Love Island’s Kem opens up about his depression battle

'I became obsessive about my mum'

Love Island's Kem Cetinay

by Carl Smith |
Published on

Do you know what? The Love Island lot get a fair bit of stick sometimes. Whether they're promoting protein powders or turning up to every event under the sun, we've all got that mate who claims they're useless celebs. Ugh.

But now - after Chris Hughes made a statement with his brilliant L'Eau de Chris campaign to raise awareness of World Mental Health Day this week - Kem Cetinay's spoken candidly about his battles with anxiety and depression.

THIS is what we need, boys.

Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies
©Getty

Speaking to The Sun, Kem admitted he's struggled with anxiety leading him to become 'obsessive' over his mum. He told The Sun: "I started becoming obsessive about my mum, I wouldn’t leave her side,” he explained in an emotional interview with the newspaper.

"My confidence dropped, I couldn’t get on trains. It was the first time I’d had a panic attack, I didn’t know what it was."

Kem's mum Figen, who spoke alongside her son, also revealed that 'overnight he became a recluse,' adding that he stopped going to school as these panic attacks worsened.

Kem continued: "After [a kidney] operation — I’d lost so much weight — my football started going downhill so I lost all my confidence. I thought everyone was looking at me and it just escalated. I refused to go out to public places.

"There was a point in the three-year spell I wasn’t really living, I wasn’t doing anything. I was completely depressed."

READ MORE: The ultimate Love Island Snapchat username list

Watch below: Chris and Kem play the Little Bit or Leave It game

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