--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you harbor hatred, anger, and…" description: "\"If you harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness (towards her), then you are absolutely locked into a bond through those negative emotions.\" — Dr Phil" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/dr-phil-31151_anger_if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitternes_491066.jpg" --- # If you harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness (towards her)… ![“If you harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness (towards her), then you are absolutely locked into a bond through those negative emotions.” quote by Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/dr-phil-31151_anger_if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitternes_491066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/dr-phil-31151_anger_if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitternes_491066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/dr-phil-31151_anger_if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitternes_491066.jpg) > “If you harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness (towards her), then you are absolutely locked into a bond through those negative emotions.” [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holding onto hatred, anger, and bitterness creates a self‑imposed prison that binds you to the source of those feelings. **In simple terms:** Negative emotions trap you in a bond. Key Takeaway Release resentment to free yourself. Themes emotions relationships freedom Mood reflective somber Type advice psychological When to use this quote - personal conflict - relationship counseling - personal growth - forgiveness Key Concepts psychology attachment self‑control Questions to Reflect On - What emotions are you holding onto? - How could forgiveness change your relationship? A Different Perspective Letting go may be painful and requires confronting deep pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Hatred Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred-anger/) [Negative emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-emotions/) ## Related quotes > [I wished I died in that attack with my cousin, with my south Vietnamese soldiers. I wish I died at that time so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phan-thi-kim-phuc/i-wished-i-died-in-that-attack-with-my-cousin-with-my-south/) [Phan Thi Kim Phuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phan-thi-kim-phuc/) > [Life's too short to harbor hatred...don't die holding grudges! It feels much better to just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-s-too-short-to-harbor-hatred-don-t-die-holding-grudges-it-feels/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The practice of gratitude is incompatible with negative emotions and may actually diminish or deter such feelings as anger, bitterness, and greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/the-practice-of-gratitude-is-incompatible-with-negative-emotions-and/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [In life you always have two options to be in … 1) negative emotions (hatred, anger, sad) 2) positive emotions (love, peace, happy) Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/himanshunf/in-life-you-always-have-two-options-to-be-in-1-negative-emotions/) [Himanshunf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/himanshunf/) > [In the heart of a mother you will find no space for hatred or anger when it comes to her child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonora-r-aquino/in-the-heart-of-a-mother-you-will-find-no-space-for-hatred-or-anger/) [Leonora R Aquino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonora-r-aquino/) > [Perfect love is to feeling what perfect white is to color. Many think that white is the absence of color. It is not. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/perfect-love-is-to-feeling-what-perfect-white-is-to-color-many-think/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Enmeshed in collective hatred and anger, each side proclaims the crimes of the other and its own righteousness, is unable to listen to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rothberg/enmeshed-in-collective-hatred-and-anger-each-side-proclaims-the/) [Donald Rothberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rothberg/) > [Hatred, anger, and violence can destroy us: the politics of polarization is dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-gandhi/hatred-anger-and-violence-can-destroy-us-the-politics-of-polarization/) [Rahul Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-gandhi/) > [“Wisdom teaches us that our real enemies are never other living beings. They are ignorance and its minions, including greed, hatred, anger, pride, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-newland/wisdom-teaches-us-that-our-real-enemies-are-never-other-living-beings/) Guy Newland > [One can overcome the forces of negative emotions, like anger and hatred, by cultivating their counter-forces, like love and compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/one-can-overcome-the-forces-of-negative-emotions-like-anger-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [In other words, it was a struggle with himself. And the product of that struggle: anger, bitterness, resentment, envy or transformation, aspiration, hope, decency..the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/in-other-words-it-was-a-struggle-with-himself-and-the-product-of-that/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) > [The more we hold on to our hurts, anger and bitterness, the more we become slaves to unforgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-leigh-demoss/the-more-we-hold-on-to-our-hurts-anger-and-bitterness-the-more-we/) [Nancy Leigh DeMoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-leigh-demoss/) > [When I first got into the studio once again, and I started hearing the beats, the anger and bitterness was coming out of me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-sunshine/when-i-first-got-into-the-studio-once-again-and-i-started-hearing-the/) [Tony Sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-sunshine/) > [Anger is not bitterness. Bitterness can go on eating at a man's heart and mind forever. Anger spends itself in its own time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/anger-is-not-bitterness-bitterness-can-go-on-eating-at-a-man-s-heart/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Dr Phil > [Its a choice. You just have to decide that I'm not going to put my energy there. I'm going to decide to let this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/its-a-choice-you-just-have-to-decide-that-i-m-not-going-to-put-my/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Coaching your wife is like trying to baptize a cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/coaching-your-wife-is-like-trying-to-baptize-a-cat/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [You have to know that you cannot reason with a drug addict. A drug addict is sick in the mind. Why would Dr Phil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/you-have-to-know-that-you-cannot-reason-with-a-drug-addict-a-drug/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Never put more in a relationship than you can afford to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/never-put-more-in-a-relationship-than-you-can-afford-to-lose/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Sometimes you have to make the right decision, and sometimes you have to make the decision right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/sometimes-you-have-to-make-the-right-decision-and-sometimes-you-have/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Indulgence doesn't prepare, indulgence can cripple a child because the world won't indulge her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/indulgence-doesn-t-prepare-indulgence-can-cripple-a-child-because-the/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [You generate the results in your life that you believe you deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/you-generate-the-results-in-your-life-that-you-believe-you-deserve/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Common sense just isn't common enough anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/common-sense-just-isn-t-common-enough-anymore/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [I'm a shithead douche with no credentials. I just say I do so people watch my show and believe the shit I spew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/i-m-a-shithead-douche-with-no-credentials-i-just-say-i-do-so-people/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [The best predictor of future behavior is past behaviorso you have got to create a new history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/the-best-predictor-of-future-behavior-is-past-behaviorso-you-have-got/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [It's better to be happy and alone , than being miserable and alone with someone else!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/it-s-better-to-be-happy-and-alone-than-being-miserable-and-alone-with/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [Don't base relationship on sex. You need love, compassion and caring. The sex can be a reflection of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/don-t-base-relationship-on-sex-you-need-love-compassion-and-caring/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [If she doesn't acknowledge what happened, then how can we trust that she is going to be different in the future?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/if-she-doesn-t-acknowledge-what-happened-then-how-can-we-trust-that/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [When you do something that you really think is stupid, bad decision, irresponsibleand it just happens and you suffer it then that's penalty. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/when-you-do-something-that-you-really-think-is-stupid-bad-decision/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) > [One side of unhealthy relating is if you are always pursuing or always retreating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/one-side-of-unhealthy-relating-is-if-you-are-always-pursuing-or/) [Dr Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) [Explore all 16 Dr Phil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [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/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness (towards her), then you are absolutely locked into a bond through those negative emotions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr Phil" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitterness-towards-her-then-you-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitterness-towards-her-then-you-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/dr-phil-31151_anger_if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitternes_491066.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/dr-phil-31151_anger_if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitternes_491066.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f7/dr-phil-31151_anger_if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitternes_491066.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness (towards her), then you are absolutely locked into a bond…” — Dr Phil", "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": "Dr Phil", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-phil/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you harbor hatred, anger, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitterness-towards-her-then-you-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-phil/if-you-harbor-hatred-anger-and-bitterness-towards-her-then-you-are/#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 } } ] } ```