Patrick Kennedy's Struggle with Depression and Stigma

Speaking openly about depression and addiction is tied with stigma since a majority of people

still hold negative attitudes toward patients suffering from mental disorders. With one in five

American adults struggling with mental illness every year, as per the National Alliance on

Mental Illness (NAMI) statistics, it is crucial to develop programs to mitigate prejudices against

mental illness and facilitate screening for mental disorders in primary care settings.

Depression can be life-threatening since more than 41,000 individuals die by suicide every

year in the U.S., primarily driven by various mental health conditions, such as depression,

bipolar disorder or addiction, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Kennedy’s admissions

Patrick Kennedy, a

former American

politician turned

mental health

advocate who served

as a Democratic

member of the United

States House of

Representatives from

Rhode Island's 1st

congressional district

from 1995 to 2011,

recently opened up

about his struggle

with depression and

chemical dependency.

Having been brought up in an influential political family that was constantly in the public eye,

he had to fight most of his mental health battles in utmost secrecy away from the limelight

for the fear of ridicule. As a child, he had seen his parents’ divorce, brother losing a leg to

cancer, his mother battling alcohol addiction and cancer, his sister succumbing to lung cancer

and his father dying of brain tumor. Under such grave conditions, he became addicted to

cocaine, alcohol as well as OxyContin.

Kennedy had admitted to visiting psychiatrists several times in his life, but the day he ran his

car into a barrier in 2006 and the subsequent DUI charges changed his life forever. Medical

tests had revealed even more serious underlying conditions, such as depression, prescription

drug use and bipolar disorder.

Fight against mental health illness and addiction

After becoming sober in 2011, Kennedy began to pen down his struggles and experiences with

drugs and depression in his 2015 memoir “A Common Struggle.” After resigning from the

House of Representatives, Kennedy used his campaigning and public speaking skills to spread

awareness about different mental illnesses and addictions that afflict millions of people

today.

He is also heading a crusade focusing on treating diseases of the brain and eliminating stigma.

Stressing on the fact that mental health problems run across all sections of society, he praised

Bruce Springsteen’s, American singer and songwriter, decision to openly speak about his own

journey with depression in his memoir “Born to Run.”

“We have to flood the system with more money to build it up with more counselors, to build

more facilities, get reimbursement for therapies, for treatment in schools, the criminal justice

system and the workforce. This thing has got to be a key part of us, as a nation, so that we

can be all that we can be,” said Kennedy to The Press of Atlantic City.

“When someone has diabetes or cancer, there’s chronic treatment, support for family. You

get everything you need to stay well and we need that same approach to mental illness and

addiction,” he added.

Leading a depression-free life

There can be myriad reasons for people suffering from depression. There is an imperative

need for timely treatment to avert the impending danger of symptoms turning grave if left

untreated.

If you or your loved one is battling depression, the Depression Treatment Centers of

California can provide you with information about the best depression treatment facilities in

California. You may call us at our 24/7 helpline number 855-678-0400 for further information.

Our representatives can also help you find the best residential treatment centers for

depression in California.

For more information, please visit

www.depressiontreatmentcentersofcalifornia.com