---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the first thing I did when I made the…"
description: "\"the first thing I did when I made the decision to kill myself was to stop dieting. Let them dig a wider hole.\" — Gail Parent"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/gail-parent-39746_decision_the-first-thing-i-did-when-i-made-the-de_2009727.png"
---

#  the first thing I did when I made the decision to kill…

![“the first thing I did when I made the decision to kill myself was to stop dieting. Let them dig a wider hole.” quote by Gail Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/gail-parent-39746_decision_the-first-thing-i-did-when-i-made-the-de_2009727.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/gail-parent-39746_decision_the-first-thing-i-did-when-i-made-the-de_2009727.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/772/gail-parent-39746_decision_the-first-thing-i-did-when-i-made-the-de_2009727.png)

> “the first thing I did when I made the decision to kill myself was to stop dieting. Let them dig a wider hole.”

[Gail Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-parent/)

## About This Quote

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

Describes a personal crisis where self-destructive thoughts are juxtaposed with a desire to end self-harm behaviors.

**In simple terms:** Self-harm thoughts can coexist with attempts to improve health.

Key Takeaway

Seek help before acting on harmful thoughts.

Themes

mental health self-harm despair recovery

Mood

somber empathetic

Type

personal cautionary

When to use this quote

- personal essay
- mental health forum
- support groups

Key Concepts

suicidal ideation dieting emotional pain

Questions to Reflect On

- What healthier coping mechanisms can replace harmful habits?
- How can support systems intervene early?

A Different Perspective

May romanticize self-destruction.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-kill-610210/) [Dieting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dieting/) [Dieting Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dieting-let-3190350/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Holes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holes/) [Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill/) [Kill Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-myself/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Stop Dieting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-dieting-2766918/)

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