Sen. Fetterman in Hospital for Clinical Depression Treatment

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman checked himself into the Walter Reed hospital on Feb. 15 to receive treatment for clinical depression, according to a statement from his chief of staff Adam Jentleson.

Congress’ attending physician evaluated Fetterman on Feb. 13 who recommended inpatient care. The physician, Dr. Brian P. Monahan said, “John agreed, and he is receiving treatment on a voluntary basis.”

John Fetterman’s Previous Health Conditions

In May 2022, Fetterman suffered a stroke during the midterm campaign trail. Fetterman recovered, and worked with a speech therapist, but still has auditory processing issues. In October, his doctor said during his campaign, “he has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office.”

Fetterman was hospitalized last week on Feb. 8 after feeling light-headed during a Democratic Senate retreat. The doctors ruled out the possibility of another stroke after observation.

According to the American Stroke Association, it’s common for stroke survivors to experience depression, and the cause may be biochemical or psychological.

Fetterman’s chief of staff also said in the statement, “while John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks.”

Support Shown for John Fetterman receiving treatment

Many people took to Twitter with support of Fetterman and his condition.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz said in a tweet, “Mental illness is real & serious, and I hope that he gets the care he needs. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you’re on, please respect his family’s request for privacy.”

John Fetterman’s wife, Giselle Barreto Fetterman posted to Twitter, “After what he’s been through in the past year, there’s probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John. I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs.”

Tony Katz believes it was unfair for Fetterman to be forced by the Democratic party to continue running for office, regardless of having a stroke. Tony thinks there could be more that happened within the last year, beyond the health conditions and campaign choices that are public.

“I would love an understanding of what really happened over the past year, the past 12 months in John Fetterman’s life. I assume that he will soon resign and the Governor will appoint his wife as Senator. Maybe that was the plan all along from these power hungry people, including his own wife. . . This is gross, and there’s no apologizing for it. I wish John Fetterman the best.”