Secretary of State Debra Bowen Describes Her Depression
LOS ANGELES (AP) — California's top elections official says she has been fighting what she calls a debilitating battle with depression that has frequently kept her away from her office.
Secretary of State Debra Bowen told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Saturday that she has suffered from depression for decades but is now struggling through a difficult episode.
The disclosure came as Californians prepare to go to the polls in two months to elect lawmakers and their governor.
Bowen said she has been able to work remotely when she has not been in her office.
The newspaper also reported that Bowen, who is leaving office after two terms, moved from her two-story home to a Sacramento trailer park.
She said she wanted to publicly discuss her troubles in part to help dispel the stigma around the mental illness.
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