MacEwan basketball player shares her struggles with mental health for #BellLetsTalk

Kristen Monfort-Palomino'slove for basketball came to an abrupt halt after the 2013 season. She quit playing a sport that she had played since she was eight.

She was playing college ball for SAIT in Calgarywhen mental health issues began to affect her significantly. It pushed her to her breaking point.

"I would say right around the time where I decided I no longer wanted to play basketball at SAIT and I did not enjoy it at all would be when it really spiraled out of control," Monfort-Palomino told CBC's Radio Active Wednesday.

She found herself withdrawn, sleeping as much as 20 of 24 hours in a day. She stopped playing basketball. "I was not open at all, very closed off," she said. "It was not something I wanted to share with anyone.

"I did not want to admit that I was quote-unquote weakor struggling with these emotions."

Then, in 2016,her dad, Adonis Palomino,died at the age of 45 after struggling with drug addiction. He was well-known in the basketball community and was a big reason why she played basketball.

For some, that would push them further down the spiral of deteriorating mental health.

Not Monfort-Palomino.

'The scariest step'

Monfort-Palomino said she and her mom suspect her dad had mental health issues himself. It was a huge loss for the family, but it was also a wake-up call for Monfort-Palomino.

"It really kick started my journey to wellness," she said. "I just decided that it was time for me to really look in the mirror and get the help for this."

I did not want to admit that I was quote-unquote weakor struggling with these emotions.- Kristen Monfort-Palomino

She went to see a psychologist, who helped her create a path to help her get better. She got back into basketball shape, losing 50 pounds, and was looking to restart her post-secondary career.

Katherine Adams, now the head coach at MacEwan University, heard Monfort-Palomino was looking for a new team. She coached her in her last year of high school.

Adams asked her to come to Edmonton to play. "She took a leap of faith in me," Monfort-Palomino said. "I said yes, so I'm here now."

She's in her second season with MacEwan and has started every game this season at point guard.

In light of the annual Bell Let's Talk social media campaign, which is on Jan. 31 this year, Monfort-Palomino is using her story to encourage people who need it to get help.

"Reaching out is the hardest but biggest step you could ever make," she said. "If you don't reach out, you won't know, and you can't get the support that you need.

"It's extremely important, even though it's the scariest step."