Psychodnamic Theory

Ian Curtis was 23 years old when he hung himself in his home in Macclesfield, England. The events that led to the singers death should have been warning signs of his plans, but his personality kept him from receiving the help he desperately needed. Born on July 15th, 1956 in Manchester, England Ian had a considerably normal childhood to follow. He had one little sister and his working class family were very tightnit with other family members as well as each other. (Curtis 1995)Ian was a cheerful child who loved to read and socialize with the neighborhood boys. During his teenage years he became melancholy and wrote poetry that directly resembled his mood. He spoke of human suffering and hopelessness. He also began abusing drugs and had what appeared to those close to him, an accidental overdose. He became obsessed with rock stars who died young and even glamourized the idea of suicide. (Curtis 1995)

Ian's personality reflected inner turmoil as soon as he became an adolescent and he would switch from quiet and withdrawn, to attention seeking and generous, to anger and violent self-destruction. He chased his dream of being a part of a successful music group and idolized such musicians like Lou Reed, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop. He dreamed of being onstage but was extremely unmotivated to learn an instrument. Instead he used his voice and dark poetry as lyrics and quickly became the front man for a hugely successful group called Joy Division. He was married at 18 and was extremely possessive of his wife who bore the brunt of his shifting moods more than anyone else. He would put on a cheery and fun personality in front of others but would be cruel and biting in the privacy of their own home. (Curtis 1995).

Ian worked in human se...

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... a man of abnormal psychlogical functioning. He slipped under the radar for help and by keeping everyone at arms length he was able to stay in this mode of funtioning which led to his death at a very young age. It is a shame and a huge eye opener to those who have family members suffering from depression. It is not uncommon for the depressed individual to avoid seeking help. In the case of Ian Curtis this rings true and despite his tragic life ending he left behind a musical legacy that paved the way for several bands to come.

Works Cited

Epilepsy therapy project. (2012) APA Online. Retrieved from http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/newsletter/may10_suicide_risk

Curtis, Deborah. (1995). Touching from a distance. Great Britain. Bloomsbury House.

Comer, Ronald J. (2012). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology sixth edition. New York, New York: Worth Publishers.