Thought disorder and affective inaccessibility in depression.
In addition to familiar themes of depressive thought content, the authors describe changes in the form of language and thinking in depression which reflect serious disturbances in ego functioning. These disturbances are associated with an inability to express and experience a wide range of affects. The authors suggest that paradoxically, this painful state of affective inaccessibility, rather than an excess of depressive feeling, may be a major component of severe and/or prolonged depression. The evolution of this phase of affective blockade may have important theoretical and clinical treatment implications.
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D014705:Verbal Behavior