Love is all around when it comes to facing his demons

CLEVELAND - Kevin Love couldn't remember being so clean shaven, gliding his fingers over his smooth cheeks and chin while looking in a large mirror.

The reflection doesn't pain him anymore.

From the outside, the Cleveland Cavaliers' All-Star forward appears to have it all: A model's striking looks, a multi-million dollar contract and a dream job.

At 30, he's in the prime of his career, and maybe for the first time, truly happy.

"I'm getting there," he said, his voice conveying determination. "It's still a work in progress."

Nearly a year ago, Love suffered a panic attack during a game against Atlanta. The desperate, life-altering event eventually led to revealing his long-term battle with anxiety and depression.

Now Love is hoping to break down stigmas about men's mental health, partnering with Shick Hydro on a website series called "Locker Room Talk" to host candid conversations with Olympic swimming icon Michael Phelps, former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce and Cavs teammate and close friend Channing Frye.

No topic is off limits.

The show debuts with Love and Phelps next month, coinciding with fundraising efforts for the Movember Foundation, which promotes men growing moustaches during the month to raise awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and suicide.

Love recently filmed the sit-down talks with Phelps, Pierce and Frye while his Cavs prepared to open their first season in five years without superstar LeBron James, who signed with Los Angeles this summer.

While Love knows his 11th year as a pro will be challenging, his focus was on the series, which he views as an important step in his personal development and a natural progression toward a broader platform for more mental health initiatives.

Love's discussions with the three athletes cover a wide range of topics, including "masculinity, traumatic events, women and their roles in our lives, thoughts of suicide, anxiety. Everything."

"We're changing the paradigm of locker room talk where it's not just about sports anymore," he said. "It's life."

In their talks with Love, Phelps and Pierce open up about their past struggles with mental health. Frye brings a perspective of coping with loss and tragedy following the deaths of his parents within weeks of each other in 2016.

Love hopes the frank discussions will move people to seek help and maybe encourage them to address their problems.

It took a distressing experience for Love to take the first steps in his journey.

During the second half of a game on Nov 5 against Atlanta, Love suffered a panic attack so severe that he said he felt like he was dying.

He gasped for air, and with his heart and mind racing uncontrollably, frantically scrambled from room to room in the depths of Quicken Loans Arena before finally collapsing on the floor of the Cavs' locker room.

He was taken to hospital for tests, but Love already had a sense of what was wrong.

He had struggled since childhood with depression and mood swings, which he said was passed down through generations in his family.

As a teenager, he would often descend into "my dark place" for weeks and experienced fits of rage.

"I was angry and would break stuff," Love said. "I would never hurt anyone, but I would act out against authority and rebel. I didn't know why I felt that way."

He subsequently sought counseling. But after another panic episode, Love felt compelled to go public after some teammates questioned why he left another game early.

He began his personal admission with a powerful essay for the Players' Tribune entitled "Everyone Is Going Through Something":

"In the immediate aftermath of Nov 5, I didn't want anyone to know. I still don't know how I came out and played 48 hours later. I wanted to hide. I was so afraid that people were going to find out what had happened. All those events that then followed allowed me to get to a point where I was like, 'OK, now it's time for me to tell my story' and I wanted to tell it in my own words."

Love remains overwhelmed at the outpouring since revealing his struggles.

"I can't tell you how many guys around the league have come up to me and said, 'How did you get there?' or 'How did you get out of it?' And now they ask, 'Hey, can you help me?'" he said.

Associated Press