---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fear of this order is not an emotion. It…"
description: "\"“Fear of this order is not an emotion. It is like a virus overwhelming every cell of his body, while his mind struggles to remain clear.”\" — Helen Dunmore"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/helen-dunmore-12115_emotion_fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it_330569.png"
---

#  Fear of this order is not an emotion. It is like a virus…

![“Fear of this order is not an emotion. It is like a virus overwhelming every cell of his body, while his mind struggles to remain clear.” quote by Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/helen-dunmore-12115_emotion_fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it_330569.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/helen-dunmore-12115_emotion_fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it_330569.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/helen-dunmore-12115_emotion_fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it_330569.png)

> ““Fear of this order is not an emotion. It is like a virus overwhelming every cell of his body, while his mind struggles to remain clear.””

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

## About This Quote

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

A pervasive fear can dominate a person like a virus, overwhelming body while the mind tries to stay clear.

**In simple terms:** Fear can spread like a virus, clouding the body but the mind resists.

Key Takeaway

Recognize fear’s grip and keep mental clarity.

Themes

fear psychology resilience

Mood

anxious determined

Type

reflective psychological

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- mental health challenges
- stress management

Key Concepts

viral metaphor mind-body conflict

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you keep mental clarity under overwhelming fear?
- What strategies help separate emotional overwhelm from rational thought?

A Different Perspective

Fear may also motivate, not just paralyze.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

## Related quotes

> [You have to have fear in order to have courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronda-rousey/you-have-to-have-fear-in-order-to-have-courage/)

[Ronda Rousey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronda-rousey/)

> [We need to kind of refresh our fear in order to refresh our understanding of how a safe place works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-pyper/we-need-to-kind-of-refresh-our-fear-in-order-to-refresh-our/)

[Andrew Pyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-pyper/)

> [Keep in mind that the struggles that you face in life are meant to make you better, don't let them sour your attitude or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/keep-in-mind-that-the-struggles-that-you-face-in-life-are-meant-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“In fact, the harder the mind struggles to get rid of the pain, the greater the pain. The mind can never find the solution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/in-fact-the-harder-the-mind-struggles-to-get-rid-of-the-pain-the/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“Built into bad news is that sense of profound disbelief. The mind struggles to absorb the bare facts, defending itself against the larger implications.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/built-into-bad-news-is-that-sense-of-profound-disbelief-the-mind/)

[Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/)

> [Emotions are classes in the Earth school. Some classes are about fear, and some are about love. The Universe is your tutor, and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/emotions-are-classes-in-the-earth-school-some-classes-are-about-fear/)

[Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/)

> [Fear. People are afraid of talking about their fears and insecurities. They're afraid of expressing emotion beyond anger, dominance, or power, and they're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/fear-people-are-afraid-of-talking-about-their-fears-and-insecurities/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [I had to battle the doubts and fears for a while, but I committed to making sure that my strongest emotion was self-belief. Once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-azarenka/i-had-to-battle-the-doubts-and-fears-for-a-while-but-i-committed-to/)

[Victoria Azarenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-azarenka/)

> [Think of your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as the ultimate garden. The way to ensure a bountiful, nourishing harvest is to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/think-of-your-mind-your-emotions-and-your-spirit-as-the-ultimate/)

[Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/)

> [You may not yet be able to bring your unconscious mind activity into awareness as thoughts, but it will always be reflected in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-not-yet-be-able-to-bring-your-unconscious-mind-activity-into/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/)

[Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/)

[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

> [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/)

[Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/)

## More by Helen Dunmore

> [Mourning Ruby is not a flat landscape: it is more like a box with pictures painted on every face. And each face is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/mourning-ruby-is-not-a-flat-landscape-it-is-more-like-a-box-with/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [To try to expunge an individual's history is a terrible violation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/to-try-to-expunge-an-individual-s-history-is-a-terrible-violation/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [Reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite. If it still doesn't work, throw it away. It's a nice feeling, and you don't want to be cluttered with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/reread-rewrite-reread-rewrite-if-it-still-doesn-t-work-throw-it-away/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [“The word 'personal' is one of my aversions. Personal loan. Personal hygiene. Personal safety. It's only a way of wrapping up bad news that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/the-word-personal-is-one-of-my-aversions-personal-loan-personal/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [I can remember being in my pram: children stayed in their prams much longer then than they do now. A big bouncy pram with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/i-can-remember-being-in-my-pram-children-stayed-in-their-prams-much/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [“Dad was alive. I believed Conor, but I still didn't really know it. But now I do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/dad-was-alive-i-believed-conor-but-i-still-didn-t-really-know-it-but/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [A novel, in the end, is a container, a shape which you are trying to pour your story into.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/a-novel-in-the-end-is-a-container-a-shape-which-you-are-trying-to/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [“Our houses are palaces to those who have none.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/our-houses-are-palaces-to-those-who-have-none/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [I could start with Mandelstam, who was a huge influence on my early writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/i-could-start-with-mandelstam-who-was-a-huge-influence-on-my-early/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [My first collection of poems was published by Bloodaxe Books, which was then a very new imprint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/my-first-collection-of-poems-was-published-by-bloodaxe-books-which/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [“It seemed to me that there was a self-interest hidden in the core of all of us, which cooled us when we contemplated any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/it-seemed-to-me-that-there-was-a-self-interest-hidden-in-the-core-of/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [A problem with a piece of writing often clarifies itself if you go for a long walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/a-problem-with-a-piece-of-writing-often-clarifies-itself-if-you-go/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [“You have to keep on with a house, day after day, I think. Heating, cleaning, opening and closing windows, making sounds to fill the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/you-have-to-keep-on-with-a-house-day-after-day-i-think-heating/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [I hope that readers will tear through my books because they can't stop themselves - and then, maybe, read them again and find new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/i-hope-that-readers-will-tear-through-my-books-because-they-can-t/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

> [If the garden of Eden really exists it does so moment by moment, fragmented and tough, cropping up like a fan of buddleia high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/if-the-garden-of-eden-really-exists-it-does-so-moment-by-moment/)

[Helen Dunmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

[Explore all 56 Helen Dunmore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/)

## More Emotion quotes

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [Of course I like you. It's because I like you I don't wanna be with you. It's a complicated emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin/of-course-i-like-you-it-s-because-i-like-you-i-don-t-wanna-be-with/)

Marlin

> [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

> [“Emotion as well as reason belongs to the very stuff of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-smalley/emotion-as-well-as-reason-belongs-to-the-very-stuff-of-history/)

Beryl Smalley

> [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/)

Ryan Newman

> [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. My literature has a universal concern: I want to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/it-is-not-my-intention-to-explain-turkey-its-culture-and-its-problems/)

[Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/)

> [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/)

[Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/)

> [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/)

[Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/)

> [There cannot be any communication except through form. If there is no form, you cannot create emotion in the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-resnais/there-cannot-be-any-communication-except-through-form-if-there-is-no/)

[Alain Resnais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-resnais/)

> [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [ Music \[is\] the third rail of life. You grabbed it to shock yourself out of the dull drag of hours. To feel something. To… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/music-is-the-third-rail-of-life-you-grabbed-it-to-shock-yourself-out/)

[Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/)

> [“What if each time you experienced an emotion, you acknowledged it, accepted it, and became curious about its message for you (instead of trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/what-if-each-time-you-experienced-an-emotion-you-acknowledged-it/)

[Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/)

> [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/)

[Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/)

> [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/)

[Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/)

[Browse all 7,204 Emotion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Fear of this order is not an emotion. It is like a virus overwhelming every cell of his body, while his mind struggles to remain clear.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Helen Dunmore"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it-is-like-a-virus-overwhelming/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Emotion"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it-is-like-a-virus-overwhelming/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/helen-dunmore-12115_emotion_fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it_330569.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/helen-dunmore-12115_emotion_fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it_330569.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc4/helen-dunmore-12115_emotion_fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it_330569.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Fear of this order is not an emotion. It is like a virus overwhelming every cell of his body, while his mind…” — Helen Dunmore",
                "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": "Helen Dunmore",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-dunmore/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Fear of this order is not...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it-is-like-a-virus-overwhelming/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-dunmore/fear-of-this-order-is-not-an-emotion-it-is-like-a-virus-overwhelming/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
