Depression and the Erosion of the Self in Late Modernity ― The Lesson of Icarus

Depression is not a disease of the brain, a genetic disability or even a mood disorder. Rather, shutdown, numbness or sadness are non-pathological adaptations to adverse childhood and adult environments. This challenging book thus understands depression as a wise response to an unliveable situation. It can teach us what is wrong with our lives and what we must learn in order to go beyond symptom relief and reconnect to our most fundamental needs, relational, existential and spiritual. Because moods shape how we engage with our outer and inner worlds, they underlie all human behaviour. If the sociocultural world is toxic or frustrates our core needs, we will withdraw to protect ourselves. Those who have encountered a non-facilitating environment in childhood will be even more sensitive to adult stresses, since their self-organisation is fragile and non-resilient. As depression is so complex, understanding it demands an integrative approach.

Barbara Dowds had a first career in science as a researcher at the University of California and TCD, and later as a senior lecturer in molecular genetics at Maynooth University, Ireland. She completed her therapy training in 2002, and then began to work as a humanistic and integrative psychotherapist. Barbara taught on various psychotherapy trainings between 2003 and 2014, and was on the editorial board of Eisteach, the journal of the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, for seven years. She is the author of Beyond the Frustrated Self as well as numerous articles. Barbara is currently in private practice as a therapist and supervisor and presents postgraduate training workshops.