Cavs backup big man Channing Frye fell into a deep depression after losing both of his parents at the end of 2016 within months of each other.
Frye went public with his struggles in an effort to normalize what he went through.
.@Channing_Frye tells us about how he deals with his depression while playing in the NBA https://t.co/RukjzxLAZY #BeWell #BeHeard #ad pic.twitter.com/25T3L6AH6u
— Complex (@Complex) November 2, 2017
The 34-year-old veteran says he was “emotionally exhausted” and “broken” this past summer.
Per Complex:
Why did you first decide to open up about your struggles with depression?
Frye: “The biggest thing for me was just being able to be comfortable with the situation as much as possible, telling my story and normalizing it which is kind of hard because nobody thinks about these things until they happen. For me, it felt good to talk through my emotions: to talk through how I felt and how it affected me and how I can be vulnerable. In my situation [playing in the NBA], a lot of guys are happy all the time. We live great lives. We do what we love to do. We’re paid nice. But life also happens. I just wanted to show who I really was: that I am vulnerable, I am upset, I am sad. I do cry and I do miss them.”
Do you think depression is prevalent in the NBA?
Frye: “I wouldn’t be able to give you an answer for that because I don’t know how other people live. My best answer would be probably yeah, there might be a bunch of guys that are depressed and they just don’t know it and deal with it in unhealthy ways. Whether that be too much working out or not having a correct diet.
Frye: “It’s fine to not be okay right now. Just allow yourself to be given the right information and make the right decisions that will help you to feel better.”
