A curious thought experiment. . . Nietzsche's message to us was to live life in such a way that we would be willing to repeat the same life eternally
Irvin D. YalomRead
He had learned long ago that, in general, the easier it was for anxious patients to reach him, the less likely they were to call. (107)
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that anxious individuals may hesitate to seek help, especially when it is too easily accessible.
Irvin D. Yalom's quote reflects a psychological insight into the behavior of anxious patients. It indicates that when support is readily available, those who are nervous or anxious might struggle more with the act of reaching out, leading to a paradox where they feel compelled to avoid seeking help despite its accessibility.
Themes
AnxietyHelpPatientsMental HealthSupportCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
In a mental health seminar, a speaker might use this quote to illustrate the complexities of patient-provider communication.
More from Irvin D. Yalom
All quotes →A sense of life meaning ensues but cannot be deliberately pursued: life meaning is always a derivative phenomenon that materializes when we have transcended ourselves, when we have forgotten ourselves and become absorbed in someone (or something) outside ourselves
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Marriage and its entourage of possession and jealousy enslave the spirit.
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It is wrong to bear children out of need, wrong to use a child to alleviate loneliness, wrong to provide purpose in life by reproducing another copy of oneself. It is wrong also to seek immortality by spewing one's germ into the future as though sperm contains your consciousness!
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Life is a spark between two identical voids, the darkness before birth and the one after death.
Irvin D. YalomRead
I dream of a love that is more than two people craving to possess one another.
Irvin D. YalomRead
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