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<\/a>\nJason Kander, army veteran, former Missouri secretary of state,\u00a0and current Kansas City, Mo., mayoral hopeful, announced on Tuesday that he was withdrawing his candidacy. The reason for his withdrawal has sparked messages of support and kindness from people who want to see more attention paid to mental health awareness.<\/p>\n
Kander, a Democrat who was seen by many as the favorite to win the 2019 election, issued a statement on his\u00a0website<\/a>and his\u00a0Facebook page<\/a>\u00a0announcing his decision to withdraw and to instead focus on his treatment for depression and PTSD.<\/p>\n
Kander served on a four-month tour in Afghanistan\u00a0in 2006 as an army intelligence officer, investigating\u00a0activities of al-Qaida and the Taliban. He\u00a0told himself that he couldn\u2019t \u201chave PTSD \u2026 because [he] didn\u2019t earn it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite those feelings, four months ago he contacted the VA for help. \u201cI went online and filled out the VA forms, but I left boxes unchecked \u2014 too scared to acknowledge my true symptoms. I knew I needed help and yet I still stopped short. I was afraid of the stigma. I was thinking about what it could mean for my political future if someone found out,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
He buried himself in his work, but despite becoming a\u00a0best-selling author<\/a>, leading an effective\u00a0Let America Vote<\/a>campaign, and finding out he was on track to raise more money than any Kansas City mayoral campaign ever had in a single quarter, Kander still found himself troubled enough to call the Veterans Crisis Line, where he acknowledged he had suicidal thoughts.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of dealing with these issues, I\u2019ve always tried to find a way around them. Most recently, I thought that if I could come home and work for the city I love so much as its mayor, I could finally solve my problems. I thought if I focused exclusively on service to my neighbors in my hometown, that I could fill the hole inside of me. But it\u2019s just getting worse.<\/p>\n
So after 11 years of trying to outrun depression and PTSD symptoms, I have finally concluded that it\u2019s faster than me. That I have to stop running, turn around, and confront it,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
He hopes that his honesty will help \u201cveterans and everyone else across the country working through mental health issues realize that you don\u2019t have to try to solve it on your own.\u201d He added, \u201cMost people probably didn\u2019t see me as someone that could be depressed and have had PTSD symptoms for over decade, but I am and I have. If you\u2019re struggling with something similar, it\u2019s OK. That doesn\u2019t make you less of a person.\u201d<\/p>\n
Messages of support and gratitude are already pouring in.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
I do not know Jason Kander, I am glad he is seeking help.\u00a0 I detest it when anyone makes a public spectacle out of being victimized by their service in the military.\u00a0 I guess he will be seen as a humble hero for being so brave.\u00a0 Raising “awareness” is a tough business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"