Larry Sanders Revelation Significant for Mental Health Awareness
To those of us who have suffered the effects of mental illness, Larry Sanders' actions Wednesday were nothing short of heroic. His revelation via The Players' Tribune that he had left the NBA to undergo treatment for anxiety and depression required great courage, and the impact it will have cannot be underestimated.
As many people have pointed out in comments, here we have a man who plays basketball for his living and earns more money than most of us would dare dream of earning in a lifetime. He was essentially living the dream.
Yet he was unhappy. The glamour, the thrill, the joy and the money that come with playing in the NBA were no match for those nasty illnesses known as depression and anxiety.
He was prepared to walk away from it all to get better. To those of us who have been through it, that is no surprise and completely understandable. At a time when awareness of these illnesses remains very low, it is this, as much as anything, that will illustrate to those who have not experienced them just how awful mental illnesses are.
Yes, you can be living the dream and making copious amounts of money for playing the game you love every day of your life. But it is no match for mental illness, so much so that Sanders walked away from it all to get better.
Perhaps it is as good an example as any of just how big a deal mental illness is.
Though Sanders did not go into depth on how those illnesses affected him, for Sanders to walk away to receive treatment is absolutely no surprise at all. Money and fame cannot compare to the peace of mind that comes from knowing you will not have to experience the effects of these illnesses and can enjoy life in a much easier manner.
To come out and tell the whole world why you left is brave beyond measure. You do not know how people will react when they hear you have had depression or anxiety. Due to the lack of understanding the general public has of each illness, sufferers are often stereotyped, judged and stigmatized.
Telling people that you are a sufferer exposes you to these people.
Sanders certainly copped his fair share of criticism for leaving the Bucks. But he stuck with his decision and got the treatment required despite it all. That is true courage.
It is becoming more and more common to hear of ex-athletes who battled with mental illness. However, it is far less common to see an athlete up and leave in the middle of his career because of it.
For that, Sanders' actions are of huge significance. Not only do they show just how badly depression and anxiety can affect an individual, but they also pave the way forward for others suffering. Sanders has gained much respect from those who have suffered from mental illness.
Jeff Cheshire has battled mental illness, including depression and anxiety, since the age of 16. In 2015, he discussed his illness and his thoughts on depression in an article for the Otago Daily Times.
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