---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was breaking. If only I’d talked to you…"
description: "\"“I was breaking. If only I’d talked to you sooner. We could have been … we could’ve … I don’t know. But things had gone too far by then. My mind was se..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/jay-asher-888_breaking_i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you_1155952.png"
---

#  I was breaking. If only I’d talked to you sooner. We could…

![“I was breaking. If only I’d talked to you sooner. We could have been … we could’ve … I don’t know. But things had gone too far by then. My mind was set. Not on ending my life. Not yet. It was set on floating through school. On never being close to anyone. That was my plan. I’d graduate, then I’d…” quote by Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/jay-asher-888_breaking_i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you_1155952.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/jay-asher-888_breaking_i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you_1155952.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/jay-asher-888_breaking_i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you_1155952.png)

> ““I was breaking. If only I’d talked to you sooner. We could have been … we could’ve … I don’t know. But things had gone too far by then. My mind was set. Not on ending my life. Not yet. It was set on floating through school. On never being close to anyone. That was my plan. I’d graduate, then I’d leave. But then, I went to a party. I went to a party to meet you. Why did I do that? To make myself suffer? Because that’s what I was doing – hating myself for waiting so long. Hating myself because it wasn’t fair to you.””

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

## About This Quote

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

The narrator reflects on a painful period, feeling trapped in a plan of isolation and self‑destruction, yet still yearning for connection, highlighting the conflict between self‑harm and the desire to be understood.

**In simple terms:** He feels stuck in a self‑destructive plan but still wants connection.

Key Takeaway

Seek help before isolation deepens.

Themes

mental health loneliness self‑destruction hope

Mood

somber empathetic

Type

reflective cautionary

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- support groups
- confiding in trusted friends
- journaling feelings

Key Concepts

psychology suicidal ideation interpersonal conflict

Questions to Reflect On

- What could break the cycle of isolation?
- How can we better support someone feeling trapped?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex mental health struggles.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Self sabotage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-sabotage/)

## Related quotes

> [“If you’ve been there, done that, gotten the t-shirt, isn’t it time to move on to a new destination? Don’t waste a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/if-you-ve-been-there-done-that-gotten-the-t-shirt-isn-t-it-time-to/)

[Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/)

> [Indeed, good is not good if one does not suffer in doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/indeed-good-is-not-good-if-one-does-not-suffer-in-doing-it/)

[Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/)

> [Jobs are a part of life. Maybe you've heard of the concept. It's called work? See, what happens is that you suffer through doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/jobs-are-a-part-of-life-maybe-you-ve-heard-of-the-concept-it-s-called/)

[Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/)

> [“Because to suffer and do nothing is to be nothing, while to suffer and do something is to become someone. And that is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/because-to-suffer-and-do-nothing-is-to-be-nothing-while-to-suffer-and/)

[Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/)

> [“He will give joy to those who suffer for doing what is right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-friesen/he-will-give-joy-to-those-who-suffer-for-doing-what-is-right/)

Garry Friesen

> [“what happens is that you suffer through doing annoying and humiliating things until you get paid not enough money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/what-happens-is-that-you-suffer-through-doing-annoying-and/)

[Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/)

> [I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/i-think-it-better-to-do-right-even-if-we-suffer-in-so-doing-than-to/)

[Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/)

> [“And I was sure it was the drink that irrigated White’s self-sabotage, for it is the common trait of alcoholics to make plans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-macdonald/and-i-was-sure-it-was-the-drink-that-irrigated-white-s-self-sabotage/)

[Helen Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-macdonald/)

> [“I've always believed that we don't choose the life we want, we choose the life we think we deserve. We self-sabotage as a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-ve-always-believed-that-we-don-t-choose-the-life-we-want-we-choose/)

[Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/)

> [Self-deception, sometimes called self-sabotage kills dreams faster than deception from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/self-deception-sometimes-called-self-sabotage-kills-dreams-faster/)

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

> [“There is stability in self-destruction, in prolonging sadness as a means of escaping abstractions like happiness. Rock bottom is a surprisingly comfortable place to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kidd/there-is-stability-in-self-destruction-in-prolonging-sadness-as-a/)

[Kris Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kidd/)

> [I don't want to completely self-sabotage everything that I've got and alienate everyone. But I definitely want to take some chances as I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-don-t-want-to-completely-self-sabotage-everything-that-i-ve-got-and/)

[Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/)

> [Withholding love is a form of self-sabotage, as what we withhold from others we are withholding from ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/withholding-love-is-a-form-of-self-sabotage-as-what-we-withhold-from/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [“Self-sabotage is knowingly doing things that can ruin different aspects of your life and hinder you from reaching your highest potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanesia-harris/self-sabotage-is-knowingly-doing-things-that-can-ruin-different/)

[Tanesia Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanesia-harris/)

> [“I decry the injustice of my wounds, only to look down and see that I am holding a smoking gun in one hand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-decry-the-injustice-of-my-wounds-only-to-look-down-and-see-that-i/)

[Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/)

## More by Jay Asher

> [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [Because it may seem like a small role now, but it matters. In the end, everything matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/because-it-may-seem-like-a-small-role-now-but-it-matters-in-the-end/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [Don't give up on me now. I'm sorry. I guess that's an odd thing to say. Because isn't that what I'm doing? Giving up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/don-t-give-up-on-me-now-i-m-sorry-i-guess-that-s-an-odd-thing-to-say/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [If you're angry, you don't have to write a poem dealing with the cause of your anger. But it needs to be an angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/if-you-re-angry-you-don-t-have-to-write-a-poem-dealing-with-the-cause/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [“Pero no puedes escaparte de ti misma. No puedes decidir no verte más. No puedes decidir apagar el ruido de tu cabeza.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/pero-no-puedes-escaparte-de-ti-misma-no-puedes-decidir-no-verte-m-s/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [“When you mess with one part of a person’s life, you’re messing with their entire life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/when-you-mess-with-one-part-of-a-person-s-life-you-re-messing-with/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [I miss video games where the jump-kick was the trickiest combo to master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-miss-video-games-where-the-jump-kick-was-the-trickiest-combo-to/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [“One day, at least it seemed that fast, she just stopped wanting to be a part of anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/one-day-at-least-it-seemed-that-fast-she-just-stopped-wanting-to-be-a/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [And as I stood there in the hallway―alone―trying to understand what had just happened and why, I realized the truth: I wasn't worth an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/and-as-i-stood-there-in-the-hallway-alone-trying-to-understand-what/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [I was too weak to walk. At least, I thought I was too weak. But in truth, I was too weak to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-was-too-weak-to-walk-at-least-i-thought-i-was-too-weak-but-in-truth/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [Personally, I never understood the power of having books written about your experience - whatever that experience may be - until I wrote one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/personally-i-never-understood-the-power-of-having-books-written-about/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [Fiction is an easy way to talk about issues: I think it feels less preachy. You can have the students discuss characters in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/fiction-is-an-easy-way-to-talk-about-issues-i-think-it-feels-less/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> ['Fifty Shades' opened the door and made it easier to write about any issue that's controversial. It has helped other authors talk honestly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/fifty-shades-opened-the-door-and-made-it-easier-to-write-about-any/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [If we know it's happening, and we're not having the discussion, we're contributing to the problem of making it seem like people can't open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/if-we-know-it-s-happening-and-we-re-not-having-the-discussion-we-re/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

> [I can't. You can't rewrite the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-can-t-you-can-t-rewrite-the-past/)

[Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

[Explore all 323 Jay Asher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/)

## More Breaking quotes

> [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/)

[Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/)

> [“A man's life is about keeping rules, breaking them, and making new ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/a-man-s-life-is-about-keeping-rules-breaking-them-and-making-new-ones/)

[Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/)

> [“Even the most loyal person had their breaking point”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vi-keeland/even-the-most-loyal-person-had-their-breaking-point/)

[Vi Keeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vi-keeland/)

> [“I don't want to break my memories with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arzum-uzun/i-don-t-want-to-break-my-memories-with-you/)

[Arzum Uzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arzum-uzun/)

> [Sometimes you never notice when somebody is breaking your heart, until they are through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/sometimes-you-never-notice-when-somebody-is-breaking-your-heart-until/)

[Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/)

> [I want to remind people of a different kind of glamour, a different look, and breaking the rules of fashion. I wanna break the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dita-von-teese/i-want-to-remind-people-of-a-different-kind-of-glamour-a-different/)

[Dita Von Teese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dita-von-teese/)

> [I'm a very, very impatient person when it comes to breaking news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-mitchell/i-m-a-very-very-impatient-person-when-it-comes-to-breaking-news/)

[Donovan Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-mitchell/)

> [If the many allegations made to this date are true, then the burglars who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/if-the-many-allegations-made-to-this-date-are-true-then-the-burglars/)

[Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/)

> [It was very hard breaking into the film industry in Britain. I had been to art school, and I was painting and doing commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-scott/it-was-very-hard-breaking-into-the-film-industry-in-britain-i-had/)

[Tony Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-scott/)

> [“Turns out there’s a way to give in without losing. You got to find some slack in you. Just this side of your breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-wrinkle/turns-out-there-s-a-way-to-give-in-without-losing-you-got-to-find/)

[Margaret Wrinkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-wrinkle/)

> [I just realized early on when I was breaking out a lot, my skin was super oily and it was confused and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cooper/i-just-realized-early-on-when-i-was-breaking-out-a-lot-my-skin-was/)

[Alex Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cooper/)

> [I believe that the dissolution of a marriage comes about by the breaking down of self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dixie-carter/i-believe-that-the-dissolution-of-a-marriage-comes-about-by-the/)

[Dixie Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dixie-carter/)

> [I may have the 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' soundtrack, which I've been told is embarrassing, but come on, there are some good songs on there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floriana-lima/i-may-have-the-twilight-breaking-dawn-soundtrack-which-i-ve-been-told/)

Floriana Lima

> [Me breaking up with my Ex is a another girls come up!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/me-breaking-up-with-my-ex-is-a-another-girls-come-up/)

[Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/)

> [My home is different from my mother's, because hers is filled with beautiful objects that I was always afraid of breaking. My home is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/my-home-is-different-from-my-mother-s-because-hers-is-filled-with/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

Browse all 751 Breaking quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I was breaking. If only I’d talked to you sooner. We could have been … we could’ve … I don’t know. But things had gone too far by then. My mind was set. Not on ending my life. Not yet. It was set on floating through school. On never being close to anyone. That was my plan. I’d graduate, then I’d leave. But then, I went to a party. I went to a party to meet you. Why did I do that? To make myself suffer? Because that’s what I was doing – hating myself for waiting so long. Hating myself because it wasn’t fair to you.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jay Asher"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you-sooner-we-could-have-been-we/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Breaking"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you-sooner-we-could-have-been-we/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/jay-asher-888_breaking_i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you_1155952.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/jay-asher-888_breaking_i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you_1155952.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/jay-asher-888_breaking_i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you_1155952.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was breaking. If only I’d talked to you sooner. We could have been … we could’ve … I don’t know. But…” — Jay Asher",
                "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": "Jay Asher",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I was breaking. If only I’d...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you-sooner-we-could-have-been-we/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/i-was-breaking-if-only-i-d-talked-to-you-sooner-we-could-have-been-we/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
