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The Limits of My Language: Meditations on Depression
"Moving, poetic, cogent and honest." -- Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon
An intimate study of depression that draws on personal experience and a deep knowledge of philosophy—perfect for fans of Maggie Nelson and Leslie Jamison
The Limits of My Language is both a razor-sharp analysis of depression and a steadfast search for the things great and small -- from philosophy and art to walking a dog or sitting quietly with a cat -- that make our lives worth living.
Much has been written about the treatment of depression, but relatively little about its meaning. In this strikingly original book, Eva Meijer weaves her own experiences and the insights of thinkers from Freud to Foucault and Woolf into a moving and incisive evocation of the condition.
Depression is more than a chemical problem—the questions that occupy someone with depression are fundamentally human, and they touch on other philosophical questions that concern language, autonomy, power relations, loneliness, and the relationship between body and mind. But this book-length essay is also about the other side, such as animals, trees, others, art: about consolation, and hope, and the things that can give life meaning.
The Limits of My Language explores how depression can make us grow out of shape over time, like a twisted tree, how we can sometimes remould ourselves in conversation with others, and how to move on from our darkest thoughts.
An intimate study of depression that draws on personal experience and a deep knowledge of philosophy—perfect for fans of Maggie Nelson and Leslie Jamison
The Limits of My Language is both a razor-sharp analysis of depression and a steadfast search for the things great and small -- from philosophy and art to walking a dog or sitting quietly with a cat -- that make our lives worth living.
Much has been written about the treatment of depression, but relatively little about its meaning. In this strikingly original book, Eva Meijer weaves her own experiences and the insights of thinkers from Freud to Foucault and Woolf into a moving and incisive evocation of the condition.
Depression is more than a chemical problem—the questions that occupy someone with depression are fundamentally human, and they touch on other philosophical questions that concern language, autonomy, power relations, loneliness, and the relationship between body and mind. But this book-length essay is also about the other side, such as animals, trees, others, art: about consolation, and hope, and the things that can give life meaning.
The Limits of My Language explores how depression can make us grow out of shape over time, like a twisted tree, how we can sometimes remould ourselves in conversation with others, and how to move on from our darkest thoughts.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2019
49 people are currently reading
1760 people want to read
About the author
Eva Meijer
41 books165 followersEva Meijer is a philosopher, visual artist, writer and singer-songwriter. They write novels, philosophical essays, academic texts, poems and columns, and their work has been translated into over twenty languages. Recurring themes are language including silence, madness, nonhuman animals, and politics. Meijer also works as an academic philosopher, writes essays and columns for Dutch newspapers, and is a member of the Multispecies Collective.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
December 19, 2022
depresyonla ilgili okuduğum en güzel metinlerden biriydi. depresyon, yas ve melankoli ile kaybolan bağlar arasında yerini aldı. eva meijer depresyonun ne olduğunu açıklamayı amaçlamamış (iyi ki!); bir kadın, bir sanatçı ve bir kadın sanatçı olarak kendi penceresinden nasıl bir şey gördüğünü aktarmış, ki bence depresyon geçiren/geçirmiş kişilerin birinci ağızdan yazdığı böylesi anlatılar çok kıymetli; damdan düşenin hâlinden damdan düşen anladığı için herhalde. seksen küsur sayfalık bir kitaptı ama depresyonu, kendi depresyonumu, sevdiğim biri depresyona girdiğinde nasıl birine dönüştüğümü uzun uzun düşünmeme sebep oldu. iyi ki okudum.
October 24, 2020
‘Taal kan de afstand tot de ander overbruggen en het is tegelijk datgene wat ons van de ander scheidt – net als onze huid’
Een dun boekje dat erg mooi verwoordt hoe een depressie kan voelen en ik denk voor veel mensen ook zo voelt. Ze vertelt, onderzoekt, tast af en weet in rust en eenvoud de juiste woorden te vinden, wat vaak zo moeilijk is als iemand ernaar vraagt.
'Mijn beweging naar stilte is niet het terugtrekken uit de wereld, het gaat erom tijd te maken, uit te rekken, van mij te maken, juist om die wereld open tegemoet te kunnen blijven treden. Wandelen is een goede manier om dat te doen, schrijven ook, en mediteren (steeds terugkeren naar waar je bent, de ruis streng toespreken en opzijzetten, je thuis leren voelen in de momenten die het nu uitmaken). Het verzet zich ook tegen de maatschappij die zo luid is, en tegen iets diepers, het verglijden van de dagen. Als je niet oppast, is alles zo voorbij. Aandachtig zijn is daartegen misschien het enige wapen.
Depressie maakt de wereld witter. Niet zoals sneeuw -sneeuw laat ons zo mooi zien dat de wereld groter is dan wij. Depressie bedekt niet, maar gumt uit. Hoe luider en hoe vrolijker de buitenwereld, hoe sterker het contrast. Stilte als een cape om je heen dragen kan je er niet helemaal op voorbereiden, maar ermee oefenen kan helpen om te leren omgaan met leegte. En stil kun je beter kijken, beter zien hoe alles verandert, en zo blijf je dichter bij de tijd.'
November 11, 2021
Meijer first became depressed when she was fourteen, and has suffered from bouts of depression ever since. This is a selection of short essays about her experience with depression, and the things she has found that have helped her. The first essay On the seeping away of colour and death at the dinner table gives an evocative account on what it's like to experience depression, and puts depression into a philosophical context, citing Sartre, Camus and Wittgenstein. I found this essay interesting, but unfortunately, her work did not sustain this level of insight. As the book continued, I found her observations that exercise, routine and spending time with animals can be helpful, very trite, and the book began to feel like a poorly structured self-help guide. I was frustrated by it: I don't think it's very useful if you are trying to cope with depression, but I also didn't find it worked as a critical or philosophical study of what it means to be depressed. I also disliked the way she wrote about medication as an absolute last resort, and did not think she brought enough critical thinking to the subject of behavioural therapy. Perhaps if, unlike me, you had not experienced depression, this book might provide some useful information. Otherwise, it is unsophisticated and does not engage enough with critical thought surrounding disability, mental illness, and psychiatric care.
January 27, 2019
Wat een rake zinnen, woorden, beelden, emoties. Een authentiek schrijven over de beleving en omgang met depressie, vanbinnen en vanbuiten. Met de nodige filosofische verwijzingen, met handvaten die voor de schrijfster werken, met mildheid en met toestemming om het soms niet te weten of te kunnen.
Lezen!
https://www.trouw.nl/religie-en-filos...
Lezen!
https://www.trouw.nl/religie-en-filos...
May 14, 2020
Doskonały esej.
July 19, 2024
“Ci sono persone convinte di poter eliminare la propria infelicità, e finalmente diventare chi sono, solo trovando la terapia giusta. E invece l’infelicità fa parte del gioco. […] Nessuno ha diritto alla felicità, nessuno può forzarla; c’è persino da chiedersi se, tutto sommato, valga la pena perseguirla.”
Non possiamo fare a meno di esprimere ciò che sentiamo o pensiamo attraverso le parole. Anche quando nella nostra mente si affollano solo immagini o suoni, nulla che abbia a che vedere con il linguaggio, tutto ciò che riusciamo a produrre, il modo in cui riusciamo a comunicare a noi stessi e agli altri ciò che ci sta succedendo è sempre attraverso l’uso delle parole.
Le parole sono lì da prima che noi venissimo al mondo, da prima che noi riuscissimo a utilizzarle, ad usare la bocca, le labbra e la lingua per emettere suoni riconoscibili e, forse, sensati. Il linguaggio è un codice scelto da altri, le sue immagini ci vengono lasciate in eredità da chi ci ha preceduto, da chi condivide con noi un piccolo tratto di esistenza, da chi c’è sempre stato e da chi resiste alla stessa forza di gravità che vorrebbe schiacciarci a terra, che rende quella terra, quella immobilità qualcosa di estremamente desiderabile.
Attraverso il linguaggio troviamo il conforto del dialogo, del confronto, ricostruiamo i nostri ricordi e permettiamo loro di vivere, di cambiare, di assumere forme e contorni diversi, affinché diventino ciò di cui abbiamo davvero bisogno.
“Le parole non rappresentano affatto le cose in modo letterale: anche in virtù della loro dimensione culturale, le parole creano le cose. […] Parlare di eventi e sentimenti, quindi, è molto più che portare alla luce delle cose o affrontarle: può plasmare nuovamente ciò che è accaduto.”
Le parole sono lì con noi anche quando non sono abbastanza, anche quando non riescono davvero a descrivere quelle zone grigie della nostra esistenza, le stesse a cui cercano di dare un senso, per strapparle dal silenzio al quale appartengono, per riportarle alla luce.
Continua a leggere qui: https://parlaredilibri.wordpress.com/...
Non possiamo fare a meno di esprimere ciò che sentiamo o pensiamo attraverso le parole. Anche quando nella nostra mente si affollano solo immagini o suoni, nulla che abbia a che vedere con il linguaggio, tutto ciò che riusciamo a produrre, il modo in cui riusciamo a comunicare a noi stessi e agli altri ciò che ci sta succedendo è sempre attraverso l’uso delle parole.
Le parole sono lì da prima che noi venissimo al mondo, da prima che noi riuscissimo a utilizzarle, ad usare la bocca, le labbra e la lingua per emettere suoni riconoscibili e, forse, sensati. Il linguaggio è un codice scelto da altri, le sue immagini ci vengono lasciate in eredità da chi ci ha preceduto, da chi condivide con noi un piccolo tratto di esistenza, da chi c’è sempre stato e da chi resiste alla stessa forza di gravità che vorrebbe schiacciarci a terra, che rende quella terra, quella immobilità qualcosa di estremamente desiderabile.
Attraverso il linguaggio troviamo il conforto del dialogo, del confronto, ricostruiamo i nostri ricordi e permettiamo loro di vivere, di cambiare, di assumere forme e contorni diversi, affinché diventino ciò di cui abbiamo davvero bisogno.
“Le parole non rappresentano affatto le cose in modo letterale: anche in virtù della loro dimensione culturale, le parole creano le cose. […] Parlare di eventi e sentimenti, quindi, è molto più che portare alla luce delle cose o affrontarle: può plasmare nuovamente ciò che è accaduto.”
Le parole sono lì con noi anche quando non sono abbastanza, anche quando non riescono davvero a descrivere quelle zone grigie della nostra esistenza, le stesse a cui cercano di dare un senso, per strapparle dal silenzio al quale appartengono, per riportarle alla luce.
Continua a leggere qui: https://parlaredilibri.wordpress.com/...
August 18, 2024
Una disanima - volutamente non esaustiva - su depressione e salute mentale attraverso un approccio filosofico e artistico. Non volendo medicalizzare (più di quanto già non sia) lo stato depressivo, l'autrice utilizza una prospettiva intimista che lega il proprio vissuto a un discorso più generale.
Seppur nella sua brevità è un saggio molto denso e onesto: Meijer si mette a nudo nel trattare episodi molto cupi della propria esperienza, ampliandone la portata grazie alle parole e alle riflessioni di altri pensatori e intellettuali. Alcune intuizioni sono particolarmente illuminanti, in particolari quelle sulla limitatezza del linguaggio del dolore e sulla depressione come stato di eccezione.
Non è un libro rivoluzionario, ma se l'obiettivo era almeno far sentire meno soli chi tra noi soffre di depressione, che ci sono comunanze nell'atomismo contemporaneo tra noi, allora quello sicuramente è stato centrato.
Seppur nella sua brevità è un saggio molto denso e onesto: Meijer si mette a nudo nel trattare episodi molto cupi della propria esperienza, ampliandone la portata grazie alle parole e alle riflessioni di altri pensatori e intellettuali. Alcune intuizioni sono particolarmente illuminanti, in particolari quelle sulla limitatezza del linguaggio del dolore e sulla depressione come stato di eccezione.
Non è un libro rivoluzionario, ma se l'obiettivo era almeno far sentire meno soli chi tra noi soffre di depressione, che ci sono comunanze nell'atomismo contemporaneo tra noi, allora quello sicuramente è stato centrato.
January 21, 2023
Depresyonun karanlık köşelerine, tedavi yöntemlerine ve hayat üzerindeki etkisine dair kişisel deneyimlerinden yola çıkarak oluşturduğu eleştirel bir bakış sunuyor. Amacınız depresyonu ya da depresif birisini anlamak, onunla bağ kurup hayatına ışık tutmaksa iyi bir kitap. Ancak depresyondan muzdaripseniz ve bu ruh halini kabullenemediğiniz bir dönemde kendinize çıkış yolu arıyorsanız bu kitap sizin için uygun değil. Bunu belirtmekte fayda var bence. Zira bu döngüden bir çıkışın olmadığı ve depresyonun hayatınızda belirdikten sonra kronikleşeceği gerçeğine hazır değilseniz okumayın.
September 28, 2024
yine döneceğim bu kitaba, çok iyiydi.
September 12, 2021
"De wereld is groot. Veel groter dan jij en veel ouder. De zon komt steeds opnieuw op en gaat steeds opnieuw onder. De bomen in het bos verderop staan er al meer dan honderd jaar; je kunt hun stammen aanraken. Het strand laat je zien dat het niet uitmaakt of je er bent. Of je nu gevonden of verloren bent, golven blijven bewegen, de branding trekt zicht terug en komt weer naar voren, de zee eindigt niet, gaat alleen in de verte over in lucht. Je lichaam is ook een zee, beweegt dag en nacht mee, wordt vanzelf ouder, is gemaakt van deeltjes die veel ouder zijn dan jij bent. Straks is alles weer voorbij en ga je op in wat er was. Dus leun maar op de aarde, op de dagen die je dragen. Morgen kan het anders zijn."
November 11, 2025
Ik begrijp hoe moeilijk het is om met taal een gevoel uit te drukken, maar ik voel me thuis in de woorden van Meijer. Mijn hersenen voelen evengoed als een tandwiel dat vaker kraakt dan voldoende werkt. Ik kan mijn depressies alleen zien in het licht van verloren vriendschappen en ‘sorry voor alles’ willen mompelen met tranen in mijn ogen wanneer ik zelf ook niet weet wat ik aan mijn toestand kan doen. De absurditeit omhelzen werkt vooralsnog het beste. Het donkere kan onverwacht opdoemen en erna zonder echte actie verdwijnen, maar ik zal altijd kunnen blijven.
‘Straks is alles weer voorbij en ga je op in wat er was. Dus leun maar op de aarde, op de dagen die je dragen. Morgen kan het anders zijn.’ (p. 122)
‘Straks is alles weer voorbij en ga je op in wat er was. Dus leun maar op de aarde, op de dagen die je dragen. Morgen kan het anders zijn.’ (p. 122)
July 15, 2024
Soms blijven gedachten haken aan de oppervlakte, worden ze opgegooid en verdwijnen gelijk weer naar de achtergrond of worden herhaald tot ze hun betekenis een beetje verliezen.
Maar overheersend is dit boek een positieve leeservaring. Vooral de stukken over taalfilosofie van Wittgenstein en de lichamelijkheid van Merleau-Ponty waren voor mij waardevol. Een fijn en snel houvast, die verwondering, realiteit en troost biedt.
Mijn favoriete zin:
“Taal kan de afstand tot de ander overbruggen en het is tegelijk hetgeen wat ons van die ander scheidt - net als onze huid.”
Maar overheersend is dit boek een positieve leeservaring. Vooral de stukken over taalfilosofie van Wittgenstein en de lichamelijkheid van Merleau-Ponty waren voor mij waardevol. Een fijn en snel houvast, die verwondering, realiteit en troost biedt.
Mijn favoriete zin:
“Taal kan de afstand tot de ander overbruggen en het is tegelijk hetgeen wat ons van die ander scheidt - net als onze huid.”
March 5, 2025
A personal look at depression with particular reference to the authors own experience, anorexia, depression and various treatments. Some of it resonated with me and I found the section on the history of madness the most interesting.
September 10, 2024
Hoe komt het toch dat een boek van Eva Meijer talloos veel meer quotes oplevert in mijn quoteboek dan alle andere boeken van het jaar. Deze keer is het thema depressie, het grote niets, de stille leegte. Op een essayistische manier waarin filosofie, kunst en eigen ervaring wordt ineengeweven onderzoekt Meijer haar onderwerp langs verschillende kanten, maar vooral langs binnen. Het geeft een verstild beeld van wat een depressie doormaken kan betekenen. Het gaat de wanhoop en het lijden niet uit de weg, tegelijkertijd biedt het ergens ook hoop op beterschap. Waarlijk een aanrader.
July 7, 2022
Dass es für mich schwierig ist, über psychische Erkrankungen und über Depressionen zu sprechen, merkt man wohl allein schon daran, dass ich diesen ersten Absatz meiner Rezension ein Dutzend Mal umgeschrieben habe. Einige Menschen in meinem Freundes- und Bekanntenkreis leiden an Depressionen oder haben irgendwann daran gelitten - und ein paar von ihnen lesen auch meinen Blog (Hey ihr!). Da ich selbst nicht betroffen bin, ist es mir wichtig, zumindest ein bisschen was an Grundwissen zum Thema anzusammeln. Ich möchte, dass sich meine Mitmenschen in meiner Umgebung wohlfühlen können und wenn ich aus Unwissenheit etwas Falsches oder vielleicht sogar Verletzendes sage oder tue, wird das nur schwer möglich sein.
Die Autorin litt selbst ihr ganzes Leben lang immer wieder an depressiven Episoden und zeitweise auch an einer Essstörung. Sie beschreibt in diesem Buch, wie sich Depressionen für sie anfühlen, wie sich ihre Erkrankung entwickelte und wie sich der Heilungsprozess für sie anfühlte. Doch all diese persönlichen Erlebnisse stehen eigentlich eher im Hintergrund des Buches. Sie werden von Meijer in Verbindung zu literarischen und philosophischen Texten über Depressionen gesetzt und so in einen breiteren Kontext eingebettet. Das machte dieses Buch für mich besonders interessant und hebt es von anderen Texten zum Thema ab. Die Autorin hat selbst Philosophie studiert und ist als Philosophin tätig. Einige der Philosoph:innen, die sie hier vorstellte, kannte ich bereits, viele waren für mich ganz neu. Manche davon habe ich mir für die Zukunft markiert. Schade finde ich nur, dass bisher noch nicht alle der Werke ins Deutsch oder Englische übersetzt wurden.
Spannend finde ich auch, wie sie ihre Depressionen beschreibt. Natürlich erwähnte sie auch die Symptome, die mir schon bekannt waren, wie Gefühlstaubheit, Verzweiflung oder Energielosigkeit, aber ein Detail war mir neu und ist mir im Kopf geblieben: Laut Meijer fühlen sich Depressionen so an als könnte man plötzlich keine Farbe mehr sehen. So wurde mir diese Krankheit noch nie beschrieben. Ich kann natürlich nicht wissen, ob diese Definition nur das Erleben der Autorin beschreibt oder allgemein zutrifft, aber ich glaube, dass mir diese Beschreibung hilft, mir die Krankheit ein bisschen vorzustellen. (Falls dieses Detail aber nur auf Meijers Erfahrung zutrifft, bitte ich an dieser Stelle um ein Veto!)
Irgendwie schafft es die Autorin aber auch Positives in ihren Text einzubauen. Das stelle ich mir bei einem Text wie diesem schwierig vor. Vor allem, Positives einzubauen, ohne dass das ins Unangenehme und Klischeehafte abrutscht. Irgendwie hat Meijer das aber geschafft. Sie schreibt dann zum Beispiel darüber, warum ihr die Depressionen geholfen haben, zu erkennen, was in ihrem Leben wirklich wichtig ist.
Mein Fazit? Ein Text, den ich euch sehr ans Herz legen möchte.
Die Autorin litt selbst ihr ganzes Leben lang immer wieder an depressiven Episoden und zeitweise auch an einer Essstörung. Sie beschreibt in diesem Buch, wie sich Depressionen für sie anfühlen, wie sich ihre Erkrankung entwickelte und wie sich der Heilungsprozess für sie anfühlte. Doch all diese persönlichen Erlebnisse stehen eigentlich eher im Hintergrund des Buches. Sie werden von Meijer in Verbindung zu literarischen und philosophischen Texten über Depressionen gesetzt und so in einen breiteren Kontext eingebettet. Das machte dieses Buch für mich besonders interessant und hebt es von anderen Texten zum Thema ab. Die Autorin hat selbst Philosophie studiert und ist als Philosophin tätig. Einige der Philosoph:innen, die sie hier vorstellte, kannte ich bereits, viele waren für mich ganz neu. Manche davon habe ich mir für die Zukunft markiert. Schade finde ich nur, dass bisher noch nicht alle der Werke ins Deutsch oder Englische übersetzt wurden.
Spannend finde ich auch, wie sie ihre Depressionen beschreibt. Natürlich erwähnte sie auch die Symptome, die mir schon bekannt waren, wie Gefühlstaubheit, Verzweiflung oder Energielosigkeit, aber ein Detail war mir neu und ist mir im Kopf geblieben: Laut Meijer fühlen sich Depressionen so an als könnte man plötzlich keine Farbe mehr sehen. So wurde mir diese Krankheit noch nie beschrieben. Ich kann natürlich nicht wissen, ob diese Definition nur das Erleben der Autorin beschreibt oder allgemein zutrifft, aber ich glaube, dass mir diese Beschreibung hilft, mir die Krankheit ein bisschen vorzustellen. (Falls dieses Detail aber nur auf Meijers Erfahrung zutrifft, bitte ich an dieser Stelle um ein Veto!)
Irgendwie schafft es die Autorin aber auch Positives in ihren Text einzubauen. Das stelle ich mir bei einem Text wie diesem schwierig vor. Vor allem, Positives einzubauen, ohne dass das ins Unangenehme und Klischeehafte abrutscht. Irgendwie hat Meijer das aber geschafft. Sie schreibt dann zum Beispiel darüber, warum ihr die Depressionen geholfen haben, zu erkennen, was in ihrem Leben wirklich wichtig ist.
Mein Fazit? Ein Text, den ich euch sehr ans Herz legen möchte.
April 21, 2024
Kuş Evi adlı kitabına bayılmıştım yazarın. Bu hacmi küçük içeriği derin mi derin kitabına da bayıldım. Depresyon, melankoli, yalnızlık. Depresyon hafif ve ağır seyredebilen ciddi bir duygudurum bozukluğudur. Ve daha fazlası da. Onunla nasıl baş edilebilir, onunla nasıl yaşanır ya da üstesinden gelinebilir buna dair kendi deneyimlerinden yola çıkarak oldukça değerli düşünür ve filozoflara da başvurarak kurmuş anlayışını. Foucault, Derrida, Wittgenstein, Virginia Woolf, Albert Camus... Depresyonun felsefi tartışmasını ve kendindeki izdusumunu tartışıyor kitap başlığında ortaya koyduğu gibi.
Günlüğümde en son kendime yeni bir bakış açısı edinebilmek için yeni sozcukler icat etmem gerektiği tartışmasını yapmistim ve en son cümlemde Wittgenstein'ın "dilin sınırları dünyanın sınırlarıdır" alıntısıydı. Üzerine yazıp düşündüğüm bir konuya denk gelen bir okuma oldu bir bakima bu Dilimin Sınırları:)
Günlüğümde en son kendime yeni bir bakış açısı edinebilmek için yeni sozcukler icat etmem gerektiği tartışmasını yapmistim ve en son cümlemde Wittgenstein'ın "dilin sınırları dünyanın sınırlarıdır" alıntısıydı. Üzerine yazıp düşündüğüm bir konuya denk gelen bir okuma oldu bir bakima bu Dilimin Sınırları:)
Read
February 4, 2025dit is zo'n troostrijk essay, Eva Meijer kan de dingen zo mooi en verhelderend duiden
"Taal kan de afstand tot de ander verbruggen en het is tegelijk hetgene wat ons van die ander scheidt - net als onze huid." 💕
"Taal kan de afstand tot de ander verbruggen en het is tegelijk hetgene wat ons van die ander scheidt - net als onze huid." 💕
January 24, 2022
Mooi geschreven boek dat niet alleen over depressie gaat, maar over de eenzaamheid van het bestaan in deze wereld in het algemeen. “We zijn hier alleen, dat is nu eenmaal zo, zelfs al delen we dat met alle anderen.”
March 30, 2023
3,75
Ciekawy esej na temat depresji i problemów z nią związanych.
Eva Meijer porusza wiele ciekawych tematów takich jak sposoby leczenia z którymi miała styczność, potrzebę bycia zauważoną, relacje międzyludzkie w trakcie choroby czy wyniki różnych badań naukowych.
Krótko, dość konkretnie.
Nie potrafię powiedzieć, na ile rzetelna jest to wiedza, ponieważ nie miałam styczności z osobami chorymi na depresję.
Ciekawy esej na temat depresji i problemów z nią związanych.
Eva Meijer porusza wiele ciekawych tematów takich jak sposoby leczenia z którymi miała styczność, potrzebę bycia zauważoną, relacje międzyludzkie w trakcie choroby czy wyniki różnych badań naukowych.
Krótko, dość konkretnie.
Nie potrafię powiedzieć, na ile rzetelna jest to wiedza, ponieważ nie miałam styczności z osobami chorymi na depresję.
March 3, 2019
Eva Meijer slaat de spijker op z'n kop met dit essay. Chapeau!
April 8, 2023
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley.
I don't know who the target audience is or what the purpose of this essay was. The author stated this was supposed to be her perspective on depression through the lens of her life, but it reads too much like a self-help book without any actual aspects that you can use to cope with depression.
Throughout this whole piece of writing the author uses madness as a synonym for mental health issues and depression. I do not understand why. It was never explained. Maybe it was an error in translation. But I cannot accept that.
This essay is very much anchored in philosophy and uses too little relevant data from psychology, psychiatry or neurosciences. What she quotes she alters to make specific points. A lot of the times I was familiar with the literature and she ignored huuuge aspects of it just to support her arguments.
Many many times the author states something like "This is what depression means, but for me, it was not this way" and then proceeds to explain how in fact it was that way. She discusses how she thinks art is not a solution, as it involves setting things into motion, which a lot of people with depression cannot do, and then goes on explaining how her work saved her... Do with that what you will.
I appreciate that she discussed what her way out was, but she spent too much time on very random and unrelated things, and too little on proven solutions backed by science that help a lot of people (not all, obviously, but still), like CBT and medication which she only mentions briefly.
There's this very random bit when the essay goes deep into philosophy for quite a few pages, and out of the blue, the next sentence in a paragraph is: I don't think you should do it (i.e. ) if you have children.
I think this might be too harsh of me to say, but I think the title reflects the book perfectly: when you don't have the right words and don't use the right ones (I will not get over the use of "madness" in this) you cannot get a solid point across.
I don't know who the target audience is or what the purpose of this essay was. The author stated this was supposed to be her perspective on depression through the lens of her life, but it reads too much like a self-help book without any actual aspects that you can use to cope with depression.
Throughout this whole piece of writing the author uses madness as a synonym for mental health issues and depression. I do not understand why. It was never explained. Maybe it was an error in translation. But I cannot accept that.
This essay is very much anchored in philosophy and uses too little relevant data from psychology, psychiatry or neurosciences. What she quotes she alters to make specific points. A lot of the times I was familiar with the literature and she ignored huuuge aspects of it just to support her arguments.
Many many times the author states something like "This is what depression means, but for me, it was not this way" and then proceeds to explain how in fact it was that way. She discusses how she thinks art is not a solution, as it involves setting things into motion, which a lot of people with depression cannot do, and then goes on explaining how her work saved her... Do with that what you will.
I appreciate that she discussed what her way out was, but she spent too much time on very random and unrelated things, and too little on proven solutions backed by science that help a lot of people (not all, obviously, but still), like CBT and medication which she only mentions briefly.
There's this very random bit when the essay goes deep into philosophy for quite a few pages, and out of the blue, the next sentence in a paragraph is: I don't think you should do it (i.e. ) if you have children.
I think this might be too harsh of me to say, but I think the title reflects the book perfectly: when you don't have the right words and don't use the right ones (I will not get over the use of "madness" in this) you cannot get a solid point across.
August 27, 2023
her zerreme sirayet etmiş hislere başkalarında rastlamak her seferinde afallatıyor beni. söze dökemediklerimi başkalarının nasıl açık ifade ettiğini görmek de.
April 27, 2021
- non-fiction about depression
- a little un-focussed? wasn't sure where it was aiming to go
- puts some things into perspective
- better for someone to read who HASN'T suffered from depression possibly?
- a little un-focussed? wasn't sure where it was aiming to go
- puts some things into perspective
- better for someone to read who HASN'T suffered from depression possibly?
January 27, 2020
Een van de beste boeken over depressie die ik tot nu toe gelezen heb. Meijer slaagt erin om mooi en duidelijk te verwoorden hoe een depressie aanvoelt. Dit is erg knap want het is niet altijd makkelijk om over te brengen aan mensen die nooit een depressie hebben gehad hoe uitholend en slopend het is als gevoelservaring. Ik vond het ook erg fijn hoe het boek meandert langs diverse filosofische overwegingen en niet enkel toegespits is op Meijer's eigen ervaring. Dat maakt het boek diepgaander en geeft het ook een bredere relevantie. Haar observatie dat depressie niet altijd 'te genezen' is maar dat je manieren kunt vinden om er mee om te gaan, dat je reddingboeien bij de hand kunt houden, vind ik ook heel belangrijk. Stapje voor stapje doorgaan is de boodschp. Ook op de dagen dat dit aanvoelt als een onmogelijkheid. En vooral ook accepteren dat er soms gewoon 'verloren' dagen zullen zijn, en je daar niet schuldig over te voelen.
June 25, 2023
Heel goed en heel fijn om te lezen.
May 15, 2023
a book that I resonated so deeply with. Very few books make me feel seen in my experiences and this book definitely did. felt like a hug and a “you’re going to be okay” all in one. gave me a new perspective on a lot of things <3
February 20, 2019
[TW: suicide, eating disorders]
*4 stars*
I have not read many authors who word depression so well as Eva Meijer. In this part-essay, part-memoir she explores the philosophical implications of depression, mainly focused on the work of the stoics and the existentialists. She explores what it means to be 'mad', how madness might be a problem of society rather than of the individual. All of this is intertwined with beautifully written prose describing her own experiences with mental illness.
My only remark is that at some point the book seemed, to me at least, be lacking in direction. But I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in depression and philosophy.
*4 stars*
I have not read many authors who word depression so well as Eva Meijer. In this part-essay, part-memoir she explores the philosophical implications of depression, mainly focused on the work of the stoics and the existentialists. She explores what it means to be 'mad', how madness might be a problem of society rather than of the individual. All of this is intertwined with beautifully written prose describing her own experiences with mental illness.
My only remark is that at some point the book seemed, to me at least, be lacking in direction. But I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in depression and philosophy.
October 18, 2023
Dzięki niej, uzmysłowiłam sobie ambiwalencję siebie, że mam w sobie dwie połowy, które ze sobą walczą. Dobrze było to zauważyć i nazwać.
April 4, 2023
Very refreshing to read an academic account of depression based on personal experience. It wasn't too clinical yet didn't read too much like a blog post. It was a quick read, easy to dip in and out of in between other reads. The middle portion felt a bit messy at times but overall the book was solid.
I'd recommend this to people who have experienced these things in the past. I don't think it's a good one if you're currently "going through it". It could also be a good insight for those out there who haven't experienced depression at all.
Thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the eARC.
I'd recommend this to people who have experienced these things in the past. I don't think it's a good one if you're currently "going through it". It could also be a good insight for those out there who haven't experienced depression at all.
Thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the eARC.
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