2020 Democratic candidate Seth Moulton shares he had PTSD, unveils mental health plan

(Image credit: Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

published 29 May 2019

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) on Tuesday revealed that after he returned home from serving in Iraq, he was treated for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Moulton, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and Marine veteran, said he wants people to know "they're not alone and they should feel empowered to get the treatment they need." Moulton also unveiled his plan to help veterans with mental health treatment, including requiring mandatory counseling for everyone returning from a combat deployment; adopting alternative therapies, including the use of cannabis; establishing a National Mental Health Crisis Hotline; and making mental health check-ups an annual event for active-duty service members and veterans.

Moulton's plan also calls for funding yearly mental health screenings for every high school student in the United States. "We must recognize mental health matters to everyone," he said. "Tens of millions of Americans deal with mental health conditions each year, including some of the most talented and accomplished people in the world. We owe it to our country to provide the best mental health care."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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