With the coronavirus outbreak forcing people to stay home, mental health has globally become an increasing concern. San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan revealed that challenging himself daily personally helped with his anxiety.

Per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, the Spurs star discussed players’ well-being during the suspension in an Instagram interview with Kensa Gunter, a licensed clinical psychologist. In the chat conducted on the NBA’s official account, the Spurs guard noted:

Trying to get outside as much as possible, get fresh air, run around with the kids. … I try not to look too far ahead so it doesn’t drive me crazy.

Over the years, NBA players have slowly embraced topics concerning mental health and wellness. The National Basketball Players Association has since launched a program in 2018, especially after efforts by the Spurs veteran and Kevin Love, who revealed struggles with depression.

Professional athletes have acclimated to a life of regular encounters with teammates and staff. A sudden shift in that regimen will thus cause unsurprising distress for many players. In the interview, Gunter suggested that to mitigate anxiety, it is important to turn off the news once in a while and take up or rediscover a hobby. He further emphasized that this was important no matter what profession a person is in.

NBA players have notably been creative with dance videos, live streams, and live interviews, but no one knows how long such optimism will last. Meanwhile, before the outbreak ends, it is always important to keep one’s mental health in check. One thing’s for sure, however. As DeRozan said, “I miss basketball like no other.”