“An Existential Place of Pain”: The Essence of Despair in Women

Abstract

While there is a substantive body of knowledge on depression, little is known about the experience of despair. Though the terms depression and despair are often used interchangeably, studies of despair suggest that it is distinguishable from depression as experienced by women. This study explored women's experience of despair through qualitative interviews with 14 women ages 28 to 55 (M = 45) who self-identified as experiencing despair. Three themes emerged: “Crippling and Debilitating,” “There's Nothing You Can Do,” and ‘‘It’ll Never End.” The findings lend support to the notion that despair is distinguishable from depression, but this warrants further study. The findings also suggest that while there are common elements of despair among women, there are also unique experiences of despair.

While there is a substantive body of knowledge on depression, little is known about the experience of despair. This phenomenological study explored women's experience of despair through qualitative interviews with 14 women ages 28 to 55 (M = 45) who self-identified as experiencing despair. Three themes emerged: “Crippling and Debilitating,” “There's Nothing You Can Do,” and “It’ll Never End.” The findings suggest that women desire to have their experiences recognized and validated while simultaneously receiving acknowledgment of their ability to overcome the past and to shape their own destinies.