Article published In: Metaphor and the Social World: Online-First Articles
Metaphors of depression in Malay discourse
A cultural and affective analysis of clinical narratives
Published online: 2 March 2026
https://doi.org/10.1075/msw.25023.pat
https://doi.org/10.1075/msw.25023.pat
Abstract
Metaphors are essential for articulating emotional and psychological experiences that resist literal expression,
especially in contexts of mental illness. This study explores how Malay-speaking individuals diagnosed with Major Depressive
Disorder (MDD) use metaphorical language to express emotional distress, identity, and cultural meaning. Drawing on 38 clinical
interviews conducted at the University of Malaya Medical Centre, metaphorical expressions were identified using the Metaphor
Identification Procedure (MIP), complemented by Frame Semantics, Affective Metaphor Theory, and Critical Metaphor Analysis. Six
dominant metaphor themes emerged confinement, burden, descent, disconnection, combat, and divine trial each reflecting cognitive
schemas and Malay-Muslim cultural scripts. Particular attention is given to metaphor simile hybrids and polysemous anchors, which
carry affective and spiritual meaning. The study demonstrates how metaphor’s structure lived experiences and mediate between
individual suffering and cultural worldviews. These findings contribute to ongoing debates in metaphor research on cross-cultural
variation, affective intensity, and clinical communication. The study advocates for metaphor literacy in mental health settings.
It aligns with recent work in metaphor studies that emphasize discourse, stigma, and identity in mental health narratives.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Literature review
- 2.1Metaphor in mental health discourse: Foundations and evolution
- 2.2Analytical approaches to identifying metaphors
- 2.3Empirical studies on depression metaphors
- 2.4Cultural and religious dimensions of depression metaphors
- 3.Research design
- 3.1Research setting and participants
- 3.4Data collection procedures
- 3.5Analytical framework
- 3.6Coding and trustworthiness
- 3.7Reflexivity and positionality
- 4.Findings
- 4.1Theme 1: Trapped in a room without doors
- 4.2Theme 2: Carrying an invisible weight
- 4.3Theme 3: Falling into darkness
- 4.4Theme 4: Cut Off from the world
- 4.5Theme 5: Fighting an unseen enemy
- 4.6Theme 6: A Test from god
- 5.Discussion
- 6.Theoretical and practical implications
- 7.Limitations and future research
- Competing interests
- Ethic Statement
- Acknowledgements
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