Sadness, depression, and the dark night of the soul : transcending the medicalisation of sadness / Glòria Durà-Vilà ; foreword by Roland Littlewood.
Material type: TextPublisher: London ; Philadelphia : Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2016Copyright date: ©2017Description: 357 pages ; 23 cmContent type:- text
- unmediated
- volume
- 9781785920561
- 1785920561
Item type | Home library | Collection | Call number | Materials specified | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adult Book | Main Library | NonFiction | 259.425 D947 | Available | 33111008868859 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
Revealing a tension between the medical model of depression and the very different language of theology, this book explores how religious people and communities understand severe sadness, their coping mechanisms and their help-seeking behaviours.
Drawing from her study of practicing Catholics, contemplative monks and nuns, priests and laypeople studying theology, the author describes how symptoms that might otherwise be described as pathological and meet diagnostic criteria for a depressive disorder are considered by some religious individuals to be normal and valued experiences. She explains how sadness fits into the 'Dark Night of the Soul' narrative - an active transformation of emotional distress into an essential ingredient for self-reflection and spiritual growth - and how sadness with a recognised cause is seen to 'make sense', whereas sadness without a cause may be seen to warrant psychiatric consultation. The author also discusses the role of the clergy in cases of sadness and depression and their collaboration with medical professionals.
This is an insightful read for anyone with an interest in theology or mental health, including clergy, psychiatrists and psychologists.
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Depression and the medicalisation of sadness : conceptualisation and help-seeking -- The role of the clergy in the management of sadness and depression, and their collaboration with mental health professionals -- Sketches on the catholic church and monasticism -- The participants and their ways of life -- Conceptualisation of sadness, depression and the Dark Night of the Soul -- Coping and help-seeking for sadness and depression -- The role of the clergy in the care of sadness and depression, and their collaboration with mental health professionals -- The medicalisation of sadness and the Dark Night of the Soul -- Religious coping with sadness and depression -- The clergy's role in assisting those suffering from sadness and depression -- A framework to differentiate normal sadness from depression.