When the mind feels threatened: A psychodynamic reflection

Depression is a mental health issue that touches millions of lives around the world. It affects how we feel, think, and move through daily life. It’s not just a moment of sadness that passes after a few days; it’s something deeper and more persistent, often bringing with it a sense of disconnection, exhaustion, or hopelessness. 

The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2023) describes depression as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, affecting over 280 million people. Around 3.8% of the global population experiences depression, including 5% of adults and nearly 6% of those over 60 years old (Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2023).

Early trauma, such as neglect, abuse, or significant loss, can shape how we learn to regulate emotions and manage life’s challenges (Felitti et al., 1998). These early wounds can make us more vulnerable to depression later in life. Also, stressful events such as financial difficulties, relationship conflicts, or job loss can act as triggers. Likewise, social isolation is strongly linked to depression, reminding us how essential it is to feel supported and connected to others (Cruwys et al., 2014).

Fosha, as cited in Hendel (2018), describes it well: “People disconnect from their emotional experiences, fearing being overwhelmed, humiliated, or revealed as inadequate by the force of feelings, only to pay the price later in depression, isolation, and anxiety.”

From my integrative psychodynamic perspective, depression can be understood as the mind’s way of responding to emotional threat. When someone experiences loss, rejection, or the fear of losing a loved one, the sense of self can feel under attack. To protect against further hurt, feelings like anger, sadness, or disappointment are often turned inward, which can lead to withdrawal, self-criticism, and a sense of being stuck.

Psychologist Paul Gilbert (2007) supports this view as a “threat response,” explaining that depression functions as part of our survival system. In other words, the mind is sounding an internal alarm, warning us that something important is at risk. While this response is meant to protect us, it can also create a cycle of avoidance, self-doubt, and despair, making it difficult to move forward.

It is important to recognise that these reactions are not a sign of weakness or failure. They are attempts by the psyche to stay safe when our relationships, self-esteem, or sense of security feel fragile. Rather than being solely a chemical imbalance or a personal flaw, depression can be seen as a meaningful signal that something in the person’s emotional life requires attention. It is the mind’s way of saying, “Something matters, and it feels endangered.”

Understanding depression in this way opens the possibility for curiosity and compassion, offering a path to explore underlying emotional wounds, reconnect with one’s needs, and gradually find ways to respond to life with greater resilience and self-understanding.

As a counsellor, I understand depression as something that often arises when past experiences and emotions have not been fully processed. The work in therapy is not simply to quiet or suppress these feelings, but to listen deeply to what they are trying to communicate. In psychodynamic therapy, we explore these deeper layers, the unconscious patterns, early relational experiences, and emotional histories that continue to shape how we feel and behave today. While we all develop defences to protect ourselves from pain, over time these can limit emotional growth and prevent genuine healing.

Therapy becomes not just a space to manage symptoms, but a journey to make sense of your story, reclaim your emotional life, and create the possibility of a deeper connection with yourself and others.

References

Cruwys, T., Dingle, G. A., Haslam, C., Haslam, S. A., Jetten, J., and Morton, T. A. (2014). Social group memberships protect against future depression, alleviate depression symptoms and prevent depression relapse. Social Science & Medicine, 98, pp.179–186. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.09.013.

Felitti, V.J., Anda, R.F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D.F., Spitz, A.M., Edwards, V., Koss, M.P., and Marks, J.S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), pp.245–258.

Fosha, D., in Hendel, H.J. (2018). It's Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self. New York: Random House.

Gilbert, P. (2007). Psychotherapy and Counselling for Depression. 3rd ed. London: SAGE Publications.

Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation. Global Health Data Exchange (GHDx). Available at: https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/ [Accessed 20 February 2025].

World Health Organization (2023). Depression. Retrieved from WHO Website.