Strength in Sharing, Mental Health as Important as Physical
On March 6, Cleveland Cavaliers Forward Kevin Love authored a column about his recent mental health experience. He wrote about a panic attack—his first—he experienced during a game last November and his subsequent realization that he had a health condition and that treatment was important to his management of this condition.
Love wrote that he’d been dealing with extra stress in his life. On the night of his first panic attack, he experienced trouble breathing, rapid heartbeat, and problems focusing. He ended up suddenly leaving the game. In his words, “It was like my body was trying to say to me, ‘You’re about to die.’ I ended up on the floor in the training room, lying on my back, trying to get enough air to breathe.”
Tests showed there was nothing physically wrong. He later sought treatment with a therapist who helped him understand his panic attack was a symptom of a mental health issue. Love wrote that he wanted to share his story because of how eye opening it was for him simply to talk to someone about his mental health concerns and the possible roots of his conditions. He also wanted to combat the stigma associated with mental health issues.
Love credited fellow basketball professional DeMar DeRozen for inspiring him to write about his experience. DeRozen opened up about his own encounter with depression and anxiety last month—issues he has dealt with since he was young. Love and DeRozen both make it clear they want to share their experiences to demonstrate these issues can affect anyone, even those who seemingly have everything going for them. For so long a stigma has surrounded mental health, and these two are hoping that by sharing their stories, they can help combat that stigma.
Love’s experience is no different from those of many injured workers and disabled persons. Mental health conditions—depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the like—often do not arise until a person experiences some sort of traumatic event or stressful situation, such as a work injury or a sudden inability to provide for oneself. When they do arise, people often are unsure what they are experiencing. For others, these conditions represent lifelong struggles. Whether the conditions are longstanding or have only recently surfaced, it is common for people to avoid seeking treatment or trying to understand their condition because they feel embarrassed or unsure about their experience.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of opportunities for people to seek help with these conditions. If the conditions arose because of a work injury and the injury’s effects, a workers’ compensation claim can cover treatment. If the condition is disabling, it can help form the basis for Social Security or State of Ohio disability benefits. The most important thing to remember is these issues are common and help is out there. As Love said, “If you’re reading this and you’re having a hard time, no matter how big or small it seems to you, I want to remind you that you’re not weird or different for sharing what you’re going through.”
If you or a loved one are experiencing mental health issues as a result of a work injury, or if those conditions are causing disability, contact Herdman Yeager to discuss your legal options. In the meantime, here are some helpful resources: