Depression as a Meaningful Meaninglessness

This paper presents a conceptual analysis of depression from a philosophical perspective. Even though depression as a mental disorder is commonly perceived as something negative, something that needs to be eliminated to ‘live happily’, positive psychotherapy provides a different perspective on it. While not denying the biochemical and/or organic changes pertained to depression, positive psychotherapy suggests that behind every symptom, and depression can be considered as one, lies its function. Taking into account the loss of the meaning being one of the manifestations of depression, it can be hypothesized that there is a certain ‘collision’ of two meanings: 1) meaning of life, to which one strives for, and 2) the function of depression in its meaning to depreciate the sphere of meaning in general. In some ways, the solution to internal conflict seems possible by depreciating everything. Hence, the meaningful meaninglessness. It is suggested that depression itself is rather ambiguous, representing a collision of at least two internal conflicts: one at its basis and another in the reaction. These ideas might be useful in treating depression, highlighting the need to identify and make both of these internal conflicts visible to the patient.