A cultural history of depression

Berrios, German; Markova, Ivana

Abstract

This chapter discusses the cultural history of depression, treating the term ‘depression’ as a ‘cultural construct’ within the confines of Western psychopathology. It begins with a historiographical overview of the cultural history of depression and what the term ‘depression’ means. It then considers the emergence of the term ‘depression’ to replace ‘melancholia’, along with the convergences of ‘melancholia’. It also examines the classification of depression, with particular emphasis on various assumptions that accumulated with regard to the nature of this group of disorders. The different varieties of depression and the minor depressions are described as well as the studies carried out by Robert Dick Gillespie and E Farquhar Buzzard. Finally, the chapter assesses the relationship between depression, the affective disorders, and issues concerning mental capacity and legal and ethical responsibility.

Citation

Berrios, G., & Markova, I. (2017). A cultural history of depression. In C. Foster, & J. Herring (Eds.), Depression: Law and Ethics (45-57). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198801900.003.0006

• Online Publication Date: Aug 31, 2017
• Publication Date: Aug 31, 2017
• Deposit Date: Aug 6, 2024
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 45-57
• Book Title: Depression: Law and Ethics
• Chapter Number: 6
• ISBN: 9780198801900
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198801900.003.0006
• Keywords: Cultural history of depression; Psychopathology; Depression; Melancholia; Robert Dick Gillespie; E Farquhar Buzzard; Affective disorders; Mental capacity; Legal responsibility; Ethical responsibility
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4784722