Recession, Depression and Therapy

An interesting article appeared recently in The New York Times explaining how libraries were increasingly coming under pressure as numbers visiting swelled due to the recession. Quite rightly, it pointed out that (like so many other institutions) libraries have been steered in the direction of becoming "more relevant" and "accessible" -- more akin to an indoor digital town square. While some have pointed out that it is not the role of libraries (or museums or art galleries for that matter) to be used instrumentally to try to resolve broader social problems, the larger issue at hand revealed itself when we were told that "The stresses have become so significant here that a therapist will soon be counseling library employees.

Voila. What is a question about resources and provision of facilities -- basically an economic and political situation -- speedily becomes transformed, or therapeutized, in to a psychological issue. What tends to happen next is that the solution is sought in the realm of the personal -- the inner journey, the dialogue -- as opposed to the root of the problem: how we deal with the current economic crisis. Sure, maybe people will get angry -- even furious -- although this is not necessarily such a bad thing -- often historically legitimate anger has led to very positive developments and changes in the world.

The UK sociologist and political commentator Frank Furedi wrote recently about how the UK government was "diseasing the recession" and planned to train 3,600 therapists to set up centers around Britain to deal with what it perceives as a "growing army of mentally ill people."

In the US though, as we know, the dash to therapy has been deeper and more pervasive than in Europe. When Margaret Thatcher's government in Britain introduced counsellors to "help" newly unemployed workers, they were viewed with suspicion as an attempt to pacify any challenges. In our anxious, isolated times, there seems to be little alternative to calling a professional for some counseling. Indeed, back in September Bloomberg reported that calls to Hopeline in NY for those dealing with depression leaped by 75%.

Unfortunately, in an age where anxiety and fear have been key elements of how we view the world, seeing ourselves increasingly "at risk" from it, rather than agents of change and masters of our destiny that can make and remake society, our tendency to view things psychologically ends up being remarkably costly, seductive as it is.

ABC requested feedback from viewers on how financial stress was affecting them. Many have pointed to statistics showing that during The Great Depression suicides increased, and there have been all sorts of other studies, such as the one analyzing children's mental health in Finland during economic troubles.

However, far more important is how we, as a society, view the world around us and our ability to deal with things that happen. In the past, our networks and affiliations did seem to make people more confident and a sense of "can-do" ensured a certain tenacity and resilience. More broadly, there was a sense that even if people were bitterly opposed between Left and Right, there was a fight over something that had meaning, a better potential future that the battle lines were drawn over -- intellectually, politically and at times (of course) physically.

The answer is not, as some have argued, that the recession is good because it is an eco-warning and will slim us avaricious nasty gulpers down to size, but adaptability and perseverance are attributes that humans have in spades. Often we just have to remind ourselves that we are creative and inspiring beings, capable of significant achievements.

We should challenge both the nasty idea that recession somehow will result in a cultural renaissance and the destructive one that we are all in need to therapeutic counseling. We find ourselves, as many others have done before us, facing some tough options with difficult decisions. How we decide to deal with the obstacles we encounter is up to us. It would serve us well to recognize that the matter is not so much that we are fragile creatures who are predisposed to mental illness, but rather find ourselves in a situation where the debate over resources and how we organize the world is still very much up for grabs.

People, after all, make history.

Comments

[LordMoon]

Of "Diseasing the deppression", is really a government "psyop", a way of controlling people and difusing orgainzed resistance to governement policies, and more important those in power.

Getting upset, and using the energy from your outrage to seek justice, has always been the seed of political action. So if, you therapize that, well then, it should be obvious.

Governments have along history of trying to use psychology for political purposes, thank god psychotherapy is more of an art than a science.

[OtayPanky]

So do you think that all these happiness gurus here on HuffPo could actually be deep cover ops looking to defuse the outrage by serving up their palliatives?

It's certainly a thought.

[Jonahson]

In a depressed state with no jobs and money. Escaping into the World of JR Tolkein's Lord of the Rings Trilogy sure brings some temporary reprieve.

[OtayPanky]

There's this ridiculous meme afloat that everything is always supposed to be optimal. We're always supposed to be self-actualizing. We're always supposed to be improving - working busily away on our individual "happiness projects".

To exploit that meme, an army of therapists, gurus, life coaches and other assorted "helpers" come out of the woodwork to try to convince us to part with cash in exchange for some pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The fields are ripe for picking - because many in our society have never developed the basic capacity to sit with the the imperfection that marks everyone and everything in this world.

Thus the therapization and coachification begins. Now, the oprah-fication of our society is well underway. You can see it every day here on HuffPo's LIVING pages.

The brilliant siren songs of these marketers (for that is what they are) draws countless people like poop draws flies.

The best outcome here is that as we de-leverage, nobody would spend their money on this nonsense, any more than they'd spend their money on a Hummer. Forget spending your way to bliss. The truth you need to live is right before your eyes. Just go get it for yourself, and don't pay attention to those who want to pick your pockets.

Of course, the truly mentally ill deserve our compassion and support. But the worried well do better standing up without the crutches, and facing life's tough moments directly, and bravely.