Psychodynamic explanations of depression

Psychodynamic Explanation

Mourning and Melancholia - Freud 1917

• Mourning is a natural state to experience after a loss (death or withdrawl of affection)
• Melancholia is a pathological illness, mourning as a constant state
• needs not met at oral stage- excessivly dependant on others - leads to feelings of rejection after loss

Attachment theory

• Dependant personalites - turn anger in on themselves because outer expression is not acceptable to the super ego, this inward directed anger reduces their self esteem and makes them more vunerable to depression.
• actaul or symobolic loss can cause people to feel rejected and revert back to a…