Colorado lawmaker announces she sought treatment for mental health

Rep. Yadira Caraveo said Monday she sought treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center for symptoms of depression that worsened in recent months.

Caraveo, a first-term Democrat facing a competitive reelection bid in Colorado, said she was disclosing her treatment "because I believe we need to de-stigmatize mental illness" nationwide.

"In recent months, my depression became more severe, so I decided to take my own advice and seek treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center," the Colorado Democrat said in a statement, in which she thanked the medical team who cared for her.

She joins a list of Capitol Hill lawmakers who are speaking openly about their battles with depression, most notably Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who spent six weeks in treatment fo r depression in 2023. Others who've spoken about their own struggles include Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).

Caraveo, a pediatrician and the first Colorado Latina in Congress, won her seat by a little more than 1,600 votes in 2022 for a newly drawn district north of Denver. She is expected to face a competitive reelection bid against Republican Colorado state Rep. Gabe Evans this fall.

She received words of support from her colleagues. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) said, in a statement, "I admire Yadira’s strength and courage, as we all must work together to end the stigma around mental health care."