DEPRESSION – ‘MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE’
The most important feature of a depressive illness is the loss, or the fear of loss, of a valued object. The loss may be of a person, a place, an object, an ideal, self esteem, status or it may be part of our own bodies.
Guilt, shame and grief are all emotions associated with depression.
Grief is a normal emotion and it is appropriate that we suffer grief when we are confronted with loss. Grief needs to be expressed and acted through. If repressed, it may cause emotional illness.
It may be mild and short-lived when the object is of little value — such as a few dollars. It may be severe and longer-lasting when the grief is for the death of a loved one.
In endogenous depression the alteration of behavior is thought to originate from unknown causes within the individual’s personality and not as a reaction to loss.
Some cases of depression may be due to altered chemical activity in the brain. We know that certain chemicals, called amines, may be present in altered amounts in depression.
*288/71/1*
