John Fetterman is changing America’s mental health discussion one confession at a time

When John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) was running for Senate against Dr. Mehmet Oz, I focused on his influence. bad heart And that Deficiency due to his stroke This may have affected his ability to govern.

Fitness for office has long been a focus of mine, and I felt that Pennsylvania voters deserved nothing more than a fully functioning senator.the fact that Congress has long had a large number of physically or mentally impaired members; from Senator Strom Thurmond (RS.C.) to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in no way justifies continuing this trend.

But Fetterman has evolved. And this week, it's intimate and revealing. interview We learned on NBC's Meet the Press that his reaction to the win was very human and, in fact, moving.

He admits that he had doubts about his abilities, and the amount of chatter on social media accelerated his downhill decline. The most painful thing is that his children observed this and were confused and upset. He ended up in the hospital and it took him several weeks to recover, but his mood lightened when the same children who had been scared for him came to visit.

This story is human and real. Now, Fetterman is a role model for how to deal with the mental illness epidemic in this country. The solution lies in individual courage and family support. Social media isn't a lie, it's the opposite.

Social media is directly or indirectly responsible. growth rate This is especially true for issues of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation in teenage women, but also in the population as a whole. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy made two observations: important and related The recommendations include one on the loneliness epidemic, which affects young people as well as older people, and one on the negative effects of social media and how to deal with them.

Fetterman's courage is very important. Although he was devastated by the stigma and negativity, he bounced back and since his recovery we have seen him become even braver in the face of political pressure. As an example, IsraelThere he has served as a unique voice, publicly challenging fierce opposition among progressives fighting for Israel in Congress and among other liberal Democrats.

Don't get me wrong, I disagree with Senator Fetterman on many points. Medicare price negotiation, universal health insurance and Union, despite its major flaws. I agree with him on expanding Medicare to cover first responders.

Most importantly, I agree with his views on the dangers of bullying and negative behavior on social media and reiterate the essential need to destigmatize family and mental health issues. It's about being there.

2022 Kaiser Family Foundation/CNN poll Ninety percent of Americans revealed they believe America is suffering from a mental health crisis. they are correct. The pandemic exacerbated existing problems as people became isolated, became more dependent on social media, and saw an increase in depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.

Solutions include better sleep, more social interaction, exercise, and daily routines aimed at breaking the cycle of worry, but most importantly, rely on family and friends and eliminate stigma. That's it.

Fetterman, a longtime politician, may have initially seemed like an unlikely and unrealistic role model to many, but he has evolved. He may not have my vote yet, but he has my support as a courageous advocate for mental health.

Mark Siegel, MD, is a professor of medicine at New York University Langone Health and medical director of Doctor Radio. He is a medical correspondent for Fox News and the author of the new book “Coronavirus.” The politics of fear and the power of science.