The Head Coach of the Windsor Express is sharing his story.
Bill Jones was the keynote speaker at the local Canadian Mental Health Association's Annual General Meeting.
The 53-year-old says he has been struggling with mental health since his junior year at the University of Iowa.
Jones told the crowd mental health is apart of his family's history.
He says he's been dealing with anxiety on and off for a number of years but most recently had an incident while in Sudbury for a game.
Jones says after that panic attack, he asked for help and is now taking medication and is seeing a therapist.
He says he didn't like the way he looked in the mirror.
"It was about two months where it was a struggle to get out of bed, not worrying about the outside world, not worrying about anything, just staying in a cocoon and that's what I called it and now I feel strong, I feel able to be able to function in my day to day life with the medication and with me therapist," says Jones.
He says it's important to share his story.
"At the end of the day if I'm able to help one person then I've done my job," says Jones. "When I've been blessed, I like to pass on it so be able to pass on my struggles and my story hopefully be able to help someone is what I'm about."
Jones says he lost about 40 pounds following his last panic attack but has since gained some of it back.
While playing basketball in the Continental Basketball Association, Jones said he found out he had a cavernoma on his brain.