Dostoevsky and depression

[saintmadness]

Is there any evidence that Dostoevsky suffered from depression?  What do people think?

[Slovenly Old Man]

Dostoevsky, I think, most certainly suffered from bouts of depression... one only needs to read one of his books to see that he contemplated the seemingly meaningless suffering of human existence very deeply.... to write about such topics, I feel that one would have to have experienced much anguish in their life.

Dostoevsky struggled with his belief in God throughout his life... his literature is a testament of that struggle... I view the Brothers Karamozov as a documentation of that internal struggle in his mind... Ivan represents Dostoevsky's atheistic doubt--Alyosha represents his saintly aspiration--Dmitri represents his human inclinations....... It's a philosophical dialogue of grand proportions, that novel

Of course, this is just my speculation, take it at face value

What do you think about this topic?

[Mogwai]

I'd have to agree.  Based on the content of his works and his bio, I believe he did struggle with depression throughout his life.

[SFG75]

He definitely lived during a challenging time in history.  His own nation faced political instability, economic division, not to mention stressful events relating to money.  The man was lined up in a fake execution, surely that would mess with a person.  One of the major works was produced when he had creditors banging on his door wanting money.  I'm not certain if he was clinically depressed.  Do we have diary or journal notes by him or others testifying to that fact?  Was it witnessed that he was committed to his bed for days on end?  Did he try to kill himself or wallow in self-pity?  I'm not finding much about these aspects that would be key indicators.  We have to be careful when applying western psychology to a hardy and hard-worn life of a person who has long since been deceased. 

[RomanRussia]

No depression during read of Dostoesvky. Never figured out how people come to that conclusion. I would have quoted Fyodor from "The Double" (is that precise translation of Двойник?) regarding of that people associate his works with depression. The quote would have hit the hit for that point.

 ps Couldn't find any online English translation of the Adolescent and the Double here are a lot of phylosophical thoughts etc