Purpose
With this project and my personal challenge, I aim to achieve three goals. The first is to express my gratitude and recognition to those who supported me through a profound depression that began in the summer of 2008 and lasted for a couple of years. The second, more aspirational goal, is to create a wave of awareness about the importance of recognizing each other in the values that guide how we want to be treated. And the third is to contribute my part by inspiring those who are in the process of overcoming depression.
Depression doesn’t appear suddenly; it requires underlying conditions. In my case, as a recently retired professional athlete with no clear future plan, the risk of falling into depression was high. My identity was deeply tied to my sport, and losing it suddenly plunged me into profound despair. With retirement, I also lost the sense of belonging and the fraternal bonds of the locker room, which weakened my emotional stability and exacerbated the crisis.My identity as an athlete, the strong sense of belonging, and the uncertainty about the future were key factors in my existential crisis, but they were not the only ones. Like many other athletes, I lived under high self-demand, an obsessive nature, extreme emotions, and a nomadic lifestyle—all factors that intensify the risk of depression. Depression feels like non-existence, losing dignity and respect for oneself, and this distorted perception is what opens the doors to hell.
I am deeply proud and grateful to have overcome that difficult period. It was not easy; it required a great deal of courage on my part and the unconditional support of my loved ones, especially my wife, my psychologist, and my psychiatrist. They took care of me and, most importantly, helped me learn to take care of myself. This is the true purpose of effective therapy.
The word “therapy” comes from the Greek term therapeia, meaning treatment. It derives from the verb therapeuein, meaning to care for or attend to, which is derived from therapon, referring to an aide or a squire who assists the warrior. The suffix -eia, and its variant -ia, denote quality.
“Overcoming depression requires developing the quality of self-care, allowing professionals and loved ones to become the best aides to a warrior seeking peace.”
Taking care of oneself is loving oneself, and this doesn’t depend on what one achieves in life or what one does, but on what one is. Becoming is not an end in itself, but a journey we walk daily.
The 9 values remind me of that journey; even the order makes sense. The first, humility, ensures that I don’t become too exalted during times of success, and the last, trust or faith, gives me hope that if I ever fall back into the depths of depression, I will find the way out again.
