--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was thinking the other day that…" description: "\"“I was thinking the other day that hypochondria's a stepbrother to masochism,' said Hugo.”\" — Anthony Powell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/anthony-powell-2659_quote_i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypoch_1695881.jpg" --- # I was thinking the other day that hypochondria's a… ![“I was thinking the other day that hypochondria's a stepbrother to masochism,' said Hugo.” quote by Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/anthony-powell-2659_quote_i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypoch_1695881.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/anthony-powell-2659_quote_i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypoch_1695881.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/anthony-powell-2659_quote_i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypoch_1695881.jpg) > ““I was thinking the other day that hypochondria's a stepbrother to masochism,' said Hugo.”” [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hypochondria and masochism share a twisted link: both involve self-inflicted suffering, one mental, one physical. **In simple terms:** Both involve self‑inflicted suffering. Key Takeaway Recognize unhealthy self‑pain patterns. Themes psychology self‑harm paradox human behavior Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - clinical settings - self‑help workshops - therapy sessions Key Concepts self‑destruction somatic focus mental health Questions to Reflect On - Do you see a connection between anxiety and self‑punishment? - How can awareness reduce such tendencies? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex mental health issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Masochism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masochism/) ## Related quotes > [“If I were you, I'd put up that pistol, Mr. Ottershaw,' said Hugo. 'Were you meaning to challenge the ghost with it? You'd catch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/if-i-were-you-i-d-put-up-that-pistol-mr-ottershaw-said-hugo-were-you/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [Jogging, I believe they call it. It seems to be an epidemic psychological illness afflicting Americans these days. A form of masochism, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/jogging-i-believe-they-call-it-it-seems-to-be-an-epidemic/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [“Masochism is a condition of perverted pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-boldisor/masochism-is-a-condition-of-perverted-pain/) [Stefan Boldisor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-boldisor/) > [“Judging your early artistic efforts is artist abuse. This happens in any number of ways: beginning work is measured against the masterworks of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/judging-your-early-artistic-efforts-is-artist-abuse-this-happens-in/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“Back then," he whispered, "I guess I was into masochism, because being there with you, so close when you were so untouchable, was pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/back-then-he-whispered-i-guess-i-was-into-masochism-because-being/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [It is interesting to note that in every phase of life feminine masochism finds some form of expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-deutsch/it-is-interesting-to-note-that-in-every-phase-of-life-feminine/) [Helene Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-deutsch/) > [“and only much later, when Mascha wanted a child, did I realize that love is a deadly poison, a vice, a vice that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/and-only-much-later-when-mascha-wanted-a-child-did-i-realize-that/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [“Getting up once in the dark to go adventuring is a lark. Twice in two days smacks of masochism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/getting-up-once-in-the-dark-to-go-adventuring-is-a-lark-twice-in-two/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [In good old Colonial Dunsboro, masochism is a valuable job skill. It is in most jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/in-good-old-colonial-dunsboro-masochism-is-a-valuable-job-skill-it-is/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Masochism is a valuable job skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/masochism-is-a-valuable-job-skill/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“The original restrictive meaning of sexual aberration which derives satisfaction from a passive relation to the partner has been retained. Masochism, however, has come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-reik/the-original-restrictive-meaning-of-sexual-aberration-which-derives/) [Theodor Reik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-reik/) > [The student now goes to college to proclaim rather than to learn. A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/the-student-now-goes-to-college-to-proclaim-rather-than-to-learn-a/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > [As I see it, our revolutionary task is to destroy phallic identity in men and masochistic non-identity in women--that is, to destroy the polar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/as-i-see-it-our-revolutionary-task-is-to-destroy-phallic-identity-in/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [I ache for the touch of your lips dear, but much more for the touch of your whips dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-ache-for-the-touch-of-your-lips-dear-but-much-more-for-the-touch-of/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) ## More by Anthony Powell > [I was impressed for the ten thousandth time by the fact that literature illuminates life only for those to whom books are a necessity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-was-impressed-for-the-ten-thousandth-time-by-the-fact-that/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“Like everything that's any good, it has about twenty different meanings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/like-everything-that-s-any-good-it-has-about-twenty-different-meanings/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“I have absolutely no histrionic talent, none at all, a constitutional handicap in almost all undertakings of life;but then, after all, plenty of actors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-have-absolutely-no-histrionic-talent-none-at-all-a-constitutional/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“The crematorium was a blaze of sunshine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/the-crematorium-was-a-blaze-of-sunshine/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [Parents. . . are sometimes a bit of a disappointment to their children. They don't fulfil the promise of their early years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/parents-are-sometimes-a-bit-of-a-disappointment-to-their-children/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“Her expression was oafish, but it was on the whole this quality that gave her face a certain retentive efficacy. She had the look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/her-expression-was-oafish-but-it-was-on-the-whole-this-quality-that/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“Enormous simplifications were possibly necessary to carry a deeper truth than lay on the surface of a mass of unsorted detail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/enormous-simplifications-were-possibly-necessary-to-carry-a-deeper/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“I hate anything superficial. But I will take the book and look at it, and tell you what I think of the writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-hate-anything-superficial-but-i-will-take-the-book-and-look-at-it/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“It is rather an occasion, darling,’ said Moreland, vexed at these objections. ‘After all, I am noted among composers for the smallness of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/it-is-rather-an-occasion-darling-said-moreland-vexed-at-these/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“There seemed no particular object in avoiding banality from the start, as the evening showed every sign of developing into a banal one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/there-seemed-no-particular-object-in-avoiding-banality-from-the-start/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [Dinner at the Huntercombes possessed only two dramatic features: the wine was a farce and the food a tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/dinner-at-the-huntercombes-possessed-only-two-dramatic-features-the/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“Even then I did not recognise the quest for power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/even-then-i-did-not-recognise-the-quest-for-power/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“Some of the best of us are quite unambitious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/some-of-the-best-of-us-are-quite-unambitious/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [One passes through the world knowing few, if any, of the important things about even the people with whom one has been from time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/one-passes-through-the-world-knowing-few-if-any-of-the-important/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [“He stood pondering this flat, forthright declaration of anti-simianism on Miss Weedon’s part. The notion that some people might not like monkeys was evidently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/he-stood-pondering-this-flat-forthright-declaration-of-anti-simianism/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) [Explore all 156 Anthony Powell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) ## More Masochism quotes > [“I locked the door and turned on the water to fill the tub. I made it so hot that I had to get in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-crandall/i-locked-the-door-and-turned-on-the-water-to-fill-the-tub-i-made-it/) [Susan Crandall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-crandall/) > [I ache for the touch of your lips dear, but much more for the touch of your whips dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-ache-for-the-touch-of-your-lips-dear-but-much-more-for-the-touch-of/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [As I see it, our revolutionary task is to destroy phallic identity in men and masochistic non-identity in women--that is, to destroy the polar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/as-i-see-it-our-revolutionary-task-is-to-destroy-phallic-identity-in/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [The student now goes to college to proclaim rather than to learn. A spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/the-student-now-goes-to-college-to-proclaim-rather-than-to-learn-a/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > [“The original restrictive meaning of sexual aberration which derives satisfaction from a passive relation to the partner has been retained. Masochism, however, has come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-reik/the-original-restrictive-meaning-of-sexual-aberration-which-derives/) [Theodor Reik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-reik/) > [Masochism is a valuable job skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/masochism-is-a-valuable-job-skill/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [In good old Colonial Dunsboro, masochism is a valuable job skill. It is in most jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/in-good-old-colonial-dunsboro-masochism-is-a-valuable-job-skill-it-is/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Getting up once in the dark to go adventuring is a lark. Twice in two days smacks of masochism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/getting-up-once-in-the-dark-to-go-adventuring-is-a-lark-twice-in-two/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“and only much later, when Mascha wanted a child, did I realize that love is a deadly poison, a vice, a vice that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/and-only-much-later-when-mascha-wanted-a-child-did-i-realize-that/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [It is interesting to note that in every phase of life feminine masochism finds some form of expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-deutsch/it-is-interesting-to-note-that-in-every-phase-of-life-feminine/) [Helene Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-deutsch/) > [“Back then," he whispered, "I guess I was into masochism, because being there with you, so close when you were so untouchable, was pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/back-then-he-whispered-i-guess-i-was-into-masochism-because-being/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [“Judging your early artistic efforts is artist abuse. This happens in any number of ways: beginning work is measured against the masterworks of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/judging-your-early-artistic-efforts-is-artist-abuse-this-happens-in/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“Masochism is a condition of perverted pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-boldisor/masochism-is-a-condition-of-perverted-pain/) [Stefan Boldisor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-boldisor/) > [Jogging, I believe they call it. It seems to be an epidemic psychological illness afflicting Americans these days. A form of masochism, like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/jogging-i-believe-they-call-it-it-seems-to-be-an-epidemic/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [“Running through an unfamiliar forest filled with thorns is half an exercise in masochism, and half an obstacle course from the deepest reaches of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/running-through-an-unfamiliar-forest-filled-with-thorns-is-half-an/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) [Browse all 75 Masochism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masochism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I was thinking the other day that hypochondria's a stepbrother to masochism,' said Hugo.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony Powell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypochondria-s-a-stepbrother-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Masochism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypochondria-s-a-stepbrother-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/anthony-powell-2659_quote_i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypoch_1695881.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/anthony-powell-2659_quote_i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypoch_1695881.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51d/anthony-powell-2659_quote_i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypoch_1695881.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was thinking the other day that hypochondria's a stepbrother to masochism,' said Hugo.” — Anthony Powell", "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": "Anthony Powell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I was thinking the other day...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypochondria-s-a-stepbrother-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/i-was-thinking-the-other-day-that-hypochondria-s-a-stepbrother-to/#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 } } ] } ```