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Relevant_Quantity_49 t1_je86jpx wrote

Reply to comment by PPQue6 in Fetterman will return to Senate the week of April 17 by oldschoolskater

From the article:

>Fetterman's chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, and Communications Director Joe Calvello have been visiting him at Walter Reed daily this week, Calvello told NBC, saying “he’s in the zone” and “excited to get back to the Senate.” The Pennsylvania senator has been working from Walter Reed since checking in for treatment in mid-February, with staff citing challenges after a stroke.

In order to de-stigmatize mental health issues, this is exactly the sort of thing people need to see and support: a person accommodated in their professional life while also seeking appropriate treatment. It shouldn't have to be either/or because for many people it can't be.

Compassion isn't a statement; it's a question. Instead of saying, "People with X can't do Y," we should be asking "What can we do so you are successful at Y?"

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PPQue6 t1_je876gy wrote

Abso-freaking-loutely!!!! And further to that point, this illustrates why we need easy access to these services regardless of income level. This positive outcome was entirely because of his ability to access the care he needed.

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FindingMoi t1_je9pixt wrote

Exactly. We should be pointing to this when people start on their “it’s not a gun problem, it’s a mental health problem” bullshit. It’s a both problem, but since ya’ll want to talk about mental health, why don’t we do something about it?

Fetterman was in a position of privilege to be able to get the care he needed but everyone should have access, with no stigma and no fear that they’ll lose their jobs. Fetterman basically said “fuck stigma, this is what I need to do the job” and he sought the care he needed. Hopefully, it encourages others to do the same, and now he’s in a position to actually use that privilege he has and his elected position to make it happen for everyone else.

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