Cleveland Cavaliers star big man Kevin Love has been open about his struggles with mental health for quite some time, and now he is taking his dedication to honesty to the next level.
In a recent conversation with ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, Love spoke in detail about how the use of medication has helped him gain greater health.
“I know some guys don’t want to go there, but taking medication has changed my life in a big way,” Love said. “It has helped me manage this ongoing feeling of irritability, this feeling in the pit of my stomach that I couldn’t shake before. The medication helps me relax without sapping my energy levels.
“I have been battling depression my whole life. 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.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that my struggles with mental health aren’t ever going away. That’s just not a reality. The medication helps me feel a little better in my own skin and my own brain. Whatever imbalance I have, this has helped me find more relief.”
Throughout the last few years, Love has played a major role in trying to reduce the stigma of mental illness.
Through talks, social media posts and interviews, much like the one with MacMullan, Love has certainly helped fans and fellow players feel more safe about speaking up about their own struggles with mental health.
One of the actions Love has taken to help raise mental health awareness has been partnering with the mindfulness app Headspace in order to offer subscriptions to student-athletes at UCLA, Love’s alma mater.
His Kevin Love Fund also joined forces with A-List actor Matthew McConaughey’s Just Keep Livin Foundation to help high school students lead more active and healthy lives.
Love’s career with the Cavaliers has been quite special. He’s been recognized as a major star in the NBA and played a huge role in helping the Cavs win the 2016 NBA championship.
With that being said, it is quite likely that his most lasting impact will be in the world of mental health.
Surely, Love wouldn’t have it any other way.
