Depression affects a significant portion of the U.S. population. More than one in four adults report having been diagnosed with this condition at some point in their lives. In any given year, over 8 percent of U.S. adults may experience a major depressive episode. Annually, this leads to more than 500,000 hospitalizations resulting from depressive disorders.
On Tuesday, Representative Thomas Kean Jr., a Republican from New Jersey, publicly disclosed his hospitalization for depression. This adds him to the growing number of individuals courageously confronting this condition. Mr. Kean, 57, expressed that he had recently recognized the long-lasting impact depression had on his life. Despite addressing the issue during a speech on the House floor in Washington, D.C., he did not provide specific details about his treatment.
Dr. Mark Rapaport, president of the American Psychiatric Association, noted that while depression can manifest later in life, it typically begins at a younger age. He emphasized the importance of individuals like Mr. Kean sharing their experiences, reinforcing that depression is a treatable brain disease. “I’m grateful that the congressperson is able to be forthcoming because this is a treatable disease of the brain, and we need people to know that,” Dr. Rapaport said.
Experts identify several reasons for hospitalization due to depression. Among the most common is the presence of suicidal thoughts or self-harm tendencies in the patient.
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