We Asked NBA All Star Kevin Love About Self-Care, And Here Are The 8 Things He Wants You To Know About Being Your Best Self

The pro basketball player and mental health advocate chatted with us about fighting stigma, seeking out creative outlets, and using his go-to meditation app.

When NBA All Star and professional handsome man Kevin Love published a personal essay earlier this year about his first panic attack, it made waves not only in sports circles but also for the greater mental health movement.

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After all, here was a successful 6’ 10” pro athlete admitting he was as vulnerable to anxiety and depression as anyone else — and that was huge.

Over the rest of the year, Love has gone on to establish the Kevin Love Fund to promote physical and mental well-being, and become a popular advocate for redefining modern masculinity by speaking openly about his experience.

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This month, in support of Movember, Love hosted a webisode series titled “Locker Room Talk” featuring heart-to-hearts with athletic greats like Michael Phelps.

So, we sat down with Kevin Love to talk about self-care and what he wants everyone to know about looking after themselves — and being part of a movement.

Here’s what we learned:

1. Your mental and physical well-being are intimately connected.

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“From my standpoint, just playing the sport that I do, I know that when my body feels better, it impacts my mental state quite a bit more. Both are so intimately connected and in such a positive way.

From the mental side, self-care is absolutely the most important thing, because for so long, for 29 years, I hadn’t dealt with [my anxiety]. And having such a massive moment in my life happen when I had my first panic attack, I had to look in the mirror and say okay, this is something that I really need to deal with. For me, it was seeking professional help. It was getting the proper medication, and balancing out some things on both sides. Because to live your happiest and healthiest life, both have to be in top shape."

2. And when it comes to physical well-being, it's all about figuring out what activities and routines really work for you personally.

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"From a physical aspect outside of basketball, I do yoga, and I make sure I get a lot of body work, whether it be working with an osteopath or a massage or just manually doing it to myself. I realize that socioeconomic status plays a part in this. Some people aren’t able to spend money on this type of thing, or it doesn’t directly affect their job. But you know, people can still find ways to do it to themselves, and there’s so many ways."

3. We’re not just having a mental health ~moment.~ It’s a full-on movement.

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"Whether it be the women’s movement, the Civil Rights movement, the LGBTQ movement — there’s been so many amazing movements that have happened, and some were in the last five or ten years. And I think this mental health and wellness movement is so directly connected with each and every one of those, and we can really serve to help each and every person in every way. "

4. To fight the stigma around mental health, it’s on all of us to talk about it more.

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"I think a massive part of furthering the conversation and beating down the stigma is having people speak out about it, whether it be athletes, entertainers, everyday people. This affects everyone, one way or another, whether it be you directly or somebody you know. Somebody you know is dealing with something and suffering from something."

5. Meditation apps can help a lot, especially when it comes to establishing a regular routine.

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"I use Headspace a bunch. I actually donated Headspace to every student athlete and coach at UCLA. They have different meditation practices that are for sleep or anxiety or anything, really.

Now it’s become so diverse on there where it can be a minute or two out of the day, where you do it right before sleep or you do it right when you wake up, so it doesn’t have to be 20 or 30 minutes. That’s originally how I started off, was doing 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes , doing like 30 sessions at a time. I kind of like that because I’m so, I wouldn’t say numbers-based but routine-based."

6. Whether it’s a favorite TV show, art exhibit, or creative outlet, seek out the things that give you a mental escape.

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"When I’m depressed or need inspiration or I just need something look at, I always watch Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

I’m also super into ‘80s contemporary art and seeing new emerging artists. I like to, whether it be the MOMA or Gagosian or going to see Richard Prince’s studio in Harlem or Ed Ruscha’s studio in Los Angeles — those are things I love to do just to escape, to take my mind off it. I love to see people’s process. That’s why the Bourdain thing hit me, these artists’ process, how they get from point A to point B. Those are my forms of ways to cope."

7. We need to create both educational and physical space to help the younger generation prioritize self-care.

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"I want to direct a lot of the attention to the younger demographic. Because I know at that point in time, I didn’t understand it. For example, in health classes, we were learning things that aren’t directly related to depression or anxiety or mental wellness or well-being. So I want to find a way to not only teach that, but have the right resources at the disposal of younger kids.

Like at UCLA, we have a meditation room and rooms where you can go and just sit in peace and silence. I’ve seen it at other universities now, where they have a nap room where you can go and sit in the dark space. That’s all very healthy."

8. Because at the end of the day, no one — not even the super successful — is immune to depression.

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"As an athlete, you’re looked at as superhuman, like you have superhuman strength or you’re like an X-Man, where you just heal and you have all these super powers.

But really, like Bryan Cranston said, after Kate Spade and Bourdain had taken their life in the same week, 'Success is not immune to depression.' And I use that all the time now.

It just continues to further that idea of it doesn’t matter who you are, it just affects you. And kids seeing that, that it’s a universal thing — they’ll be more open to the idea of opening up to people whether it be a counselor, whether it be somebody they’re able to talk to if they have the financial support to do that, or it’s a friend, a mother, a father, boyfriend, girlfriend, any of that. With people that feel alone, there’s alway someone there for you."

You can watch the trailer for "Locker Room Talk" below, catch all four episodes here, and donate to The Kevin Love Fund here.

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If you are thinking about suicide or just need to talk to someone, you can speak to someone by calling the The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org.