--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want anybody to understand what…" description: "\"I don't want anybody to understand what my depression feels like because in order to understand it you have to have been there, and I don't want anybod..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/david-feherty-24179_depression_i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what_1302551.jpg" --- # I don't want anybody to understand what my depression… ![“I don't want anybody to understand what my depression feels like because in order to understand it you have to have been there, and I don't want anybody else to go.” quote by David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/david-feherty-24179_depression_i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what_1302551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/david-feherty-24179_depression_i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what_1302551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/david-feherty-24179_depression_i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what_1302551.jpg) > “I don't want anybody to understand what my depression feels like because in order to understand it you have to have been there, and I don't want anybody else to go.” [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Depression is a personal experience that others cannot fully grasp without sharing it. **In simple terms:** Only those who have felt it can truly understand. Key Takeaway Seek empathy, not explanation. Themes mental health empathy isolation Mood vulnerable hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - support groups - friend conversations Key Concepts psychology stigma personal experience Questions to Reflect On - How can you convey feelings without expecting full comprehension? - What support can you request? A Different Perspective Explaining may deepen misunderstanding or burden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [“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/) > [Depression feels like home,and happiness is just a place you visit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/depression-feels-like-home-and-happiness-is-just-a-place-you-visit/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [The language of the heart is the only language that anybody can understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbly/the-language-of-the-heart-is-the-only-language-that-anybody-can/) Bubbly > [In the years afterward, I fled whenever somebody began to understand me. That has subsided. But one thing remained: I don't want anybody to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pascal-mercier/in-the-years-afterward-i-fled-whenever-somebody-began-to-understand/) [Pascal Mercier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pascal-mercier/) > [One never discusses anything with anybody who can understand one discusses things with people who cannot understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/one-never-discusses-anything-with-anybody-who-can-understand-one/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Is anybody out there? can anybody hear me? can anybody understand me? when will you be out there? when will you be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cutegirl/is-anybody-out-there-can-anybody-hear-me-can-anybody-understand-me/) Cutegirl > [I don't think anybody could understand what its like to be an athlete at Harvard University.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-collinsworth/i-don-t-think-anybody-could-understand-what-its-like-to-be-an-athlete/) [Cris Collinsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-collinsworth/) > [“It can be hard to differentiate between someone who is genuinely getting out of a cycle of depression, and someone who feels relief because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-klebold/it-can-be-hard-to-differentiate-between-someone-who-is-genuinely/) [Sue Klebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-klebold/) > [However much in the foreground depression feels, you are separate to it. This is going to sound cheesy, but I'd say you are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/however-much-in-the-foreground-depression-feels-you-are-separate-to/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [The part of us that feels anger and depression is the same part that feels peace and love. If you refuse to feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/the-part-of-us-that-feels-anger-and-depression-is-the-same-part-that/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [You'll never fully understand depression, eating disorders, or the need to self inflict, until you go through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-never-fully-understand-depression-eating-disorders-or-the-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You say that everyone has depression at some point in their life. No. You have never had depression, or you would understand me. Depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-cole/you-say-that-everyone-has-depression-at-some-point-in-their-life-no/) [Hannah Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-cole/) > [“What people don't understand about depression is how much it hurts. It's like your brain is convinced that it's dying and produces an acid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hamilton/what-people-don-t-understand-about-depression-is-how-much-it-hurts-it/) [Tyler Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hamilton/) > [“Classifying depression as an illness serves the psychiatric community and pharmaceutical corporations well; it also soothes the frightened, guilty, indifferent, busy, sadistic, and unschooled.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonella-gambotto-burke/classifying-depression-as-an-illness-serves-the-psychiatric-community/) [Antonella Gambotto-Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonella-gambotto-burke/) ## More by David Feherty > [I have got to do something that makes me focus on one thing, and so I will sit and listen to music, or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-have-got-to-do-something-that-makes-me-focus-on-one-thing-and-so-i/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [The world's No. 1 tennis player spends 90 percent of his time winning, while the world's No. 1 golfer spends 90 percent of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/the-world-s-no-1-tennis-player-spends-90-percent-of-his-time-winning/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [That's the trouble with Nick. The only time he opens his mouth is to change feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/that-s-the-trouble-with-nick-the-only-time-he-opens-his-mouth-is-to/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [I adore dogs to the extent I think they are much more important than human beings. I like your dog much more than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-adore-dogs-to-the-extent-i-think-they-are-much-more-important-than/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [Win and you are the superior being in all the universe; lose, and may the fleas of a million rodents, infect your every orifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/win-and-you-are-the-superior-being-in-all-the-universe-lose-and-may/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [“When I was a wee lad, Uncle Dickie sat me on his knee, and regaled me with stories about the genesis of a game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/when-i-was-a-wee-lad-uncle-dickie-sat-me-on-his-knee-and-regaled-me/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [I hunt feral hogs. I try not to shoot creatures. That doesn't do anything for me. But big, nasty, smelly, bristly things with tusks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-hunt-feral-hogs-i-try-not-to-shoot-creatures-that-doesn-t-do/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [Worst haircut I've ever seen in my life. And I've had a few bad ones. It looks like he (John Daly) has a divot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/worst-haircut-i-ve-ever-seen-in-my-life-and-i-ve-had-a-few-bad-ones/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [Colin Montgomerie is a few French fries short of a Happy Meal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/colin-montgomerie-is-a-few-french-fries-short-of-a-happy-meal/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [Hurling looks a bit like a cross between lacrosse and second degree murder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/hurling-looks-a-bit-like-a-cross-between-lacrosse-and-second-degree/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [If god wanted people to believe in him, why'd he invent logic then?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/if-god-wanted-people-to-believe-in-him-why-d-he-invent-logic-then/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [I lost 150 lbs. if you include my wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-lost-150-lbs-if-you-include-my-wife/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [Being bipolar and an addict and an alcoholic I have to keep myself very busy. I don't sleep. I am lucky if I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/being-bipolar-and-an-addict-and-an-alcoholic-i-have-to-keep-myself/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [The hardest thing I ever did was get sober. I was drinking two and a half bottles of whiskey a day and taking 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/the-hardest-thing-i-ever-did-was-get-sober-i-was-drinking-two-and-a/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) > [Everybody knows pretty much everything about me. I emptied all the skeletons out of my closet a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/everybody-knows-pretty-much-everything-about-me-i-emptied-all-the/) [David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) [Explore all 25 David Feherty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/) ## More Depression quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [There's only so much for a man to take...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gilchrist/there-s-only-so-much-for-a-man-to-take/) Kirsten Gilchrist > [“my stomach turned and burned with the acid of failure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-ames/my-stomach-turned-and-burned-with-the-acid-of-failure/) Heidi Ames > [That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/that-is-the-real-problem-of-depression-a-condition-which-will-affect/) [Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/) > [Im tired, tired of putting more effort than you do. Im tired of always having to start the conversation and if I dont, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-tired-of-putting-more-effort-than-you-do-im-tired-of-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [“Why in depression" "If we are human, why not have the right to smile, Why in depression, young, and beautiful as earth, Why in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yanilsa-pena/why-in-depression-if-we-are-human-why-not-have-the-right-to-smile-why/) Yanilsa pena > [“Depression makes me stronger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shayamalan/depression-makes-me-stronger/) Shayamalan > [“Shorter believes that psychosomatic illnesses (such as leg paralysis at the turn of the twentieth century or multiple personality disorder at the turn of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-watters/shorter-believes-that-psychosomatic-illnesses-such-as-leg-paralysis/) [Ethan Watters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-watters/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Repression will provoke rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-williamson/repression-will-provoke-rebellion/) Hugh Williamson > [I'm certainly not a perfect mother, but I'm trying to be what my mother wasn't for me. My mother's battled depression, so I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-hamill/i-m-certainly-not-a-perfect-mother-but-i-m-trying-to-be-what-my/) [Dorothy Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-hamill/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Scars by Papa Roach. <3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophielianne/scars-by-papa-roach-3/) Sophielianne [Browse all 4,965 Depression quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't want anybody to understand what my depression feels like because in order to understand it you have to have been there, and I don't want anybody else to go.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Feherty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what-my-depression-feels-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Depression" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what-my-depression-feels-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/david-feherty-24179_depression_i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what_1302551.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/david-feherty-24179_depression_i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what_1302551.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd3/david-feherty-24179_depression_i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what_1302551.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't want anybody to understand what my depression feels like because in order to understand it you have…” — David Feherty", "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 Feherty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't want anybody to understand...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what-my-depression-feels-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-don-t-want-anybody-to-understand-what-my-depression-feels-like/#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 } } ] } ```