How a Prolonged State of Sadness Can Actually Originate With Unexpressed Anger

In their attempt to help people understand what they may be feeling as of late, The School of Life again tackles the subject of sorrow, depression (non-clinical) and anxiety, analyzing the unusual theory that depression originates with unexpressed anger.

One of the strangest but most provocative insights about depression is found in works of psychoanalysis that tell us that depression may not at heart be about sadness; it is a kind of anger that has been unable to find expression, that has turned in on itself, and made us sad about everything and everyone when we are in truth – deep down – angry only about certain specific things and specific people. The theory at once begs questions. How is it possible that we be both profoundly angry and yet unaware of the causes or direction of our annoyance?