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Hi! We discussed muay thai as therapy before, but while researching links between training and depression I came across the following, and particularly this section I found interesting. Or actually, it concerns me a bit as I can somehow relate and it challenges my view of always pushing through. "Serotonin helps regulate mood, dieting can affect serotonin levels, which can lead to depression. Light exercise can boost these levels; fighters, though, suffer from yo-yoing serotonin due to extreme dieting and gruelling workouts. Research shows that over-training and making weight can lead to physical and mental side effects such as flu, cold sores and mood swings (Richard Budgett. ‘Overtraining Syndrome.’ British Journal of Sports Medicine, 24 (4) pp.231-236). “When you are experiencing a depression you will usually assume it is a drop in motivation,” explained James. “What happens is that, as you start to become depressed, you have to get up and train anyway, but doing it with all the physical symptoms of depression. Because you can't see this, you put it down to a lack of motivation and try to give yourself a kick up the arse. “Then you become even more disillusioned in your performance levels and ability, which causes even more hormonal and chemical changes in the brain. This gives you physical symptoms, such as tiredness—you can't concentrate or sort things out—and things become a massive effort. “Because it is not recognised as depression, and as the symptoms take hold, you think you're losing your ability. Things you’ve usually done—like getting up at 5a.m. to run—feel like they are slipping away. They'll still get up and do these things; people will see them doing them and think they're OK. “With my clients, we go through that whole cycle, starting with acceptance (of depression). They can then recognise if they start to slip again, and stop it before it gets hold. Outside the world of sport depression is seen as staying in bed with the curtains closed, so they see getting up and doing things, even with low motivation, as a sign they're not depressed. " https://www.boxingscene.com/depression-boxing-silent-blow--73467 What I would like to know if it has been demonstrated that repeated blows to the head can cause depression?