“If You’re a Parasite, Then You’re Not Normal”

Abstract

Previous research in sociology has shown that what is considered as sanity or mental health is described according to a social ideal. Mental health problems have been theorized as a deviance from such norms. Depression, in particular, has been the object of sociological contemplation due to its divergence from a Western social normativity focused on functionality, adaptation and productivity. This research adds to this body of work on depression as a deviation from social norms. It seeks to address a gap within the literature, by exploring the ways in which the “post-depressive” state may be defined in accordance with social norms. As such, it analyzes the links between “post-depression” and normality, from the perspective of individuals having lived with depression. 46 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Canadians individuals who have experienced depression. Results from our content analysis show that the absence of depression was often synonymous with normality and characterized by the following dimensions: a positive attitude; the potential to take action; functionality and performance; self-management; a positive relationship with others; and the notion of meaningful projects. Our results show that participants do not define the absence of depression following psychiatric or clinical indicators, as recorded in the DSM, and that they do not consider it to be a return to an anterior, pre-depression, state. Rather, post-depression is idealized, perceived as a state of unfailing conformity to social expectations and norms.

Depression as an Embodied Experience: Identifying the Central Role of the Body in Meaning-Making and Identity Processes

“…These findings suggest that the exchange between the body and identity processes in experiences of depression is more complex than what ideas about the loss of self (Ridge, 2009;Rivest et al, 2018;Woodgate, 2006), the loss of affective resonance (Fuchs, 2005;Fuchs & Schlimme, 2009) and the restricted ability to access alternative roles and identities (Aho, 2013;Svenaeus, 2014) propose. Specifically, findings show that participants' efforts to understand if depression is part of their identity demonstrate a struggle for control and a negotiation of the self.…”

“…heaviness of the body) and to a lesser extent on how these sensations influence one’s identity (Aho, 2013; Fuchs, 2002 , 2005 ; Fuchs & Schlimme, 2009 ; Svenaeus, 2014 ). Secondly, the literature on identity processes in depression is dominated by discussions regarding the loss of self ( Rivest et al, 2018 ; Woodgate, 2006 ), whereas the possibility of a negotiation is rarely encountered ( Apesoa-Varano et al, 2015 ). By bringing these two areas together, our findings point to a new understanding of depression where the self is not lost per se but constantly negotiated.…”

“…Below, we argue that qualitative methodology can shed light to experiences of embodiment and can highlight processes of self-negotiation and struggle for control, which go beyond the loss of self, discussed in related literature ( Fuchs, 2005 ; Rivest et al, 2018 ; Woodgate, 2006 ).…”

“…Further, Rhodes et al (2019) discussed how bodily sensations of numbness accompanied by a sense of inability to engage in the activities the individual wants cause one to experience the self as fading out of existence. The loss of self is commonly encountered in studies exploring experiences of depression ( Rivest et al, 2018 ; Woodgate, 2006 ), and it has been linked to the loss of certain roles and identities ( Ridge, 2009 ).…”