Positive Psychology: Neel Burton - The Anatomy of Melancholy: Can depression be good for you?

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Neel Burton - The Anatomy of Melancholy: Can depression be good for you?

Published on Mar 2, 2012

Dr Neel Burton is a psychiatrist, philosopher, and writer who lives and teaches in Oxford, England, where he also runs the Oxford Wine Academy and the Meaning of Madness Course. He is the recipient of the Society of Authors' Richard Asher Prize, the British Medical Association's Young Authors' Award, and the Medical Journalists' Association Open Book Award.

Category - Education
License - Standard YouTube License

Link: http://youtu.be/ndsB37KUAso

Positive Psychology given credence by Academia:

Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Commentators on the subject Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, note that:

"The field of positive psychology at the subjective level is about valued subjective experiences: well-being, contentment, and satisfaction (in the past); hope and optimism (for the future); and flow and happiness (in the present).

At the individual level, it is about positive individual traits: the capacity for love and vocation, courage, interpersonal skill, aesthetic sensibility, perseverance, forgiveness, originality, future mindedness, spirituality, high talent, and wisdom.

At the group level, it is about the civic virtues and the institutions that move individuals toward better citizenship: responsibility, nurturance, altruism, civility, moderation,tolerance, and work ethic."