--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ever been depressed?” I ask them. “Really…" description: "\"“Ever been depressed?” I ask them. “Really depressed? Like nothing means anything? Like there’s no point to anything?” I can see from their reactions t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jed-mckenna-15841_dark-moments_ever-been-depressed-i-ask-them-really-de_3089599.jpg" --- # Ever been depressed?” I ask them. “Really depressed? Like… ![“Ever been depressed?” I ask them. “Really depressed? Like nothing means anything? Like there’s no point to anything?” I can see from their reactions that they all know what I’m talking about. “And what’s the worst thing about those dark moments? Where do they get their power?” I wait a moment so…” quote by Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jed-mckenna-15841_dark-moments_ever-been-depressed-i-ask-them-really-de_3089599.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jed-mckenna-15841_dark-moments_ever-been-depressed-i-ask-them-really-de_3089599.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a28/jed-mckenna-15841_dark-moments_ever-been-depressed-i-ask-them-really-de_3089599.jpg) > ““Ever been depressed?” I ask them. “Really depressed? Like nothing means anything? Like there’s no point to anything?” I can see from their reactions that they all know what I’m talking about. “And what’s the worst thing about those dark moments? Where do they get their power?” I wait a moment so they can think about it, so they’ll recognize it when I say it. “From their undeniability, isn’t that right? From the fact that there’s no argument? When you’re in that state, don’t you know perfectly well that it’s true?” Heads nod. A few muffled assents. “That’s right. When you’re in that space, you know it’s not just a mood. You’re seeing something you don’t normally allow yourself to see. Your moments of blackest despair are really your most honest moments; your most lucid moments. That’s when you’re seeing without your protective lenses. That’s when you pull back the curtain and see things as they are.”” [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In deep despair, one can find clarity and truth, as darkness strips away protective layers, revealing honest insight. **In simple terms:** Dark moments can reveal truth and clarity. Key Takeaway Embrace despair as a path to insight. Themes despair clarity truth self‑reflection awakening Mood reflective introspective hopeful Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - therapy sessions - personal journaling - mindfulness practice - creative writing Key Concepts existential philosophy psychology of suffering spiritual insight Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform painful moments into clarity? - What safeguards help navigate deep sorrow? A Different Perspective Not all despair leads to insight; it can also be destructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-moments/) [Depressed Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressed-ask-1843436/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Honest Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-moments-241569/) [Mood Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood-seeing-5305673/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Worst thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst-thing/) ## Related quotes > [If you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened,dispirited, or depressed,they would ask one of four questions: when did you stop dancing?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-came-to-a-medicine-person-complaining-of-being-disheartened/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always training to be quite honest, but there are those moments when you're a little more out of shape than you should be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chandler/i-m-always-training-to-be-quite-honest-but-there-are-those-moments/) [Michael Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chandler/) > [I dont understand why some people say stuff like, I can never be happy or, I havent been happy in a long time. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-dont-understand-why-some-people-say-stuff-like-i-can-never-be-happy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He loved her when she was angry. And he was convinced it was because she was her most honest in those moments. ~Ruin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucian-bane/he-loved-her-when-she-was-angry-and-he-was-convinced-it-was-because/) [Lucian Bane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucian-bane/) > [Life is not just one dark moment after another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-denisof/life-is-not-just-one-dark-moment-after-another/) [Alexis Denisof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-denisof/) > [I love 'Forrest Gump;' I like sweet, cheery, happy movies. But it has some dark moments too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-love-forrest-gump-i-like-sweet-cheery-happy-movies-but-it-has-some/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [“Sometimes my mind goes dark, and every single part of my life goes dark with it. Any happiness I thought I knew gets replaced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/sometimes-my-mind-goes-dark-and-every-single-part-of-my-life-goes/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [I maintain that no movie can be funny enough. I mean even the most serious, even the most intense movie and I know enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-maintain-that-no-movie-can-be-funny-enough-i-mean-even-the-most/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [I have a power word that I use-when I qualified for the Olympics in 2008, it was fighter. That way when I'm in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-goucher/i-have-a-power-word-that-i-use-when-i-qualified-for-the-olympics-in/) [Kara Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-goucher/) > [“If we knew everything would change we would have turned back but we didn't know. Thats how things happen. Especially sunny days hide dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-foxlee/if-we-knew-everything-would-change-we-would-have-turned-back-but-we/) [Karen Foxlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-foxlee/) > [“When we look back, it becomes clear that the acts and accomplishments of human beings are the signatures of history. Human signatures have created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sasson/when-we-look-back-it-becomes-clear-that-the-acts-and-accomplishments/) [Jean Sasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sasson/) > [“Sam’s hand brushed her shoulder, and she almost jumped out of her skin as he brought his mouth close to her ear and murmured,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/sam-s-hand-brushed-her-shoulder-and-she-almost-jumped-out-of-her-skin/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [I have noticed, Within myself, A terrible design flaw. I will have to look into this further, When the Monster returns, For Maintenance. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/i-have-noticed-within-myself-a-terrible-design-flaw-i-will-have-to/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [When eyes sparked, beats were close to heart, and rain showered joy in path. When sky was blue, sorrow had no clue, and darkest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/when-eyes-sparked-beats-were-close-to-heart-and-rain-showered-joy-in/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [We don't always know the details of our future. We do not know what lies ahead. We live in a time of uncertainty. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-don-t-always-know-the-details-of-our-future-we-do-not-know-what/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) ## More by Jed McKenna > [“The American dream of freedom and abundance is just a child’s rendering of true freedom and abundance, and serves only to convince people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-american-dream-of-freedom-and-abundance-is-just-a-child-s/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“I don’t see it as my role to save or rescue anybody any more than regular people feel the need to rescue each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/i-don-t-see-it-as-my-role-to-save-or-rescue-anybody-any-more-than/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“Before enlightenment I believed my ego was me, then enlightenment comes along and no more ego, only the underlying reality. Now it’s after enlightenment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/before-enlightenment-i-believed-my-ego-was-me-then-enlightenment/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“No disrespect to the Buddha is intended. If there was a Buddha and he was enlightened, then it’s Buddhism that insults his memory, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/no-disrespect-to-the-buddha-is-intended-if-there-was-a-buddha-and-he/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“Suffering just means you’re having a bad dream. Happiness means you’re having a good dream. Enlightenment means getting out of the dream altogether.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/suffering-just-means-you-re-having-a-bad-dream-happiness-means-you-re/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The point is to wake up, not to earn a Ph.D. In waking up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-point-is-to-wake-up-not-to-earn-a-ph-d-in-waking-up/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“There’s nothing left to contend against and nothing left that must be done, and there will never be anything that must be done ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/there-s-nothing-left-to-contend-against-and-nothing-left-that-must-be/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“How many years have I spent lighting incense and candles? Meditating? Chasing after gurus and teachers, reading all that crap, following every stupid new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/how-many-years-have-i-spent-lighting-incense-and-candles-meditating/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“Once you start seeing this place for the madhouse it is, you can’t stop seeing it that way. It’s everywhere, everyone. It doesn’t make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/once-you-start-seeing-this-place-for-the-madhouse-it-is-you-can-t/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“Further   Whoever was responsible for the idea of dividing self into lower and higher parts committed a serious crime against humanity. This division…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/further-whoever-was-responsible-for-the-idea-of-dividing-self-into/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The emperor has no clothes, and sooner or later everyone is going to see what’s staring them right in the face. When that happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-emperor-has-no-clothes-and-sooner-or-later-everyone-is-going-to/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The you that you think of as you (and that thinks of you as you, and so on) is not you, it’s just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-you-that-you-think-of-as-you-and-that-thinks-of-you-as-you-and-so/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“There seems to be an attitude that opinion counts for something. Goethe said none are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/there-seems-to-be-an-attitude-that-opinion-counts-for-something/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“I don’t have something you don’t; you believe something I don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/i-don-t-have-something-you-don-t-you-believe-something-i-don-t/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) > [“The really strange thing about being awake isn’t being awake; it’s the people that aren’t. They’re walking and talking in their dreamstates; some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mckenna/the-really-strange-thing-about-being-awake-isn-t-being-awake-it-s-the/) [Jed McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) [Explore all 41 Jed McKenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mckenna/) ## More Dark moments quotes > [We don't always know the details of our future. We do not know what lies ahead. We live in a time of uncertainty. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-don-t-always-know-the-details-of-our-future-we-do-not-know-what/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [When eyes sparked, beats were close to heart, and rain showered joy in path. When sky was blue, sorrow had no clue, and darkest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/when-eyes-sparked-beats-were-close-to-heart-and-rain-showered-joy-in/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [I have noticed, Within myself, A terrible design flaw. I will have to look into this further, When the Monster returns, For Maintenance. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/i-have-noticed-within-myself-a-terrible-design-flaw-i-will-have-to/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [“Sam’s hand brushed her shoulder, and she almost jumped out of her skin as he brought his mouth close to her ear and murmured,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/sam-s-hand-brushed-her-shoulder-and-she-almost-jumped-out-of-her-skin/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“When we look back, it becomes clear that the acts and accomplishments of human beings are the signatures of history. Human signatures have created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sasson/when-we-look-back-it-becomes-clear-that-the-acts-and-accomplishments/) [Jean Sasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sasson/) > [“If we knew everything would change we would have turned back but we didn't know. Thats how things happen. Especially sunny days hide dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-foxlee/if-we-knew-everything-would-change-we-would-have-turned-back-but-we/) [Karen Foxlee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-foxlee/) > [I have a power word that I use-when I qualified for the Olympics in 2008, it was fighter. That way when I'm in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-goucher/i-have-a-power-word-that-i-use-when-i-qualified-for-the-olympics-in/) [Kara Goucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-goucher/) > [I maintain that no movie can be funny enough. I mean even the most serious, even the most intense movie and I know enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-zwick/i-maintain-that-no-movie-can-be-funny-enough-i-mean-even-the-most/) [Edward Zwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-zwick/) > [“Sometimes my mind goes dark, and every single part of my life goes dark with it. Any happiness I thought I knew gets replaced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/sometimes-my-mind-goes-dark-and-every-single-part-of-my-life-goes/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [I love 'Forrest Gump;' I like sweet, cheery, happy movies. But it has some dark moments too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-love-forrest-gump-i-like-sweet-cheery-happy-movies-but-it-has-some/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [Life is not just one dark moment after another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-denisof/life-is-not-just-one-dark-moment-after-another/) [Alexis Denisof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-denisof/) > [The last Christmas movie I really liked was 'It's a Wonderful Life,' probably. It's sort of a schmaltzy movie, but it's not without its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-zwigoff/the-last-christmas-movie-i-really-liked-was-it-s-a-wonderful-life/) [Terry Zwigoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-zwigoff/) > [The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-dark-moments-of-our-life-will-last-only-so-long-as-is-necessary/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-real-tragedy-of-life-is-when-men-are-afraid-of-the-light/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“There are major revolutions every few hundred years--humanity seems to depend on things being shaken up from time to time, to remind them of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-j-wetherholt/there-are-major-revolutions-every-few-hundred-years-humanity-seems-to/) [K.J. Wetherholt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-j-wetherholt/) [Browse all 53 Dark moments quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-moments/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ever been depressed?” I ask them. “Really depressed? Like nothing means anything? Like there’s no point to anything?” I can see from their reactions that they all know what I’m talking about. “And what’s the worst thing about those dark moments? Where do they get their power?” I wait a moment so they can think about it, so they’ll recognize it when I say it. “From their undeniability, isn’t that right? From the fact that there’s no argument? When you’re in that state, don’t you know perfectly well that it’s true?” Heads nod. A few muffled assents. “That’s right. When you’re in that space, you know it’s not just a mood. You’re seeing something you don’t normally allow yourself to see. 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