NBA Star DeMar DeRozan’s Mental Health Journey: Overcoming Depression & Finding Resilience

Key Figure in Focus: DeMar DeRozan

DeMar’s Experience with Mental Struggles 🔎

“I recall times in High School where my teammates would be together engaging in camaraderie and I wouldn’t be apart of it. Not because I didn’t want to or they didn’t want me apart of it, but because I wasn’t mentally there sometimes. But I would be expected to be there mentally regardless of what I was burdened with.”

“It would be moments where I would mentally check out and my entire attitude would change. I could go from being happy to suddenly begin sad and start to distance myself. People would ask questions like, ‘what’s wrong with you?’ All the while not understanding what I was going through mentally. I wouldn’t speak to many people about my mental health because I felt they didn’t understand what I was dealing with inside. I would feel like an outsider because I felt like people just didn’t get it.”

“I watched people suppress their pain with alcohol, which turned them into completely different people – aggressive, emotional, self-destructive. I chose not to take that route, but certainly some players have. My depression forced me to a place where I was confined, quiet, isolated. And over time, that wasn’t really healthy either. Those feeling built up.”

DeRozan articulated that he’s “not ashamed about his depression, and that he hopes his success on the court inspires others who might be struggling.”

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3 Key Takeaways 📚

1. Recognize “Invisible Absence” (And Give Yourself Grace)

Many people face an intense pressure to perform, whether on a team, at a job, or in social settings, even when carrying an immense mental burden. You can be physically present but mentally checked out or distant because you are fighting an internal battle.

• The Action Step: Shift from self-judgment to self-awareness. When you feel yourself “mentally checking out” or switching from happy to sad, don’t force a fake persona to please others. Give yourself permission to step away for a few minutes. Practice a “Mental Time-Out”, step into a quiet room, take five deep breaths, and acknowledge the weight you are carrying without blaming yourself for not being “100% there.”

2. Break the Isolation of “Nobody Gets It”

When going through a mental health crisis, it’s easy to feel like an outsider because the people around you ask clumsy questions like “What’s wrong with you?” This lack of understanding often drives people into dangerous, quiet isolation where heavy feelings simply build up over time.

• The Action Step: Swap complete isolation for Selective Connection. You don’t need your entire social circle to understand your mind. Identify just one person, a trusted friend, a family member, or a professional, who doesn’t judge. Instead of staying completely quiet, use a simple script to bridge the gap: “I’m having a really heavy mental health day right now. I don’t expect you to fix it, but I just didn’t want to be completely alone with it.”

3. Choose Vulnerability Over Destructive Suppression

People often try to numb or suppress their internal pain using self-destructive habits like alcohol, which only creates aggression and further chaos. True resilience means rejecting harmful coping mechanisms, shedding the shame, and using your story to heal yourself while inspiring others.

• The Action Step: Audit your coping mechanisms and establish an “Expression Outlet.” When a wave of depression or anxiety hits, notice your knee-jerk reaction. If you feel the urge to numb it or swallow it down, consciously redirect that energy into a healthy release. Write down your unfiltered thoughts in a private journal, create something, or speak to a therapist. Reframe vulnerability not as a weakness, but as the ultimate act of taking control of your life.

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