Anthony Storr
Anthony Storr
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Sir Anthony Frederick Storr was a British psychiatrist and writer. He is often referred to as Tony Storr.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on September 15, 1920, in London, England; died on May 18, 2001.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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British, Psychiatrist, Writer
Storr was a prominent figure in the field of psychiatry, holding various positions throughout his career. He served as a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and worked as a psychiatrist at the Tavistock Clinic in London.
Early Life and Background
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Storr's early life was marked by a strong interest in writing and literature. His father, Frederick Storr, was an actor and his mother, Margaret Gatty, came from a family of artists. This creative background influenced Storr's future career choices. He attended Eton College before enrolling at New College, Oxford.
During World War II, Storr served in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve as an anti-submarine officer. After the war, he completed his medical studies and began working as a psychiatrist.
Major Accomplishments
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Storr made significant contributions to the field of psychiatry through his work on personality disorders, particularly narcissistic personality disorder. He is also known for his influential books on psychology and mental health.
Some of Storr's notable works include:
The Dynamics of Creation (1972) - a book exploring the relationship between creativity and mental illness
Solitude: A Return to the Self (1988) - an examination of the importance of solitude in modern life
* Solitary Lives (2004, posthumous publication) - a collection of essays on loneliness and social isolation
Notable Works or Actions
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Storr was a prolific writer, producing numerous books and articles throughout his career. He also worked as an editor for the British Journal of Psychiatry, helping to shape the direction of psychiatric thought.
In addition to his writing, Storr was involved in various other endeavors. He served on the editorial board of the International Journal of Psycho-Analysis and held positions within several professional organizations.
Impact and Legacy
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Storr's work continues to be widely read and studied today. His thoughts on creativity, solitude, and mental health remain influential in contemporary discussions about these topics.
His books have been translated into multiple languages, allowing his ideas to reach a global audience. Storr's legacy extends beyond his written works; he played an important role in shaping the field of psychiatry through his research and contributions to professional organizations.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Storr is remembered for his insightful writings on mental health, creativity, and the importance of solitude. His work continues to be widely quoted due to its thought-provoking nature and relevance to contemporary issues.
As a psychiatrist and writer, Storr offered unique perspectives on human behavior and psychology. His ability to make complex ideas accessible to a broad audience has contributed to his lasting impact.
Storr's legacy serves as a reminder of the importance of exploring mental health, creativity, and personal growth. His work continues to inspire readers and contribute to ongoing discussions about these topics.
Quotes by Anthony Storr
Anthony Storr's insights on:
But observers have generally noted that such people are greatly absorbed with their own thoughts even when in company. Winnicott’s paradoxical description of ’being alone in the presence of others may be relevant not only to the infant with its mother, but also to those who are capable of intense concentration and preoccupation with their own inner processes even when surrounded by other people.
On the other hand, less rigorous conditions of imprisonment have sometimes proved fruitful. Being cut off from the distractions of ordinary life encourages the prisoner with creative potential to call upon the resources of his imagination. As we shall see, a variety of authors have begun writing in prison, where this has been allowed; or have passed through periods of spiritual and mental turmoil which have later found expression in their works.
But Freud, perhaps because he himself denies ever having had such an experience, treats it as illusory; whilst those who describe ecstatic feelings of unity usually portray them as more intensely real than any other feelings which they can recall.
The mind must make its own happiness; any troubles can be endured if the sufferer has resources of his own to sustain him.
When a person is receiving very little information, what he does receive makes a more powerful impression; a fact well appreciated by totalitarian regimes which control the Press.
The creative consequences of man’s imaginative strivings may never make him whole; but they constitute his deepest consolations and his greatest glories.
The creative person is constantly seeking to discover himself, to remodel his own identity, and to find meaning in the universe through what he creates. He finds this a valuable integrating process which, like meditation or prayer, has little to do with other people, but which has its own separate validity. His most significant moments are those in which he attains some new insight, or makes some new discovery; and these moments are chiefly, if not invariably, those in which he is alone.
It is a tragic paradox that the very qualities that have led to man’s extraordinary capacity for success are also those most likely to destroy him.
I once had a conversation with the director of a monastery. “Everyone who comes to us,” he said, “does so for the wrong reasons.” The same is generally true of people who become psychotherapists. It is sometimes possible to persuade people to be come psychotherapists who have not chosen the profession for their own personal reasons; but, for the most part, we have to put up with what we get; namely, ourselves.
Since I was not able wholly to subscribe to any one set of beliefs advanced by any ‘guru’ I had to fall back on my own, however derivative.