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NBA star opens up about mental health in the age of COVID-19

Cavs rumors: Is a Kevin Love trade possible?
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

It’s one of the unintended consequences of the ongoing global pandemic. Most of the world and its citizens have been locked down over the past few months as a way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

As the world opens up with an uncertain future ahead, said unintended consequence includes the mental of health of global citizens. Being separated from society. Nameless faces battling depression while mourning those close to them who have died from the virus.

Cleveland Cavaliers star big man Kevin Love knows all about this battle. He’s spoken out about mental well-being a lot in the past, and has made it one of his life goals. The idea of educating the public and helping others.

Love, 31, isn’t worried about catching the virus. He’s more concerned about this aspect of the global pandemic.

“Listen, I don’t have all the answers — and likely never will. But, speaking from experience, I can tell you there are resources out there that can help you,” Love said Friday, via ESPN. “It’s really scary what’s going on in the world right now. But you don’t have to suffer through it alone. Take it from someone who did that for far too long.”

Love had previously opened up about his own battle with mental health, specifically pointing to a panic attack he suffered during a game against the Atlanta Hawks years ago. He knows all too well the battle countless people around the world are going through right now.

Since coming to the conclusion that he was in fact dealing with anxiety and depression, Love has made it his goal to be the face of mental health awareness around the sports world. Others NBA players have joined in, too.

“My life is dramatically different,” Love told ESPN. “I have a lot more clarity about where I’m headed, and where we’re headed as a society in terms of removing the stigma from mental health issues. We still treat mental illness so differently from a physical illness. If you had a heart condition, you’d see a doctor and you’d take the necessary steps to fix the problem. Why should it be any different with mental health?”

There’s a stigma to this whole thing, as Love notes. It’s something that will have to change as society gets back to some sense of normalcy amid the pandemic. While most of us have friends and loves ones we can rely on during these trying times, there’s some who don’t. That doesn’t even take into account losing someone close to you from the virus and not being able to comfort them during their final moments.

Though, for Love, the current experience brings back memories of his own struggles with depression and why it’s so important for those struggling with mental health issues to get help.

“I have been battling depression my whole life,” Love said. “And when my mind starts to spiral, the meds help me to decompress, and make it easier for me to escape going to that dark place.”

You can get more information on the Kevin Love Fund and his goal to help those battling mental health issues in the age of COVID-19 right here.

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