--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Depression can seem worse than terminal…" description: "\"Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem.\" — David D. Burns" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/david-d-burns-4607_because_depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal_3139663.png" --- # Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because… ![“Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem.” quote by David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/david-d-burns-4607_because_depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal_3139663.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/david-d-burns-4607_because_depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal_3139663.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/david-d-burns-4607_because_depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal_3139663.png) > “Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem.” [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Depression feels more devastating than cancer because it robs hope and self‑worth, unlike many cancer patients who retain support. **In simple terms:** Depression steals hope and self‑esteem. Key Takeaway Build support and self‑compassion. Themes mental health hope self‑esteem Mood empathetic encouraging Type therapeutic inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - support groups - self‑care routines Key Concepts cognitive therapy psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster hope daily? - What support systems can you strengthen? A Different Perspective Depression may have biological roots needing medical treatment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Cancer patients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer-patients/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Depression Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression-worse-993620/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Patients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patients/) [Patients Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patients-feel-393297/) [Seem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seem/) [Self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-esteem/) [Terminal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terminal/) [Terminal cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terminal-cancer/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worse/) ## Related quotes > [Treating only terminal cancer patients, the Rand (anti-cancer) vaccine produced objective improvement in 35% of 600 patients while another 30% demonstrated subjective improvement. FDA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-lynes/treating-only-terminal-cancer-patients-the-rand-anti-cancer-vaccine/) [Barry Lynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-lynes/) > [To refrain and desist from interfering with terminal cancer patients, in their use of Laetrile acquired through the 'Affidavit System.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-l-bohanon/to-refrain-and-desist-from-interfering-with-terminal-cancer-patients/) [Luther L. Bohanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-l-bohanon/) > [“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-one-sense-depression-can-feel-even-worse-than-cancer-because-most/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Life is a terminal condition. Were all going to die. Cancer patients just have more information, but we all, in some ways, wait for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-carr/life-is-a-terminal-condition-were-all-going-to-die-cancer-patients/) [Kris Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-carr/) > [I make my patients feel like they're still part of life, part of some grand nutty scheme instead of alone with their diseases. With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/i-make-my-patients-feel-like-they-re-still-part-of-life-part-of-some/) [Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/) > [If I had terminal cancer, I had a few weeks to live, I was in tremendous amount of pain - if they just effectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-key/if-i-had-terminal-cancer-i-had-a-few-weeks-to-live-i-was-in/) [John Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-key/) > [Through the healing process of time-and through medical intervention or hospitalization in many cases-most people survive depression which may be its only blessing; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/through-the-healing-process-of-time-and-through-medical-intervention/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [If you have a patient in a doctor's office who's just been told they have terminal cancer but there's this operation they could perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/if-you-have-a-patient-in-a-doctor-s-office-who-s-just-been-told-they/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [...to say...that Laetrile should not be continued to be used by those who are suffering from terminal cancer, I would have to hang my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-l-bohanon/to-say-that-laetrile-should-not-be-continued-to-be-used-by-those-who/) [Luther L. Bohanon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-l-bohanon/) > [It's a familiar story now: a meek and depressed high school chemistry teacher with terminal cancer cooks up a scheme to make and market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/it-s-a-familiar-story-now-a-meek-and-depressed-high-school-chemistry/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [You all know I have terminal cancer—and I have a lot of it. But what you may not know is that stress induces its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mccall/you-all-know-i-have-terminal-cancer-and-i-have-a-lot-of-it-but-what-3/) [Tom McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mccall/) > [You all know I have terminal cancer-and I have a lot of it. But what you may not know is that stress induces its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mccall/you-all-know-i-have-terminal-cancer-and-i-have-a-lot-of-it-but-what-2/) [Tom McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mccall/) > [My mother, father, stepmother and surrogate mother have all died of cancer; my best friend has got terminal cancer and at least five of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arabella-weir/my-mother-father-stepmother-and-surrogate-mother-have-all-died-of/) [Arabella Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arabella-weir/) > [You all know I have terminal cancer - and I have a lot of it. But what you may not know is that stress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mccall/you-all-know-i-have-terminal-cancer-and-i-have-a-lot-of-it-but-what/) [Tom McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mccall/) > [While this has been a private part of my family's life, it is now clear a media story will soon emerge. My father tragically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-de-blasio/while-this-has-been-a-private-part-of-my-family-s-life-it-is-now/) [Bill de Blasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-de-blasio/) ## More by David D. Burns > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-one-sense-depression-can-feel-even-worse-than-cancer-because-most/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/guilt-is-not-the-best-way-to-remedy-your-mistakes/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [I had the fear of heights when I was young, along with many other fears and phobias, including the fear of dogs, bees, horses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/i-had-the-fear-of-heights-when-i-was-young-along-with-many-other/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-attitude-that-depression-is-necessary-strikes-me-as-destructive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/know-about-the-brain-s-hardware-and-software-how-does-the-firing-of-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“There was nothing dreadfully wrong with me, I was just upsetting myself with my irrational thinking. I just couldn't admit it until I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/there-was-nothing-dreadfully-wrong-with-me-i-was-just-upsetting/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/aim-for-success-not-perfection-never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“And most important, nobody could love or relate to you. It would be impossible to feel any love for someone who was flawless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/and-most-important-nobody-could-love-or-relate-to-you-it-would-be/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/negative-thinking-patterns-can-be-immensely-deceptive-and-persuasive/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [“Many research studies, as well as my own clinical experience, have confirmed that severely depressed patients who appear very "biologically" depressed with lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/many-research-studies-as-well-as-my-own-clinical-experience-have/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/assert-your-right-to-make-a-few-mistakes-if-people-can-t-accept-your/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) [Explore all 108 David D. Burns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) ## More Because quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [I was also known as Frodo because I was an early adopter of 'The Lord of the Rings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-perrotta/i-was-also-known-as-frodo-because-i-was-an-early-adopter-of-the-lord/) [Tom Perrotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-perrotta/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I was contacted by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, MP, through the Pune Film Institute and offered the post in the NFDC. I accepted it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-contacted-by-rajyavardhan-singh-rathore-mp-through-the-pune/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 15,485 Because quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David D. Burns" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal-cancer-because-most-cancer/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Because" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal-cancer-because-most-cancer/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/david-d-burns-4607_because_depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal_3139663.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/david-d-burns-4607_because_depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal_3139663.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/david-d-burns-4607_because_depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal_3139663.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope…” — David D. Burns", "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": "David D. Burns", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Depression can seem worse than terminal...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal-cancer-because-most-cancer/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/depression-can-seem-worse-than-terminal-cancer-because-most-cancer/#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 } } ] } ```