14 Short Depression Quotes About Mental Pain and Sadness
Depression is a common mental illness, affecting millions of adults in the United States each year. Despite this statistic, depression can often be a profoundly isolating experience. Those living with some form of depression may feel alone in their experience, and the culture of silence surrounding mental illness can further exacerbate the disconnect a human being may feel between themselves and others. Turning to quotes about living with depression could be a source of comfort for some people. We’ll publish 14 sayings from famous authors and other well-known figures here, and we’ll also discuss information on how to seek support for symptoms of depression.
What is depression?
There are various types of depression, from major depressive disorder to perinatal depression to seasonal affective disorder. Symptoms of each can vary and may range from mild to more serious.
A persistent sense of sadness
That said, key signifiers of when depression hits can include a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, a persistent sense of feeling sad or having a low mood, fatigue and lethargy, hopelessness and loneliness, social isolation and loneliness even in a huge crowd, and significant changes in eating or sleeping patterns. The mental pain of being persistently, clinically depressed and sad hurts and can lead to distress, trouble functioning, decreased well-being overall, and suicidal thoughts, among other symptoms.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Text or call 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Support is available 24/7. If you are experiencing trauma, support is available.
The challenge of bearing mental pain
As C.S. Lewis put it: “Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: it is easier to say ‘My tooth is aching’ than to say ‘My heart is broken.’” However, unlike a head cold, as Barbara Kingsolver points out in a quote below, this mental health condition doesn’t typically resolve on its own.
Seeking support for mental health and depression
In order to find ways to manage or alleviate symptoms and induce healthy feelings, seeking professional support is typically required. The point of treating depression is usually to improve quality of life and well-being. We’ll explore helpful resources at the end of this article.
Short depression quotes about mental pain and sadness
From Kate Chopin to C.S. Lewis, many renowned writers and thinkers throughout history have also experienced depression and other mental illnesses and have left behind a rich legacy of poetry, fiction, and other writings on the topic. The poignancy with which these authors describe the symptoms and mental illness may help you feel less alone in your experience.
14 Short depression quotes by famous authors
Below are 14 quotes about depression by famous authors and other well-known public figures.
- “Depression is melancholy minus its charms.” –Susan Sontag
- "You don't think in depression that you've put on a gray veil and are seeing the world through the haze of a bad mood. You think that the veil has been taken away, the veil of happiness, and that now you're seeing truly." –Andrew Solomon, The Noonday Demon
- "I was okay just a moment ago. I will learn how to be okay again." –Nina LaCour, We Are Okay
- "You see, I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad things that happened to me." –F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
- “A big part of depression is feeling really lonely, even if you're in a room full of a million people.” –Lilly Singh
- "I hope to one day see a sea of people all wearing silver ribbons as a sign that they understand the secret battle and as a celebration of the victories made each day as we individually pull ourselves up out of our foxholes to see our scars heal and to remember what the sun looks like." –Jenny Lawson, Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things
- “Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: It is easier to say ‘My tooth is aching’ than to say ‘My heart is broken.’” –C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
- "Depression is being colorblind and constantly told how colorful the world is." –Atticus, Love Her Wild
- “I need one of those long hugs where you kinda forget whatever else is happening around you for a minute.” –Marilyn Monroe
- "There were days when she was unhappy; she did not know why, when it did not seem worthwhile to be glad or sorry, to be alive or dead; when life appeared to her like a grotesque pandemonium and humanity like worms struggling blindly toward inevitable annihilation." –Kate Chopin, The Awakening
- "I bear the dungeon within me; within me is winter, ice, and despair; I have darkness in my soul." –Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
- “There is no point treating a depressed person as though she were just feeling sad, saying, 'There now, hang on, you'll get over it.' Sadness is more or less like a head cold—with patience, it passes. Depression is like cancer.” –Barbara Kingsolver, The Bean Trees
- “It is very hard to explain to people who have never known serious depression or anxiety the sheer continuous intensity of it. There is no off switch.” –Matt Haig
- "I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.'" –Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country
Mental health support for depression
One of the potentially frustrating hallmarks of depression is that it might seem that the rest of the world is happy and that you're the only person experiencing these symptoms. However, the words of these poets, writers, thinkers, and others can offer a rebuttal to such thoughts, providing a sense of solidarity and comfort. That said, the above sayings aren't meant to be a replacement for professional support. If you're living with depression, seeking treatment can be vital.
Treatment options for individuals with mental illness
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a common, straightforward response to the question of how best to treat depression. It’s one of the most popular methods of addressing various mental illnesses, as a robust body of research suggests its effectiveness. It may be recommended with or without medication.
CBT for individuals experiencing mental illness
In CBT sessions, your therapist may help you identify and shift any distorted thoughts that may arise as a result of depression. They can also equip you with healthy coping mechanisms for your symptoms.
Online mental health treatment
If you face barriers to receiving in-person CBT or other forms of therapy, you might consider online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp. Since the fatigue and low mood often associated with depression can make it difficult to leave the house to attend in-person appointments, attending sessions remotely may be more feasible in many cases. With online therapy, you can speak with a licensed therapist remotely from the comfort of your home. Research suggests that online talk therapy may be even more effective for treating depression than in-person treatment in some cases.
Takeaway
What are some short depression quotes?
For many with depression, quotes can be a powerful way to label feelings that are difficult to express. For those with friends, loved ones, and colleagues coping with depression, they are a helpful way to understand and develop empathy for what it feels like.
Here are 12 short depression quotes
"It's such a fine line between feeling everything and nothing at all." – K. Tolnoe
"She's battling things her smile will never tell you about." – Jonny Ox
"My heart hides so many wounds that never bleed." – Alexandra Vasiliu
"Sometimes, all you can do is lie in bed and hope to fall asleep before you fall apart." – William C. Hannan
"Angry is just sad's bodyguard." – Liza Palmer
"It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project." – Napoleon Hill
"You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn't mean you're defective - it just means you're human."—David Mitchell
"In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer"- Albert Camus.
"Make peace with your broken pieces." – R.H. Sin
"I don't hate people. I just feel better when they aren't around." – Charles Bukowski
"She wasn't sad anymore, she was numb, and she knew somehow numb was worse." – Atticus
"There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn't."—John Green, 2019
What is smiling depression?
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), smiling depression is a major depressive disorder where individuals hide their mental pain and how they really feel. They might smile and look okay on the outside, but deep down, they are struggling. Their feelings and emotions are heavy, and they may feel like their brain is tired from pretending. Sometimes individuals may even feel worse because no one sees or notices their pain. There can be such a fine line between looking okay and truly being okay. This type of hidden pain may cause fear, make someone very sad and lonely, and leave individuals feeling broken inside.
What is a depressed mood?
A depressed mood is a persistent feeling of sadness and hopelessness. It can make a person’s everyday life feel heavy, so it could be hard to enjoy the simple things. People may stop doing things that once made them feel happy, and instead, they might feel tired, lonely, or even angry without knowing the reasons why. Thoughts may grow quiet, filled with silence and fear, and it can be hard to talk about what's really going on inside, which is normal for every human being to experience. Over time, this feeling can cause someone to persistently feel fear, emotional wounds, and a sense of being broken.
What are sad short quotes?
Sad short quotes are simple quotes or lines that express deep feelings or emotions, like lonely thoughts, grief, fear, or a sense of being broken. These sad quotes may reflect how human beings feel when going through depression, pain, or emotional wounds from past relationships. They may also include words about looking for peace or memories they kept for a long time. Some quotes may speak to the silence and secret battles we keep, the fear we carry, or how we try to fall asleep to escape the weight of the world. Though short, these quotes hold powerful words that many can relate to.
Some examples of sad short quotes are the following:
"Tears come from the heart and not from the brain."- Leonardo da Vinci
"It’s sad when someone you know becomes someone you knew."- Henry Rollins
"The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keep out the joy."- Jim Rohn
"Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not."- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
"Sometimes it's better to be alone. No one can hurt you that way."- Marilyn Monroe
What are some great short depression quotes?
Great depression quotes often speak to the pain and struggles that many individuals face, but don’t always know how to talk about. These short depression quotes may help someone feel less alone in a world that often misunderstands mental health. Depression quotes may capture the quiet silence behind an individual’s smile, the fear of opening up their thoughts, and the strength it takes to keep going when a person feels broken inside. Some depression quotes reflect how a person may look fine but is actually deeply depressed, carrying emotional pain, wounds, or broken pieces they hide from others. These depression quotes and words remind us that even in the darkest parts of life, we’re still human, and healing is possible.
Some examples of short depression quotes include the following:
"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."- Louisa May Alcott
"You say you're 'depressed' – all I see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn't mean you're defective."- David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas
"The only thing more exhausting than having a mental illness is pretending like you don’t."- Unknown
"Even from a dark night, songs of beauty can be born."- Mary Anne Radmacher
"Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action."- Walter Anderson
What are some quotes for when your heart hurts?
Quotes can be powerful in relaying someone’s thoughts, and when your heart hurts, or when you can’t find the exact words to describe the heartbreak of what has just happened, quotes can sometimes be the best way to express your emotions. Just like depression quotes, they may speak to the wounds we carry and the quiet moments when the heart hides more than it shows. Different quotes can help remind us that sometimes it is fine to talk about your problems, to feel angry, or even to fall apart for a while. The pain and hurt might not disappear right away, but through wisdom, long hugs from friends, life experiences, and time, healing can begin, even if it doesn’t feel that way anymore. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
Here are some short quotes about heartbreak or when the heart hurts:
"The heart was made to be broken."- Oscar Wilde
"Sometimes, we just have to let the broken pieces fall."- Unknown
"A broken heart bleeds tears."- Steve Maraboli
"It's hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember."- Unknown
"You can’t see the pain in my heart, but it’s there—quiet and constant."- Unknown
What are the best quotes for when you need to cry?
Sometimes, quotes can help people express and release what they have been hiding inside for too long. These quotes, like depression quotes, often come from a deep emotional experience, where people have faced so many wounds, felt depressed, or had to stay strong when they were constantly told not to show pain. A quote may also speak to the fine line between holding it together and falling apart or to the fear of being seen by others as broken. Some quotes come from those who truly realize how heavy sadness can be. Even Ralph Waldo Emerson once reflected on how struggle can lead to strength. Whether you're battling depression, feeling worse, or tired of pretending you're not sad anymore, a powerful quote can feel like therapy in the form of wisdom.
Here are some emotional quotes that are perfect for moments when you need to cry:
"There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power."- Washington Irving
"Sometimes, crying is the only way your eyes speak when your mouth can’t explain how broken your heart is."- Unknown
"To weep is to make less the depth of grief."- William Shakespeare
"Tears are words the heart can’t express."- Gerard Way
"Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive."- Charlotte Brontë
What to say to I'm sad?
When a friend says, “I’m sad,” it may be important to listen and remind them that they are not alone. Sometimes, it's not about fixing things right away, but helping them realize that you are there for them forever. Let them know that it is okay to feel fear or depression, and everyone carries wounds inside of us. Sometimes, we all kinda forget how brave or strong we are. You could also gently say to a friend, “You’ve been constantly told to stay strong and tough, but it is normal and fine to let it out. You don't have to pretend anymore.”
What are some quotes when I feel lonely?
"There is a difference between loneliness and solitude. Loneliness is boring, whereas in solitude you can inspect and examine your deeds and your thoughts."-Sudha Murty
“She’s battling things her smile will never tell you about.”- Jonny Ox
“Angry is just sad’s bodyguard."- Liza Palmer
“Depression is quiet, but it hurts loud."- Unknown
“We lie to ourselves just to make it through."- Unknown
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