An Afghanistan war veteran running for Kansas City, Mo., mayor quit the race Tuesday, saying he needs time to deal with PTSD and depression — and is “done hiding this.”
In a statement posted on Medium, Jason Kander, 37, said he’d been in contact with Veterans Affairs support services, but worried that acknowledging his struggle would be a “stigma” on his political career.
“I knew I needed help and yet I still stopped short,” he wrote. “I was afraid of the stigma. I was thinking about what it could mean for my political future if someone found out.
“That was stupid, and things have gotten even worse since.”
Kander, a Democrat, revealed that he used the VA Crisis Line after having suicidal thoughts last week — despite good news about his mayoral campaign and a recent book deal.
“I’m done hiding this from myself and from the world,” he wrote.
“I decided to be public for two reasons: First, I think being honest will help me through this. And second, I hope it helps veterans and everyone else across the country working through mental health issues realize that you don’t have to try to solve it on your own.”
Kander narrowly lost the 2016 Senate election in Missouri to GOP incumbent Sen. Roy Blunt.
He enlisted in the Army National Guard after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan in 2005, Military Times reported. His book about his time in the military — "Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage" — was published this summer.
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