Siri Hustvedt Quotes

Most psychiatrists assume that mental illnesses such as depression are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, which can be treated by drugs. But most psychotherapy doesn't address the social causation of mental illness either.

Bipolar disorder, manic depression, depression, black dog, whatever you want to call it, is inherent in our society. It's a product of stress and in my case over-work.

I have been to hell and back. I had a very, very bad nervous breakdown.

I actually did go through severe depression and anxiety attacks where I couldn't sleep for weeks. It was definitely several months of being not myself.

When I was in desperate trouble for maybe eight or nine years, I went to a neuropsychiatrist.

I've suffered from anxiety and a lot of other things.

I personally dealt with a lot of depression and anxiety in my life.

I had suffered from depression in my childhood.

Anxiety has been a big problem for me, but I think my biggest struggle has been depression.

Perhaps someday everyone will have neurosis.

There's a book that's critical to understanding anxiety, a 17th-century book, 'The Anatomy of Melancholy,' by Robert Burton. I wanted to write something like that.

Cutting, and suicide, two very different symptoms of the same problem, are gaining on us. I personally don't know a single person who doesn't know at least two of these victims personally.

I was just absolutely exhausted. The media said I've been treated for a nervous breakdown. All that stuff I just took as people taking the opportunity when you're down to give you a kick.

I have a chemical imbalance that, in its most extreme state, will lead me to a mental hospital.

I think most human beings go through some sort of depression in their life. And if they don't, I think that's weird.

That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point in their lives. It is completely unimaginable until you have been through it.

There was a time when I was 19 when I really, really, really thought I was going crazy. I was exhausted and going through a terrible depression.

My dad was depressed a lot of the time, and there were a lot of things in his life that he never resolved.

We're all controlled neurotics.

I can certainly see how people are overcome by depression.

Those who become mentally ill often have a history of chronic pain.

I have a master's in psychology, and depression and anxiety are considered to be cyclical.

There were only two times in my life when I've actually felt down about things and gotten myself into a full mental mess. One of the times was in 1982. I had a horrible time for a few months and felt pretty desperate. Then again in 1984, for various reasons, not all of them within my control. Since then, I just wander in and out of black moods.

I don't think I suffered with depression, I don't think I'm a depressed type of person - I just think I suffered a depression to do with snooker, and I just couldn't handle it. I could go out and play, but take me out of there and I couldn't do life. It was a nightmare, my life just felt like a bit of a nightmare.

Depression is a physical illness.