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Depression Quote by Elizabeth Wurtzel

“Forget about the scant hours in her brief life when Sylvia Plath was able to produce the works in Ariel. Forget about that tiny bit of time and just remember the days that spanned into years when she could not move, couldn’t think straight, could only lie in wait in a hospital bed, hoping for the…” quote by Elizabeth Wurtzel
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““Forget about the scant hours in her brief life when Sylvia Plath was able to produce the works in Ariel. Forget about that tiny bit of time and just remember the days that spanned into years when she could not move, couldn’t think straight, could only lie in wait in a hospital bed, hoping for the relief that electroconvulsive therapy would bring. Don’t think of the striking on-screen picture, the mental movie you create of the pretty young woman being wheeled on the gurney to get her shock treatments, and don’t think of the psychedelic, photonegative image of this sane woman at the moment she receives that bolt of electricity. Think, instead, of the girl herself, of the way she must have felt right then, of the way no amount of great poetry and fascination and fame could make the pain she felt at that moment worth suffering. Remember that when you’re at the point at which you’re doing something as desperate and violent as sticking your head in an oven, it is only because the life that preceded this act felt worse. Think about living in depression from moment to moment, and know it is not worth any of the great art that comes a its by-product.””

Elizabeth Wurtzel

About This Quote

Depression can eclipse achievements; the pain of mental illness outweighs artistic success, urging empathy for lived suffering.

In simple terms: Depression’s pain is deeper than any achievement.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize mental health over external validation.

Themes

mental health art suffering

Mood

somber thoughtful

Type

expository reflective

When to use this quote

  • creative work
  • clinical treatment
  • personal reflection

Key Concepts

depression empathy

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we better support those struggling with depression?
  • What role does art play in healing?
A Different Perspective

Focusing solely on art can ignore underlying illness.

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