---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the things that often gets lost in…"
description: "\"One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencin..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/andrew-solomon-1140_big-deal_one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-i_916741.jpg"
---

#  One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of…

![“One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it. You know that most people manage to listen to their messages, and eat lunch, and organise themselves to take a shower and go out the front…” quote by Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/andrew-solomon-1140_big-deal_one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-i_916741.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/andrew-solomon-1140_big-deal_one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-i_916741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/andrew-solomon-1140_big-deal_one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-i_916741.jpg)

> “One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it. You know that most people manage to listen to their messages, and eat lunch, and organise themselves to take a shower and go out the front door, and that it's not a big deal. And yet you are nonetheless in its grip and you are unable to figure out any way around it.”

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Depression creates a paradox where rational awareness of its absurdity coexists with overwhelming inability to act, trapping the sufferer in a self‑defeating cycle.

**In simple terms:** You can see how absurd depression is, yet still feel stuck.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the paradox and seek help despite feeling powerless.

Themes

mental health paradox awareness inefficacy

Mood

frustrated hopeful reflective

Type

advice psychological motivational

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- self‑care routines
- support groups
- daily planning

Key Concepts

cognitive dissonance psychological inertia self‑compassion

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you translate awareness into actionable steps?
- What support can break the cycle of inaction?

A Different Perspective

Even with insight, depression can block motivation and decision‑making.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [I've never had a single moment of depression, because I know my cause will triumph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-ve-never-had-a-single-moment-of-depression-because-i-know-my-cause/)

[Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/)

> [The English language may hold a more disagreeable combination of words than "The doctor will see you now." I am willing to concede something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/the-english-language-may-hold-a-more-disagreeable-combination-of/)

[Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/)

> [I didn't know my mother had it. I think a lot of women don't know their mothers had it; that's the sad thing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-osmond/i-didn-t-know-my-mother-had-it-i-think-a-lot-of-women-don-t-know/)

[Marie Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-osmond/)

> [The message I wanted to deliver to those battling with depression is to know that they are not the only ones, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tweet/the-message-i-wanted-to-deliver-to-those-battling-with-depression-is/)

Tweet

> [You have good days and bad days, and depression's something that, you know, is always with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/you-have-good-days-and-bad-days-and-depression-s-something-that-you/)

[Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/)

> [We know how to treat depression, we know how to treat mental illness, and we have not had the political will in our country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalynn-carter/we-know-how-to-treat-depression-we-know-how-to-treat-mental-illness/)

[Rosalynn Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalynn-carter/)

> [I go through a lot of depression, and I know other people do, too, but I have an outlet that so many people don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-eilish/i-go-through-a-lot-of-depression-and-i-know-other-people-do-too-but-i/)

[Billie Eilish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-eilish/)

> [How can you give a man a room in a house and not let him come through the front door?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-bailey/how-can-you-give-a-man-a-room-in-a-house-and-not-let-him-come-through/)

[Pearl Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-bailey/)

> [Piglet opened the letter box and climbed in. Then, having untied himself, he began to squeeze into the slit, through which in the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/piglet-opened-the-letter-box-and-climbed-in-then-having-untied/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In New York City, a lot of people think "the great outdoors" is the area between your front door and a taxi cab.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/in-new-york-city-a-lot-of-people-think-the-great-outdoors-is-the-area/)

[Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/)

> [You kids have fun, and be home by Thanksgiving!" our parents would call to us on Halloween night, as we staggered out the front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-kids-have-fun-and-be-home-by-thanksgiving-our-parents-would-call/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [Our body is there right now. You did not have to earn a thing. It is a gift. You are a hero every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-alderman/our-body-is-there-right-now-you-did-not-have-to-earn-a-thing-it-is-a/)

[Naomi Alderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-alderman/)

> [I don't have to pad my resume. Normal people are astounded by my resume, because normal people never let their dreams get beyond their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-layfield/i-don-t-have-to-pad-my-resume-normal-people-are-astounded-by-my/)

[John Layfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-layfield/)

> [You must maximize the probability that someone shows up at front door of your store or website and ends up with a solved problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/you-must-maximize-the-probability-that-someone-shows-up-at-front-door/)

[Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/)

> [I don't think it's a very Christian thing to come in by the back door rather than the front door,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/i-don-t-think-it-s-a-very-christian-thing-to-come-in-by-the-back-door/)

[Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/)

## More by Andrew Solomon

> [“If you banish the dragons, you banish the heroes...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/if-you-banish-the-dragons-you-banish-the-heroes/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [I started traveling out of curiosity, but I have come to believe in travel's political importance, that encouraging a nation's citizenry to travel may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-started-traveling-out-of-curiosity-but-i-have-come-to-believe-in/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [When I was born, the wisdom was that homosexuality was an illness; that it was caused largely by somebody's mother, and a distorted relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/when-i-was-born-the-wisdom-was-that-homosexuality-was-an-illness-that/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [A lot of people are very political when they are young, and then they outgrow it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/a-lot-of-people-are-very-political-when-they-are-young-and-then-they/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [Having always imagined myself in a fairly slim minority, I suddenly saw that I was in a vast company. Difference unites us. While each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/having-always-imagined-myself-in-a-fairly-slim-minority-i-suddenly/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [If your love didn't always contain the possibility of loss, it would be very different from human love as we know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/if-your-love-didn-t-always-contain-the-possibility-of-loss-it-would/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [Antonin Artaud wrote on one of his drawings, "Never real and always true," and that is how depression feels. You know that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/antonin-artaud-wrote-on-one-of-his-drawings-never-real-and-always/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [I met people on college campuses who were defining themselves as genderqueer to express revolutionary feelings, or to communicate their individuality; they were gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-met-people-on-college-campuses-who-were-defining-themselves-as/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [“In the throws of depression, one reaches a strange point at which it is impossible to see the line between ones own theatricality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/in-the-throws-of-depression-one-reaches-a-strange-point-at-which-it/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [“Since I am writing a book about depression, I am often asked in social situations to describe my own experiences, and I usually end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/since-i-am-writing-a-book-about-depression-i-am-often-asked-in-social/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [Loving our own children is an exercise for the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/loving-our-own-children-is-an-exercise-for-the-imagination/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [One the one hand, the simple fact that there are children and that I do have an effect on them has been one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/one-the-one-hand-the-simple-fact-that-there-are-children-and-that-i/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [I grew up feeling that to be gay was a tragedy. I didn't grow up thinking that it was morally wrong, but I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-grew-up-feeling-that-to-be-gay-was-a-tragedy-i-didn-t-grow-up/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [We need to acknowledge that families come in multiple shapes and sizes, that love is not a finite asset, and that caregiving involves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/we-need-to-acknowledge-that-families-come-in-multiple-shapes-and/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

> [I had always wanted to have children, so it caused me a lot of grief when I was younger, and I had supposed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-had-always-wanted-to-have-children-so-it-caused-me-a-lot-of-grief/)

[Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

[Explore all 282 Andrew Solomon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/)

## More Big deal quotes

> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

[Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/)

> [“But in the parent department, he had won the lottery. So, he'd always known that when he finally told them, they'd make him feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/but-in-the-parent-department-he-had-won-the-lottery-so-he-d-always/)

[John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/)

> [“Perspective is everything. If your “why” is big enough, you can deal with almost any “what.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-searcy/perspective-is-everything-if-your-why-is-big-enough-you-can-deal-with/)

[Nelson Searcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-searcy/)

> [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/)

[Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/)

> [“You weren't out there that long, were you? I can't bear to think that no one found you right away." Noah shook his head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/you-weren-t-out-there-that-long-were-you-i-can-t-bear-to-think-that/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [Everyone's just laughing at me. I hate it. Big breasts, big ass, big deal, Can't I be anything else ? Gee, how long can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/everyone-s-just-laughing-at-me-i-hate-it-big-breasts-big-ass-big-deal/)

[Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/)

> [“Eventually, Edgard said, “She doesn’t know anything about me. Not even that we were roping partners. Not that we were…” He looked at Trevor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorelei-james/eventually-edgard-said-she-doesn-t-know-anything-about-me-not-even/)

[Lorelei James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorelei-james/)

> [Humility simply means that you do a great job at everything and it isn't really a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/humility-simply-means-that-you-do-a-great-job-at-everything-and-it/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [“Being responsible for someone’s childhood is a big deal. We not only create our own memories, but we create our child’s memories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-macy-stafford/being-responsible-for-someone-s-childhood-is-a-big-deal-we-not-only/)

[Rachel Macy Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-macy-stafford/)

> [I've never been truly closeted on the air; it's just something I never really made a big deal out of because I never felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-duran/i-ve-never-been-truly-closeted-on-the-air-it-s-just-something-i-never/)

[Elvis Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-duran/)

> [Tom Stafford was an odd character, you know - a brilliant guy. He looked weird and I think he took a really defensive attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-fritts/tom-stafford-was-an-odd-character-you-know-a-brilliant-guy-he-looked/)

[Donnie Fritts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-fritts/)

> [When you're standing around for an hour doing stand up it's no big deal but when you're standing around watching a show for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/when-you-re-standing-around-for-an-hour-doing-stand-up-it-s-no-big/)

[Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/)

> [People make such a big deal about how people in bands look, especially if you're a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/people-make-such-a-big-deal-about-how-people-in-bands-look-especially/)

[Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/)

> [“What’s wrong with you?” John asks suspiciously. I give him a ‘what chu talkin’ ‘bout Willis?’ look and he explains. “You just woke up.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/what-s-wrong-with-you-john-asks-suspiciously-i-give-him-a-what-chu/)

[Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/)

> [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/)

[Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/)

Browse all 1,273 Big deal quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You know it's ridiculous while you're experiencing it. You know that most people manage to listen to their messages, and eat lunch, and organise themselves to take a shower and go out the front door, and that it's not a big deal. And yet you are nonetheless in its grip and you are unable to figure out any way around it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Andrew Solomon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-in-discussions-of-depression/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Big deal"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-in-discussions-of-depression/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/andrew-solomon-1140_big-deal_one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-i_916741.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/andrew-solomon-1140_big-deal_one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-i_916741.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/andrew-solomon-1140_big-deal_one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-i_916741.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“One of the things that often gets lost in discussions of depression is that you know it's ridiculous. You…” — Andrew Solomon",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Andrew Solomon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "One of the things that often...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-in-discussions-of-depression/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/one-of-the-things-that-often-gets-lost-in-discussions-of-depression/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
