Feeling of emptiness that fills your interior, desolation, deep sadness, an evil that affects many and seems to spread like a plague, depression.

Definition according to Wikipedia:

Depression (from Latin depressio, which means 'oppression', 'shrinkage' or 'depression') is the psychiatric and psychological diagnosis that describes a mood disorder, transitory or permanent, characterized by feelings of depression, unhappiness and guilt, besides causing a total or partial disability to enjoy things and events of everyday life (anhedonia).

My experience.

Depression has been a constant in my life, I would love to say that it was, because for a few years I have not relapsed, but you never know when it knocks on your door again, the big difference is the aptitude with which I face it the next time, I learned from my emotions, in fact if depression is an evil in your life or if it ever touches you, remember that your attitude is what will define how much it affects you, I recommend learning about emotional intelligence, it will help you not only in this field, will you substantially improve your life learning the manage of emotions.

"The great discovery of my generation is that human beings can change their lives by changing their mental attitudes." -William James.

One of the big problems of being constantly depressed is that you become addicted to the sensation of pain and when something good happens in your life you are unable to value it, because you have been plunged for so long into the darkness that has become your zone of comfort.

The depression in the world.

Earlier this year WHO submitted a new report that addresses the numbers of people living with depression. And according to the results, globally this disease affected more than 322 million people in 2017, equivalent to 4.4 percent of the world's population.

That number has increased by 18.4 percent between 2008 and 2017, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), author of the document.

Depression is the world's leading cause of disability and - the report notes - in its most serious cases can lead to suicide. According to the WHO, about 788,000 people take their lives for this disease every year.

Although depression is a bad quite widespread in our society, generally do not seek help and relatives and friends do not pay attention until the effects are deeper and therefore the recovery is much more difficult.

Advices against depression:

1. Make a schedule ... and complete it.

Depression makes you lose the illusion and energy, losing the motivation to make plans and do things. Obliging to follow a routine can be very helpful.

2. Set goals.

Very linked to the previous advice. It is about imagining a future or situation that you want to reach and that you believe you can achieve.

3. Do sport.

We all know the phrase "mens sana in corpore sano". Actually, this popular saying contains more wisdom than it may seem. It has been shown that doing sports regularly generates endogenous endorphins, making us feel better mood and decreasing the effects of depression.

4. Make a list of everything that goes wrong.

Writing what happens to us is a good way to do introspection.

5. To vent.

If you feel that you are in a bad moment, you do not have to hesitate to vent. The list of things that go wrong that we talked about earlier ... burn it. Sing, scream, cry, run, practice a contact sport that allows you to download frustration. The important thing is that you do not lock yourself in and let your thoughts flow and, above all, your emotions.

6. Go out and socialize.

If you are in a situation of depression, it would be useful for you to participate in the social life around you. This does not mean that you force social situations or establish a relationship of dependence with others, but try to get out, participate in the conversation of your relatives and are open to participate in different plans and activities.

7. Do something that you like.

It is not necessary that the activity makes you completely happy or that you enjoy the same as before, but it is enough that you reduce the level of sadness a bit, and in the long run you could recover the passion for it.

8. Explore.

Introducing changes in your life can make you discover new sensations and views about life.

9. Go to a professional.

If you do not see yourself able to get out of the situation for yourself, you can always call on the help of a professional.

10. Learn about emotional intelligence.

Knowing your emotions and understanding them will help you control them.

Some people who suffer from depression do not have the will, nor the energy to seek help and undergo treatment. Others, do not see their symptoms clearly, or deny they have them. If a loved one is suffering from depression, do not leave him alone, talk about his concern and above all help him. Trusted family members or friends can make a big difference.

"The greatest glory in living is not in falling, but in rising every time we fall."-Nelson Mandela.

Thank you for reading.

Sources and references:

• Es.wikipedia.org. (2018). Depresión. [online] Available at: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depresi%C3%B3n [Accessed 11 Oct. 2018].

• Español, N. (2018). La depresión en cifras - National Geographic en Español. [online]. Available at: https://www.ngenespanol.com/ciencia/dia-mundial-de-la-salud-datos-sobre-la-depresion/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2018].

• Lifeder. (2018). Las 61 Mejores Frases de Depresión - Lifeder. [online] Available at: https://www.lifeder.com/frases-de-depresion/ [Accessed 11 Oct. 2018].

• Psicologiaymente.com. (2018). ​8 consejos para aliviar la depresión. [online] Available at: https://psicologiaymente.com/clinica/consejos-aliviar-depresion [Accessed 11 Oct. 2018].

• Own cover image made with Photoshop.

@rikrd3