Sigmund Freud's "Mourning and Melancholia"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses Freud's belief that melancholia and mourning share many of the same surface traits but are very different. The author explains that Freud believed that mourning was a natural process but that melancholia was a pathological illness. The paper interjects other authors conclude that, although Freud's theories have greatly influenced modern psychology, these theories have not been proven.

From the Paper:

"In the death process, the dead may or may not find permanent rebirth, but one loses self-awareness and so achieves a temporary rebirth at least. In the mourning process, one must find rebirth. If they are unsuccessful, says Freud, they enter a cycle of melancholia instead.
Freud believes that, from early childhood, most people have a need to be artistic. He also says that a sense of loss enables an artist to see things differently. "

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