House leaders offer support for Jesse Jackson Jr.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. House leaders offered public support for Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. on Thursday after his office acknowledged that he is undergoing treatment for an unknown mental health condition. The admission softened criticism about his extended absence on Capitol Hill and put a face on the difficulty seeking mental health treatment in elected office.

"I think that that statement should enable him to have the care and time he needs to get well, and his constituents to know that this is what the nature" of his condition is, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, echoed the sentiment: "We hope that he gets well soon. And frankly, we hope he gets back soon."

The Illinois Democrat, the son of civil rights organizer and former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, has been absent from Washington since June 10. His office had declined to disclose why or for how long the lawmaker would be absent, fueling speculation on Capitol Hill and in the news media about his condition and that he was seeking treatment for substance abuse.

Jackson's silence prompted leading Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., to call on him to disclose his condition for the sake of his constituents.

Jackson's office finally disclosed in a statement from his doctor that he was undergoing in-patient treatment for a "mood disorder" and noted that Jackson is protected under federal privacy laws and therefore would not disclose his doctor or where he was seeking treatment.

Jackson's office said rumors that he was being treated for drug or alcohol addiction were false.

According to Mental Health America, a mental health advocacy group based in Virginia, mood disorders include bipolar disorder, mania and seasonal affective disorder. MHA reports about 20% of the U.S. population reports experiencing a depressive symptom in any given month. It is rare for a member of Congress to acknowledge suffering from a mental health issue.

Former representative Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., who has candidly discussed his life-long struggle with depression and substance abuse, entered in-patient treatment while in Congress in 2006 and 2009. Kennedy was a leading advocate of the Mental Health Parity Act, a law enacted in 2008 that requires health insurance companies to cover treatment for mental health disorders.

Wednesday's announcement was the first public admission that Jackson suffers from a mental health condition.