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Biomedical subjects

T J Scheff

Publications and source records attributed to T J Scheff.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Shame and community: social components in depression.

Although there are many theories of the causes of depression, they all assume that some cases are primarily endogenous; that is, they are largely independent of situational influences. This article proposes that most cases of depression have a social component that is closely tied to the immediate situation. During 5 months in 1965 I observed nearly all intake interviews of male patients in a mental hospital near London. Most of them were over age 60, and all but one were diagnosed as depressed. However, there was usually a temporary lifting of depression in those interviews in which the psychiatrists asked the patients about their activities during World War II. At the time I didn't understand the significance of these episodes. I now offer an interpretation in the light of current studies of shame and the social bond: Recounting memories of belonging to a community temporarily resolved shame and depression. These episodes suggest a modification of existing theories of depression, that shame and lack of community, in addition to biology and individual psychology, could be a component of major depression.

Depression↗
PubMed1995

Self-defense against verbal assault: shame, anger, and the social bond.

With many years of experience and refinement, the arts of self-defense against physical assault are highly developed. Without an effective theory and and a useful practice, there is little in the way of self-defense against verbal assault. For THEORY, I draw upon ideas from aikido, family systems theory, and the sociology of emotions. Since unacknowledged shame seems to generate rage and damage social bonds, I emphasize the management of shame, anger, and bonds. To illustrate the meaning of these principles, I offer several episodes as examples, using the METHOD of discourse analysis. I apply this theory and method to the PRACTICE of psychotherapy by describing some rudimentary principles of defense of self against verbal aggression, especially the subtle aggression of innuendo. Psychotherapy is often an arena of verbal aggression by both therapist and client, even though it is usually unintentional and outside of awareness.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Cognitive and emotional conflict in anorexia: reanalysis of a classic case.

This paper outlines a theory of the causation of anorexia. Extending Lewis's work on shame, I propose that anorexia involves an interminable quarrel between patient and family. This quarrel is caused by unacknowledged shame, leading to chain reactions of emotion, sequences of shame and rage. To illustrate, I use an earlier case study, a microanalysis of dialogue in a psychotherapy session. This study provided an analysis of the cognitive structure of the quarrel but not of the emotional structure. The proposed theory complements and extends the earlier study, and suggests a treatment rationale and method.

Adult↗