Many people only think of sadness when they think of depression. But the truth is more complex: depression often doesn’t feel like crying – it feels like emptiness. Like an inner freezing. No more feeling. No light. No strength.
Depression is not a bad phase, but a serious mental illness that affects the entire experience – thinking, feeling, sleeping, physical sensation, drive. It is not visible, but it is very real. And it affects more people than many people think: men and women, young and old, successful and desperate.
Why laughter alone is no substitute for therapeutic support
Those affected often hear well-intentioned advice such as: “Get out! Laugh again! Think positively!” But what can help with moods doesn’t work with depression. Laughter no longer works. Joy is no longer accessible. Withdrawal becomes a survival mechanism. As we know, advice is a slap in the face, often invasive and violates autonomy.
Burnout or depression – what’s the difference?
Burnout and depression are similar, but not identical:
Burnout often arises from chronic professional overload, leading to exhaustion, inner emptiness and cynicism.
Depression can also develop without external stress, is more profound, includes hopelessness, loss of interest, feelings of guilt, suicidal thoughts.
Burnout can turn into depression. However, not everyone who is burnt out is also depressed. The difference lies in the depth of the symptoms and the duration.
Burnout can turn into depression. However, not everyone who is burnt out is also depressed. The difference lies in the depth of the symptoms and the duration.
Silent suffering – the example of Robert Enke
A prominent case has shaken up Germany: National goalkeeper Robert Enke suffered from depression for years. On the outside he was strong, controlled and calm – on the inside he was desperate. On November 10, 2009, he took his own life.
His death made it clear just how much high-achieving people hide their depression. For fear of stigma. For fear of no longer being enough. Especially in sport, where mental health is often taboo, there needs to be more openness, education – and humanity.
What really helps?
Depression needs more than motivational tips. What helps:
Professional help (psychotherapy, mental coaching, medication if necessary)
Bodywork & exercise (sport, therapeutic boxing, yoga, breathing training)
Structure & small steps in everyday life (daily routine with breaks, small but constant changes)
Conversations without judgment (with people who actively listen)
Deceleration and reduction (clearing out to-do lists, making decisions, distinguishing the important from the essential)
And: the knowledge that depression is treatable. That recovery is possible. And that accepting help is not a weakness – it is strength.
Hope is more than a feeling – it is a path
As dark as a depressive phase may be – it is not the end. There are ways back to life. The soul can heal. Body-oriented methods such as therapeutic boxing allow direct access to suppressed emotions such as anger, fear or powerlessness. Through movement, targeted pressure reduction and clear structures in training, inner tensions can be reduced and self-efficacy strengthened.
Conclusion: Depression is easily treatable – and you are not alone
Whether with therapeutic support, coaching or both: depression can be overcome. Every path is individual – but there is hope. You don’t have to “function” to be valuable. You can accept help. And you can create a life that feels like yourself again.
Many people who are full of joie de vivre again today were once exactly where you are right now: empty, powerless, doubting. What changed them was not a sudden breakthrough – but small, consistent steps. The decision to get support. The willingness to break new ground. The courage to see setbacks as part of the healing process.
In boxing therapy, the body helps the soul, in which resource-oriented conversations and bodywork take place, which then lead to more stability in many life contexts. Far from therapy or coaching, a person who really listens in order to understand and not to judge is simply a great gift – every measure counts. There is life after depression.
A life that tastes like you again. In which you laugh, cry, fight, feel again – and experience yourself alive. It is possible. And it’s worth going for it. Many sufferers report that this form of work has enabled them to regain access to themselves – to their strength, to their courage, to their “I”. When body, mind and emotions are allowed to work together again, space is created for healing. Depression is not the end of your story. It’s a chapter – and you can keep writing. soulboxer 🥊🙏❤️