Cleveland Cavs star Kevin Love admits battle with panic attacks

LOS ANGELES, USA – Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love revealed on Tuesday, March 6, he has regularly suffered from panic attacks, breaking his silence on the issue in a bid to encourage more players to talk openly about mental health.

In an essay on The Players’ Tribune website, Love said he had suffered his first panic attack on November 5, when he was forced to exit early during a defeat to the Atlanta Hawks.

That episode left him needing treatment in the Cleveland Clinic. Love also reportedly told teammates a panic attack forced him to leave a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in January after only three minutes.

“For 29 years, I thought about mental health as someone else’s problem,” Love wrote in his essay, titled “Everyone is Going Through Something.”

“Sure, I knew on some level that some people benefited from asking for help or opening up. I just never thought it was for me.

“To me, it was form of weakness that could derail my success in sports or make me seem weird or different.

“Then came the panic attack,” the 29-year-old five-time All-Star wrote.

Love has not played since January 30 as he nurses his way back to health after suffering a broken bone in his left hand.

He decided to speak out in order to “create a better environment for talking about mental health.” “That’s where we need to get to,” Love said.

“I want to make it clear that I don’t have things figured out about all of this,” he added. “I’m just starting to do the hard work of getting to know myself. For 29 years, I avoided that. Now, I’m trying to be truthful with myself. I’m trying to be good to the people in my life.”

Love’s disclosure won approval from teammate LeBron James.

“You’re even more powerful now than ever before @kevinlove!!! Salute and respect brother,” James wrote on Twitter.

You’re even more powerful now than ever before @kevinlove!!! Salute and respect brother!  https://t.co/6nL6WoZMCm

— LeBron James (@KingJames) March 6, 2018

Here are more reactions on social media.

Wow…I can’t even describe how grateful I am for the love and support. More than anything, it’s been amazing to see YOU tell your own stories about Mental Health. Let’s keep it going. If want to share your story you can email me at kevin@playerstribune.com (yes I’ll read it).

— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) March 6, 2018

 

This is real!! Less judgment, more empathy! https://t.co/bvPaAuqhqw

— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) March 6, 2018

 

This is worth reading and very true. Respect to @Kevinlove for sharing about what we all go through as people in this world. https://t.co/g9r6Zaqpt9

— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) March 6, 2018

 

DeMar DeRozan says he’s proud that his words helped Kevin Love. pic.twitter.com/LCbAylxm1b

— ESPN (@espn) March 7, 2018

 

"It made me feel, you know, pretty damn good, honestly. So it’s cool to be able to help somebody." – @DeMar_DeRozan on Kevin Love’s Players’ Tribune article pic.twitter.com/wyvmoSOuAB

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 7, 2018

Steve Kerr praised Kevin Love’s public battle with his mental health.

"Everybody’s got things. And you need friends. And you need support. And you need help to get through everything." pic.twitter.com/V5sapsWeda

— KNBR (@KNBR) March 7, 2018

– Rappler.com