Empty Suffering: A Social Phenomenology of Depression, Anxiety and Addiction

Interdisciplinary in approach, this book offers an analysis of contemporary forms of suffering, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain and addiction, and the treatments commonly applied to them, considering whether certain treatments and therapies are contributory factors to the overall problem of contemporary suffering. Interdisciplinary in approach, this book combines philosophy, sociology, history and psychology in the analysis of contemporary forms of suffering. With attention to depression, anxiety, chronic pain and addiction, it examines both particular forms of suffering and takes a broad view of their common features, so as to offer a comprehensive and parallel view both of the various forms of suffering and the treatments commonly applied to them. Highlighting the challenges and distortions of the available treatments and identifying these as contributory factors to the overall problem of contemporary suffering, Empty Suffering promises to widen the horizon of therapeutic interventions and social policies. As such, it will appeal to scholars across the social sciences and humanities with interests in mental health and disorder, social theory and social pathologies.