- Senator John Fetterman announced he was undergoing treatment for depression, signaling a shift away from the days of secrets and shaming when it comes to mental health.
- Fetterman’s office made a point of noting Fetterman’s struggle with depression even before his stroke. This signals a shift away from using physical illness to explain mental health.
- As a politician, Fetterman was constantly performing a certain role in a very public and open environment, making it difficult for him to express his backstage self.
- Fetterman’s experience brings to light the difficulty of managing a demanding job while struggling with physical and mental health issues.
- The outcome of Fetterman’s story may serve as a test for how far we’ve come as a nation in understanding and responding to mental and physical health.
Published February 17, 2023
Visit The Atlantic to read Jennifer Senior’s original post John Fetterman and the Performance of Wellness
