Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Theoretical-clinical distinction between depression, mourning and melancholy

This article approaches the main aspects of depression on contemporaneity and aims to distinguish it from mourning and melancholy. For this we take as theoretical axis the notion, by us postulated, of narcisic belief, object by excellence of the depressive symptom kind here approached. We search to demonstrate that the hegemonic presence of the narcisic belief on the subjective constitution may take to a form of reaction to loss that distinguishes from mourning and melancholy. This kind of depression presents itself as one of the main forms of psychic suffering that appear on contemporary psychoanalytic clinic.

depression; narcisic belief; mourning; melancholy; contemporaneity


Departamento de Psicologia da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225 - Gávea, 22453-900 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Tel.: (55 21) 3527-1185 / 3527-1186, Fax: (55 21) 3527-1187 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: psirevista@puc-rio.br