William Styron is a first lieutenant, editor, writer, and heroic man who tells his tale of depression. Styron’s 1990 publication, Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness, is an actual account of his experience and of his conquering the disorder. Styron’s greatest message from his memoire is of the utmost importance, that depression is curable.
Styron’s account of his journey very eloquently describes how deep the disorder affects a person’s soul and well-being. Luckily, his illness took place in the mid 1980’s rather than the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries because his melancholy may have been diagnosed as insanity and he could have lived his days in an insane asylum never to be released. However, Styron clearly remembers the history as he …show more content…
When the first symptoms appear a person will attempt to self-medicate by possessing thoughts and practices that will make the sadness and despair go away. However, madness is exactly what depression feels like and Styron’s method to self-medicate was with the use of alcohol. I wondered if Styron’s addiction to alcohol for forty years was just that, an addiction, or if he truly suffered from depression for all those prior decades. Styron discusses his drinking alcohol to be his “magical conduit” to enhance his imagination, although he says he never scripted a line while he was under the influence, and to calm the anxiety and despair he so desperately tried to suppress. I believe he attempted to sooth his soul by drinking alcohol and at times felt much better and even euphoric, however, ironically today we know alcohol makes the symptoms of depression worse. I agree with his summation that his depression was in fact present for many years and although he did not realize it at the time, provided a valuable source for his …show more content…
Although Styron did not get to the point of suicide, the constant references in his memoir indicate to me the thoughts were present. Fortunately, Styron was educated and knew that depression was a chemical imbalance and that he was not insane, even if he truly felt that way. However, only when he had lost all sense of hope and the disorder confined him to bed did he seek to be admitted to the hospital.
Styron checked himself into the hospital and found the safety and seclusion he was so desperately in need of. The hospital provided Styron an atmosphere of stabilization and removed the anxiety and discord he felt when he was at home in his farmhouse. Only then was he able to regain the peace of mind and clarity that had been lacking. Interestingly, once he began to feel better and his mind healed he reflected back to his childhood and realized his father suffered from the disorder and concluded that the anguish and grief over the death of his mother opened the door to his illness. Not only did he have a tragic life event to spark the disorder, Styron’s family history played a role as it does for many of those who suffer from depression
Styron’s account of his journey very eloquently describes how deep the disorder affects a person’s soul and well-being. Luckily, his illness took place in the mid 1980’s rather than the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries because his melancholy may have been diagnosed as insanity and he could have lived his days in an insane asylum never to be released. However, Styron clearly remembers the history as he …show more content…
When the first symptoms appear a person will attempt to self-medicate by possessing thoughts and practices that will make the sadness and despair go away. However, madness is exactly what depression feels like and Styron’s method to self-medicate was with the use of alcohol. I wondered if Styron’s addiction to alcohol for forty years was just that, an addiction, or if he truly suffered from depression for all those prior decades. Styron discusses his drinking alcohol to be his “magical conduit” to enhance his imagination, although he says he never scripted a line while he was under the influence, and to calm the anxiety and despair he so desperately tried to suppress. I believe he attempted to sooth his soul by drinking alcohol and at times felt much better and even euphoric, however, ironically today we know alcohol makes the symptoms of depression worse. I agree with his summation that his depression was in fact present for many years and although he did not realize it at the time, provided a valuable source for his …show more content…
Although Styron did not get to the point of suicide, the constant references in his memoir indicate to me the thoughts were present. Fortunately, Styron was educated and knew that depression was a chemical imbalance and that he was not insane, even if he truly felt that way. However, only when he had lost all sense of hope and the disorder confined him to bed did he seek to be admitted to the hospital.
Styron checked himself into the hospital and found the safety and seclusion he was so desperately in need of. The hospital provided Styron an atmosphere of stabilization and removed the anxiety and discord he felt when he was at home in his farmhouse. Only then was he able to regain the peace of mind and clarity that had been lacking. Interestingly, once he began to feel better and his mind healed he reflected back to his childhood and realized his father suffered from the disorder and concluded that the anguish and grief over the death of his mother opened the door to his illness. Not only did he have a tragic life event to spark the disorder, Styron’s family history played a role as it does for many of those who suffer from depression