Depression: Disease, Reaction, or Posture?
Abstract
The question posed by the title of this paper has been debated in the psychiatric literature both here and abroad for many years, as evidenced by such distinctions as endogenous vs. psychogenic or reactive, and psychotic vs. neurotic, forms of depression. This author concludes that depressive illness can be seen as disease in the sense that its manifestations are deviations from normal biological functions, and as reaction in the sense that it is a response to a crisis situation, resulting in a catastrophic lowering of self-esteem. But the therapeutic skill of the psychiatrist is best displayed when he understands the patient's depression as posture, the symptoms of which are forms of communication.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
