Never once, during any of my bouts of depression, had I been inclined or able to pick up a telephone and ask a friend for help. It wasn't in me.
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
Anyone who suggests that coming back from suicidal despair is a straightforward journey has never taken it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Recovering from suicidal despair is a complex and challenging process, often misunderstood by those who haven't experienced it.
Kay Redfield Jamison's quote highlights the intricate and arduous nature of recovering from deep emotional pain, particularly suicidal despair. It suggests that those who have not faced such struggles may underestimate the difficulties involved in the healing process, implying that understanding and empathy are essential for supporting individuals in their journey to recovery.
Themes
RecoverySuicidal DespairJourneyMental HealthEmpathy
In practice
Example use cases
During a mental health awareness event, this quote can be used to emphasize the complexities of recovery.
More from Kay Redfield Jamison
All quotes →No pill can help me deal with the problem of not wanting to take pills; likewise, no amount of psychotherapy alone can prevent my manias and depressions. I need both. It is an odd thing, owing life to pills, one's own quirks and tenacities, and this unique, strange, and ultimately profound relationship called psychotherapy
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
Mood disorders are terribly painful illnesses, and they are isolating illnesses. And they make people feel terrible about themselves when, in fact, they can be treated.
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
When people are suicidal, their thinking is paralyzed, their options appear spare or nonexistent, their mood is despairing, and hopelessness permeates their entire mental domain. The future cannot be separated from the present, and the present is painful beyond solace. ‘This is my last experiment,’ wrote a young chemist in his suicide note. ‘If there is any eternal torment worse than mine I’ll have to be shown.
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
When public figures remain silent about depression, there is a cost to the rest of society. Silence contributes to the misperception that successful people do not get depressed, and it keeps the public from seeing that treatment allows many individuals to return to competitive professional lives.
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
Because I teach and write about depression and bipolar illness, I am often asked what is the most important factor in treating bipolar disorder. My answer is competence. Empathy is important, but competence is essential.
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
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