WATCH: Rep. Tom Kean Jr. says he was recovering from depression in full House speech

Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., said Tuesday that recovery from depression had sidelined him from public life for months.

“When people hear the word ‘depression,’ many people think it means feeling sad, but depression is so much more than that,” said Kean, speaking from the House floor as he returned to Congress. “It is physical, it is emotional and until you experience yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.”

Absent for nearly four months, questions around Kean’s unspecified medical condition had swirled in recent weeks, as voters in his state chose midterm candidates and Kean missed vote after vote in Congress. He last voted in early March.

Kean said Tuesday that a hospital visit months ago led to him being diagnosed with depression and, under doctors’ recommendations, remained at the hospital for treatment.

Kean said he thought he could “simply push through” and quickly return to his duties, his family, constituents and Congress, but that he decided to abide by doctors’ orders.

“There is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better, one day at a time,” he said.

His experience, Kean added, gave him a “deeper appreciation” for millions who face mental health challenges every day.

“Many do so quietly. Many do so alone. Many do so while carrying burdens that the rest of us never see,” he said. “And to them, I say: Asking for help is not a weakness, it is a strength.”

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