Up until all too recently, mental health has been extremely stigmatized in the United States, especially when it comes to celebrities and public figures. Many diagnoses are called “invisible illnesses” because the disorders are not physically visible, but those who have them suffer on the inside. These afflictions do not discriminate in whom they affect: Rich or poor, celebrity or average joe—they come for everyone.
Fortunately, those in the public spotlight are beginning to speak up about their own struggles with mental illness. Kevin Love, the Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star, published an article with The Players’ Tribune in March 2018 titled “Everyone Is Going Through Something.” In the piece, Love describes his own battle with depression and outlines when he suffered a panic attack during a game in November 2017. He writes:
“It came out of nowhere. I'd never had one before... I didn't even know if they were real. But it was real— as real as a broken hand or a sprained ankle. Since that day, almost everything about the way I think about my mental health has changed."