---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We often add to our pain and suffering by…"
description: "\"We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, over-reacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.\" — Dalai Lama"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/dalai-lama-89_add_we-often-add-to-our-pain-and-suffering-b_1313357.jpg"
---

#  We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly…

![“We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, over-reacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.” quote by Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/dalai-lama-89_add_we-often-add-to-our-pain-and-suffering-b_1313357.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/dalai-lama-89_add_we-often-add-to-our-pain-and-suffering-b_1313357.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42e/dalai-lama-89_add_we-often-add-to-our-pain-and-suffering-b_1313357.jpg)

> “We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, over-reacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.”

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

This quote is also attributed to [Vikas Runwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-runwal/) in other sources. Attributions for famous quotes are often disputed.

## About This Quote

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

The statement warns that over‑reacting and taking things personally intensifies suffering.

**In simple terms:** Over‑reacting increases suffering.

Key Takeaway

Practice mindful detachment.

Themes

mindfulness emotional regulation compassion

Mood

calm reflective

Type

spiritual philosophical

When to use this quote

- daily stress
- conflict resolution
- personal growth

Key Concepts

Buddhist philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you notice over‑reactions?
- What practices help maintain calm?

A Different Perspective

Some situations may warrant emotional response.

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[Add](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) [Add Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add-pain-1103680/) [Minor things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minor-things/) [Minors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minors/) [Overly Sensitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overly-sensitive-609949/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain and suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-and-suffering/) [Positivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positivity/) [Reacting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reacting/) [Sensitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitive/) [Sensitive Reacting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitive-reacting-4352537/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Overly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-overly-1934625/)

## Related quotes

> [We often add to our pain and suffering by being overly sensitive, overreacting to minor things, and sometimes taking things too personally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-runwal/we-often-add-to-our-pain-and-suffering-by-being-overly-sensitive/)

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> [When we do not reject our suffering, or add anything to it, pain is simply pain. It is what we add to our pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-shoshanna/when-we-do-not-reject-our-suffering-or-add-anything-to-it-pain-is/)

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> [You know you're hurting me, why do you feel the need to add to all my pain.? I'm done being trashed on..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/you-know-you-re-hurting-me-why-do-you-feel-the-need-to-add-to-all-my/)

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> [When we do not reject our suffering, or add anything to it, pain is simply pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/when-we-do-not-reject-our-suffering-or-add-anything-to-it-pain-is-2/)

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> [I cant say anything without hurting someones feelings. Everyones just really overly sensitive...GROW A PAIR.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-cant-say-anything-without-hurting-someones-feelings-everyones-just/)

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> [“She hadn't been hurt in any real way, had she? No one had treated her badly. I must just be overly sensitive to things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/she-hadn-t-been-hurt-in-any-real-way-had-she-no-one-had-treated-her/)

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> [When I was a young man, I was overly sensitive to things, and I found it difficult to eat when I was nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barnes/when-i-was-a-young-man-i-was-overly-sensitive-to-things-and-i-found/)

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> [I took everything really seriously and was overly sensitive about things, and I think that's rooted in perfectionism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-carlin-mccall/i-took-everything-really-seriously-and-was-overly-sensitive-about/)

[Kelly Carlin-McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-carlin-mccall/)

## More by Dalai Lama

> [Although under particular circumstances, the violence method - any method - can be justified, nevertheless once you commit violence, then counterviolence will be returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/although-under-particular-circumstances-the-violence-method-any/)

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