Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem.
David D. BurnsRead
Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all individuals suffering from depression can improve and experience a sense of joy and self-esteem once again.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Negative thoughts can mislead us, but with consistency and patience, improvement is achievable.
The quote by David D. Burns highlights the challenge of overcoming negative thinking patterns, especially in the context of depression. It emphasizes that while change may be difficult and gradual, individuals can regain their sense of joy and self-esteem with persistence and the right mindset, reinforcing the importance of a patient approach to mental health recovery.
Themes
Negative ThinkingDepressionPersistencePatienceSelf-EsteemJoy
In practice
Example use cases
In a mental health seminar discussing the importance of resilience.
More from David D. Burns
All quotes →That's one of the peculiar things about bad moods - we often fool ourselves and create misery by telling ourselves things that simply are not true.
David D. BurnsRead
Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve the problem rather than finding the truth in what the person is saying.
David D. BurnsRead
A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.
David D. BurnsRead
I'm all for 'tools,' not 'schools,' of therapy. To me, the schools of therapy compete much like religions, or even cults, all claiming to know the cause and to have the best method for treating people.
David D. BurnsRead
It's very rare to have a patient who isn't absolutely delighted when you say, 'I read your feedback. The session didn't go well. You actually got more upset, and I made about three really horrible errors.' If you do that from the heart and not as a gimmick, boy, it's a wonderful thing.
David D. BurnsRead
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I guess I realize that I don't want to die. I don't want to live either, but-there really isn't anything in-between. Depression is about as close as you get to somewhere between dead and alive, and it's the worst. But since the tendency toward inertia means that it's easier for me to stay alive than die, I guess that's how it's going to be, so I guess I should try to be happy.
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