Major Depression as a Disorder of the Narrative Self: A Qualitative Study.
Psychopathology January 1, 2024 Milena Mancini, Cecilia Maria Esposito, Andrés Estradé et al. 6 citations
Abnormal self-experiences are common in major depression but are not included in current diagnostic manuals, which limits understanding and treatment. Through qualitative interviews analyzed with the Consensual Qualitative Research method, three categories of abnormal self-experience emerged: an inability to project oneself forward, not recognizing one's self, and losing control over one's self. The core of depressive experience appears to be an inability to recognize otherness as part of oneself, leading to specific symptoms of depersonalization that differ from those in schizophrenia. Narrative identity is central to the development and maintenance of depression.