Michael Schlossberg is a seven-term Democratic state representative from the 132nd House District in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, who currently serves as the PA House Majority Whip. Among his legislative priorities has been improving the mental and behavioral health system in the state – an interest that in part stems from his personal experience with mental health challenges. His willingness to break societal taboos about politicians discussing such challenges publicly has combined with his advocacy to make him a recognized leader on the issue.
Healing Magazine asked Rep. Schlossberg about his experience in speaking out on a subject that many political figures in the past would have avoided.
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Healing Magazine: You experienced a mental health crisis while you were in college. Did you find it hard to share your experience with your family and friends at the time?
Mike Schlossberg: This is a really interesting question because there’s no clear answer. I felt ashamed and embarrassed. At the same time, half of my friends were also having similar crises and I found myself walking quite a few buddies to the counseling center with me. My family was extremely supportive and helped make sure I had access to therapy/psychiatrist when I got home. But it didn’t help me shake the embarrassment that I felt. I think stigma was a LOT worse then than it is now… and I am grateful for that.
HM: What was the catalyst that led you to discuss your experience, and how hard was it to find the words to explain your situation?
MS: This I still think about because it’s amazing how one stupid Facebook comment changed my life. On August 11, 2014, Robin Williams died by suicide. Like countless people who had a mental health disorder, his death was personal and frightening to me. Here was a man who had EVERYTHING and seemed to be the funniest man alive…and he ended his life. Later that day, I was on Facebook, and I came across a status from someone who I immediately unfriended: “So sad about Robin Williams! He just needed to pray harder!”
I was ENRAGED. How could anyone think that you could simply pray or will depression away? I fired off a couple angry status updates and began to think about doing more. I woke up the next morning – still angry – turned to my wife, and said, “I think I need to say something.” Around 5:30am, I wrote an op-ed column in the Morning Call (newspaper in Allentown, PA) where I discussed my own mental health challenges, flirtations with suicide, and ongoing therapy – as well as the need to do more for mental health and destigmatize the issue.
The words were not hard to say. I’d be saying them all my life – just not out loud.
HM: In politics, issues around a candidate’s mental health can be raised by opponents – but you chose to talk about it proactively. Can you describe your rationale for that decision, and the circumstances in which you decided to discuss your experience?
MS: Well, the initial rationale was because I was really angry; that Facebook status in the question above set me off and I wanted to say something. But from there, it clearly evolved into something more. I spoke to break stigma and make public policy gains, and – more importantly – to encourage others to tell their stories.
I have no doubt that my story has made a positive impact, but as an elected official, I will always be an “other” and less relatable to the average person. My job, then, is to encourage other people to tell their stories, and in doing so inspire those around them.
HM: Were you apprehensive about sharing this personal experience with your constituents?
MS: The Morning Call called me to tell me they loved the op-ed and would publish it. Then the panic attack happened! I had a moment of panic, but when I reached out to friends and mentors, they told me I was right and to keep going. They were right, even if I was too nervous at that moment to see it.
I still remember my best friend and House colleague, Pete Schweyer, saying to me that this was going to change my life – that I was about to become the “mental health guy.” It pays to have smart friends!
HM: After that, what was the response when the article was published?
MS: Overwhelmingly positive. I never expected it. I joked that I now know the prescriptions of more people in the Lehigh Valley than I ever anticipated. And it grew into something much bigger. I had people tell me they taped my op-ed up on their walls during their inpatient stays. Others said it came up in therapy appointments. If that’s true, I did what I intended to do.
HM: How have you seen the discussion about mental health change in your time in office?
MS: It has changed significantly. First, stigma is absolutely reduced. It’s MUCH more open. And the younger generation – my kids’ generation – talks about mental health like they do physical health. That’s driven by necessity: As more kids suffer, the topic becomes more commonplace. Of course, the problem is that more kids are suffering.
I’ll also add that I think the conversation is less partisan. Again, that’s driven by necessity. Mental health is not just an urban or a Democratic issue. It’s everywhere, and it’s particularly acute in rural/Republican areas where access to care is even more reduced than it is in suburban places. That means that more of my Republican colleagues are talking about it, and that’s a good thing.
HM: What do you think the result will be, from a policy perspective, of the shift to the public talking more openly about their mental health?
MS: We’re not there yet. We still have to push. But – eventually – it will mean more prioritization. More money. More HELP.
HM: Do people ever ask you for advice in talking about their struggles with mental health – and if so, what do you say to them?
MS: Yes, they do. And the answer is an easy one: Speak your truth and speak it in your language. It doesn’t have to be a big dramatic statement (like an op-ed in the newspaper). It can be a casual, quiet conversation with someone you know and love who is suffering. Relate to them. Be human. Show empathy – or seek empathy – and show that this conversation matters. All you have to do is be you.
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