CHICAGO, IL - The wife of Jesse Jackson Jr. says the longtime Illinois congressman is suffering from depression that has been "debilitating" and even caused him to collapse at their home in Washington.

Chicago City Council member Sandi Jackson says in an exclusive interview with the Chicago Sun-Times that her husband did not attempt suicide and was not being treated for alcohol or drug addiction.

The Chicago Democrat has been on a secretive leave of absence for nearly eight weeks. Throughout that time, his office has released little information, and only revealed his whereabouts a week ago, when Jackson was transferred to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Sandi Jackson's interview, posted Saturday on the newspaper's website, provided the most detail yet, revealing that his depression may be linked to earlier weight-loss surgery.