Deterior Tunnel

This chapter explores the previously introduced issue of negative attachment; it highlights that depression is often accompanied by increased irritability and anger, which may play a role in the origin and maintenance of the disorder. The emotional stages one may go through after a traumatic event are then described, as also some social implications regarding depression. Finally, the chapter highlights that depression can also be seen as a form of defense from an alienating and frustrating reality, in which the depressed person withdraws and abandons himself. It points out that depression can be influenced by irrational thinking styles concerning one’s social relationships, and that the therapeutic relationship can help overcome these issues; the therapist can also help the patient recognize and narrate his or her emotional states, and overcome feelings of guilt and inadequacy.