Anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder among mental illnesses facing pros
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Kevin Love revealed he had a panic attack on the court last season which forced him to run into the locker room.
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Love has been a proponent of confidential therapy available to NBA players.
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US Olympic swimming champions Michael Phelps (left) and Allison Schmitt both battled depression during their careers. Schmitt suffered from "post-Olympic blues," and "kept digging into a hole," she told Detroit's WDIV Local 4. Her friend Phelps -- who had recovered from his own depression battle -- took notice and helped her receive counseling.
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Six-time NFL Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011, according to USA Today, and spent three months at a psychiatric hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School for treatment. "Where we are now with mental health is where cancer and HIV were 20 years ago," he told the newspaper.
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Royce White -- who battled generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder-- signed with the Houston Rockets as a first round pick in 2012, but disagreements regarding the team's mental health policy led to a quick trade.
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NBA legend Jerry West (left) -- seen posing with Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors -- says he has battled depression his entire life. The nine-time NBA champion as a player and executive says basketball provided solace from his abusive father growing up. "I was looking for an escape," he told USA Today. "I was just looking for something that I would be appreciated for."
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Former US No. 1 Mardy Fish withdrew from a match against Roger Federer at the 2012 US Open due to severe anxiety disorder. He took time off from the sport to address his issues before making a comeback. "Addressing your mental health is strength," he wrote in The Players Tribune.
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Rick Ankiel began his Major League Baseball career as a pitcher before experiencing anxiety on the mound. He spent seven years playing in the minor leagues and overseas while treating his condition, before returning to the majors as an outfielder in 2007. He retired in 2013 and penned the book "The Phenomenon: Pressure, the Yips and the Pitch that Changed My Life".
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Former WNBA player Imani McGee-Stafford -- brother of NBA player JaVale McGee -- has been diagnosed with severe depression and tried suicide more than once. "Hope is the strongest weapon you have against darkness, against sorrow," she told The Undefeated. "I encourage people to seek help, be it professional or a loved one."
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Delonte West played eight NBA seasons but his career was mired by controversy, suspensions and spells away from his teams. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder midway through his career, according to the Washington Post, and began taking medication and undergoing therapy.
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Former New England Patriots offensive lineman Ryan O'Callaghan contemplated suicide before coming out publicly as a gay man with the help of a therapist provided by the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Former No. 1 NBA Draft pick Markelle Fultz played sparingly in his rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers, though he appeared physically healthy. Fultz highlighted statistics related to mental health awareness on Instagram before removing the post over the summer.
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DeMar DeRozan opened up about his depression last year, citing the pressures of being a professional athlete as part of the cause. "You think when you ... make it to the NBA, all that bad stuff is supposed to be wiped clean," he told ESPN, "but then this whole new dynamic loaded with stress comes your way."