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson wrote in a tweet along with photos of him and Fetterman reviewing documents.

“John is well on his way to recovery and I wanted him to say how grateful he is for all the well wishes. He’s laser-focused on the PA and he’ll be back soon.

Fetterman with his wife Gisele at a Wendy’s near Walter Reed after registering for clinical treatment for depression last month.

“Productive morning with Senator Fetterman at Walter Reed discussing rail safety legislation, the Farm Bill and other Senate business,” chief of staff Adam Jentleson wrote in a tweet along with photos of him and the senator.

While in the hospital in early February, Fetterman signed bipartisan rail safety legislation introduced after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

As a member of the Agriculture Committee, the senator also helps draft the farm bill that Congress votes on every five years.

His wife, Gisele, posted on Twitter in response to the photos: “Society’s expectations and traditional gender roles play a role in why men are less likely to speak up or seek help for their mental health.”

As always, John continues to challenge the conversation. So human, so kind, so cute.

Earlier this month, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Donald Trump Jr. described Fetterman as a “vegetable” and said he would be better employed as a grocery store “bagman” than as a United States Senator. Joined.

During his recovery from the stroke, Fetterman struggled with sensory processing issues and relied on computer software for simultaneous translation in media interviews and to fulfill his duties in the Senate.

A senior aide told NBC it’s been a challenge differentiating between the senator’s stroke recovery and depression, and the staffer says it’s sometimes unclear if he’s “not listening to him or if he’s crippled by his depression.” and social anxiety.