--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many people nowadays who discover that…" description: "\"Many people nowadays who discover that they have a major symptom, whether psychological or physical, begin to study it. They get drawn very deeply into..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/james-hillman-2336_areas_many-people-nowadays-who-discover-that-t_1755522.png" --- # Many people nowadays who discover that they have a major… ![“Many people nowadays who discover that they have a major symptom, whether psychological or physical, begin to study it. They get drawn very deeply into the area of their trouble. They want to know more than their doctor. That's a curious thing, and not at all the way it used to be.” quote by James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/james-hillman-2336_areas_many-people-nowadays-who-discover-that-t_1755522.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/james-hillman-2336_areas_many-people-nowadays-who-discover-that-t_1755522.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/james-hillman-2336_areas_many-people-nowadays-who-discover-that-t_1755522.png) > “Many people nowadays who discover that they have a major symptom, whether psychological or physical, begin to study it. They get drawn very deeply into the area of their trouble. They want to know more than their doctor. That's a curious thing, and not at all the way it used to be.” [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often obsess over their symptoms, seeking expertise beyond professionals, which can hinder healing. **In simple terms:** Over‑focus on illness can be counterproductive. Key Takeaway Balance self‑education with professional guidance. Themes health psychology self‑awareness expertise healing Mood reflective concerned Type cautionary observational When to use this quote - chronic illness management - mental health coping - self‑diagnosis - doctor‑patient relationship Key Concepts Somatic focus medical literacy patient empowerment Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to seek professional help? - How can you avoid becoming a victim of your own research? A Different Perspective Self‑diagnosis may lead to misinformation and anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Areas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/areas/) [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Doctor Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor-curious-1644132/) [Doctors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctors/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Major Symptom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-symptom-1644131/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) [Psychological Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological-physical-1501223/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Symptom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symptom/) [Symptom Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symptom-psychological-1644130/) [Symptoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symptoms/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-to-be/) [Very deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-deep/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up all over the world. 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Perhaps the physical nature of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/perhaps-we-aren-t-fully-developed-the-physical-development-of-human/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [After I made my tour in the Middle, into the Middle-East and Africa and visited Mecca and other places, I think that the separation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/after-i-made-my-tour-in-the-middle-into-the-middle-east-and-africa/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [When I was doing 'Executive Orders,' I talked about Ebola to people who know about infectious diseases and their use as weapons of war,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/when-i-was-doing-executive-orders-i-talked-about-ebola-to-people-who/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [Any symptom can force you to go deeper into some area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/any-symptom-can-force-you-to-go-deeper-into-some-area/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [“Being shy is a symptom of a low self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/being-shy-is-a-symptom-of-a-low-self-esteem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The women's movement is just a symptom of basic changes in the economy that are favoring women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/the-women-s-movement-is-just-a-symptom-of-basic-changes-in-the/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [The entire political elite has mismanaged the Indian economy for the last 50 years. You cannot solve a crisis that is borne as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-faber/the-entire-political-elite-has-mismanaged-the-indian-economy-for-the/) [Marc Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-faber/) > [“Secret elisions within families are suddenly revealed by self-execution, and just as quickly sheeted with excuses, blame, and counter-blame. But sense is made of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonella-gambotto-burke/secret-elisions-within-families-are-suddenly-revealed-by-self/) [Antonella Gambotto-Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonella-gambotto-burke/) > [Being sensitive to the problem of women is just another symptom of the quality of movies: I don't think you can do anything that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-garr/being-sensitive-to-the-problem-of-women-is-just-another-symptom-of/) [Teri Garr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-garr/) > [“Wealth is neither an ends nor a means, it is a symptom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dutton/wealth-is-neither-an-ends-nor-a-means-it-is-a-symptom/) [Christopher Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dutton/) > [Do not mistake a child for his symptom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-erikson/do-not-mistake-a-child-for-his-symptom/) [Erik Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-erikson/) > [“Sexuality is more a symptom of your life's condition than a cause, more a consequence than an origin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosaria-champagne-butterfield/sexuality-is-more-a-symptom-of-your-life-s-condition-than-a-cause/) [Rosaria Champagne Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosaria-champagne-butterfield/) ## More by James Hillman > [“Each life is formed by its unique image, an image that is the essence of that life and calls it to a destiny. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/each-life-is-formed-by-its-unique-image-an-image-that-is-the-essence/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [Fear is a huge thing for older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/fear-is-a-huge-thing-for-older-people/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [It's a terrible cruelty of predatory capitalism: both parents now have to work. A family has to have two incomes in order to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/it-s-a-terrible-cruelty-of-predatory-capitalism-both-parents-now-have/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [You know, people come to therapy really for a blessing. 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So I'm a victim again. A result.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/i-m-the-result-of-upbringing-class-race-gender-social-prejudices-and/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [There is more in a human life than our theories of it allow. 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