Anaclitic depression is a type of depression that is unlikely to be found in any reference book on diagnoses. It is very difficult to distinguish from other types and equally difficult to treat. Its roots lie in a preverbal state, in which the ego is not prepared to deal. We will analyse the origin of this type of depression, its archetypal basis, and possible ways of addressing it.
Major depression is the Number 1 psychological disorder in the western world. It is growing in all age groups, in virtually every community, and the growth is seen mostly in the young, especially teens, and the elderly. At the current rate of increase, it will be the most disabling condition in the world, not only in these age groups but in all ages. Anaclitic depression is a term taken from developmental psychologists who describe what happens when a young child is emotionally separated from a mother or mother figure.
In this seminar, we will explore the possible meaning of this type of depression from a Jungian perspective. What happens when an individual, a family, or society at large is deprived of a meaningful and emotional connection to the Feminine, specifically the archetypal Feminine as reflected in the mother? We will discuss the implications of being deprived of this archetypal field called “Mother” and explore ways to address it.