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Being depleted and being shaken: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experiential features of a first episode of depression

Smith, Jonathan A. and Rhodes, J.E. (2014) Being depleted and being shaken: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experiential features of a first episode of depression. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice 88 (2), pp. 197-209. ISSN 1476-0835.

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Abstract

- Objectives: This article presents a detailed idiographic analysis of patients' experience of first-episode depression. - Design: This is a qualitative interview study using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). - Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of seven patients presenting to a mental health service in London, UK with symptoms of first-episode major depression. There were four males and three females; mean age was 44 years. Interviews were audio-recorded and subjected to IPA. - Results: Participants described a significant loss event prior to onset of depression. The depression involved a major diminishing of the life-world with relational, corporeal, and temporal depletion. This depletion was accompanied in each case by occasional extreme emotions, frenzied thoughts, confused sense of self. - Conclusions: Depression can represent a major existential threat to the sufferer. We discuss how our findings can illuminate the extant literature. The study suggests the value of exploring these existential features in early therapy.

Metadata

Item Type: Article
Keyword(s) / Subject(s): depression, interpretative phenomenological analysis, qualitative
School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences
Depositing User: Administrator
Date Deposited: 01 Jul 2014 08:58
Last Modified: 21 Feb 2025 10:39
URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/10037

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