Depression and the capacity to be inwardly silent
Dan Degerman
July 16, 2026 DOI: 10.4324/9781003382966-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Topics | Anxiety Depression |
| Keywords | Rumination Depression economics Silence Affect linguistics Persistence discontinuity Developmental psychology Psychotherapist Emotional distress |
| Key points | Argues that many cases of rumination involve a disruption in the capacity to initiate and maintain inner silence, which contributes to the persistence and distress of depressive episodes. |
Abstract
This chapter returns to depression to examine rumination in light of the capacity to be inwardly silent. Rumination is typically defined as repetitive and persistent negative thinking, yet its experiential structure has received limited phenomenological attention. Building on the framework developed earlier in the book, the chapter argues that many cases of rumination involve a disruption in the capacity to initiate and maintain inner silence. This disruption leaves individuals unable to interrupt or withhold negative inner speech, contributing to the persistence and distress of depressive episodes. By highlighting the role of inner silence in everyday mental life, the chapter offers a more fine-grained account of rumination and clarifies why practices such as meditation, which cultivate inward silence, may be effective.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a therapeutic frame | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Yale Manual for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy of Depression (using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Therapeutic Frame) | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Neuroinflammation and neuroprogression in depression: Effects of alternative drug treatments | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Improving cognitive functioning in major depressive disorder with psychedelics: A dimensional approach | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |