--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s amazing how much you’re missing in a…" description: "\"It’s amazing how much you’re missing in a depressive state until you start to come out on the other side. It’s like breathing again after being underwa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/jenny-lawson-3391_breathing_it-s-amazing-how-much-you-re-missing-in_2248544.png" --- # It’s amazing how much you’re missing in a depressive state… ![“It’s amazing how much you’re missing in a depressive state until you start to come out on the other side. It’s like breathing again after being underwater for far too long” quote by Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/jenny-lawson-3391_breathing_it-s-amazing-how-much-you-re-missing-in_2248544.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/jenny-lawson-3391_breathing_it-s-amazing-how-much-you-re-missing-in_2248544.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/jenny-lawson-3391_breathing_it-s-amazing-how-much-you-re-missing-in_2248544.png) > “It’s amazing how much you’re missing in a depressive state until you start to come out on the other side. It’s like breathing again after being underwater for far too long” [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Depression blinds people to life's joys; emerging from it feels like surfacing after a long breath‑hold, restoring vitality and perspective. **In simple terms:** Depression hides joy; recovery feels like breathing again. Key Takeaway Appreciate small joys after hardship. Themes mental health recovery perspective Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - depression - personal growth - mental health recovery - daily gratitude Key Concepts resilience mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What small moments bring you back to life? - How can you remind yourself of joy during low periods? A Different Perspective Recovery can be slow and uneven. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breathing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) [Depressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressive/) ## Related quotes > [“Writing is like breathing underwater. It's really hard to do unless you can imagine yourself a nice set of gills.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alane-adams/writing-is-like-breathing-underwater-it-s-really-hard-to-do-unless/) Alane Adams > [“The funny thing is,' Calvin said, 'I thought I'd been breathing underwater this whole time, but I guess I've been drowning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/the-funny-thing-is-calvin-said-i-thought-i-d-been-breathing/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [“And when we make choices informed by a depressive state of mind, they're more than likely to keep us stuck in our unhappiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-mark-g-williams/and-when-we-make-choices-informed-by-a-depressive-state-of-mind-they/) [J. Mark G. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-mark-g-williams/) > [My job is to go out and not let the people who like me go to my head and not let the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-bradley/my-job-is-to-go-out-and-not-let-the-people-who-like-me-go-to-my-head/) [Shawn Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-bradley/) > [Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duke/roger-tranquility-we-copy-you-on-the-ground-you-ve-got-a-bunch-of/) [Charles Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duke/) > [I try to schedule at least one day a week to catch up, to feel like I'm breathing again. I take vitamins. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-try-to-schedule-at-least-one-day-a-week-to-catch-up-to-feel-like-i/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“At any rate, during the few hours when the depressive state itself eased off long enough to permit the luxury of concentration, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-styron/at-any-rate-during-the-few-hours-when-the-depressive-state-itself/) [William Styron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-styron/) > [“Sometimes we walk in sunlight with everyone else. Sometimes we live underwater and fight and grow. And sometimes... ...sometimes we fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/sometimes-we-walk-in-sunlight-with-everyone-else-sometimes-we-live/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [The cynic sees only cynicism, the depressive can taint creation with one glance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-funder/the-cynic-sees-only-cynicism-the-depressive-can-taint-creation-with/) [Anna Funder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-funder/) > [I'm constantly having to be vigilant with a depressive tendency, an addictive tendency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-marber/i-m-constantly-having-to-be-vigilant-with-a-depressive-tendency-an/) [Patrick Marber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-marber/) > [One of the most common outcomes of a depressive illness is a mistreated body. Now is the time to treat your body well. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-h-bloomfield/one-of-the-most-common-outcomes-of-a-depressive-illness-is-a/) [Harold H. Bloomfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-h-bloomfield/) > [A lot of people don't realize that not everybody gets high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringwald/a-lot-of-people-don-t-realize-that-not-everybody-gets-high/) [Molly Ringwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringwald/) > [Being a mathematician is a bit like being a manic depressive: you spend your life alternating between giddy elation and black despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-g-krantz/being-a-mathematician-is-a-bit-like-being-a-manic-depressive-you/) Steven G. Krantz > [I think that for thousands of years people have made the observation that there are certain kinds of extreme depressive states that seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/i-think-that-for-thousands-of-years-people-have-made-the-observation/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) ## More by Jenny Lawson > [the most terribly human moments - the ones we want to pretend never happened - are the very moments that make us who we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/the-most-terribly-human-moments-the-ones-we-want-to-pretend-never/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“I MADE MY CATS A WATER BED OUT OF A ZIPLOC BAG AND A SHOEBOX. THEY POPPED IT WITH THEIR CLAWS AND THEY ALMOST…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/i-made-my-cats-a-water-bed-out-of-a-ziploc-bag-and-a-shoebox-they/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Everything in this book is mostly true but some details have been changed to protect the guilty. I know it’s usually about “protecting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/everything-in-this-book-is-mostly-true-but-some-details-have-been/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [Have you ever been homesick for someplace that doesn't actually exist anymore? Someplace that exists only in your mind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/have-you-ever-been-homesick-for-someplace-that-doesn-t-actually-exist/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“As far as I'm concerned, a house should look lived-in, and I consider it clean as long as I don't stick to it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-a-house-should-look-lived-in-and-i-consider/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Something wonderful about experiencing life with friendly strangers and stranger-friends who all fit in your pocket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/something-wonderful-about-experiencing-life-with-friendly-strangers/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“And while our families made their way to the church doorsteps to prepare to throw birdseed at us, we hid in the empty church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/and-while-our-families-made-their-way-to-the-church-doorsteps-to/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“There's a very mean girl down the hall who's trying to get me fired. I'm no good with confrontation, so whenever I say, "Have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/there-s-a-very-mean-girl-down-the-hall-who-s-trying-to-get-me-fired-i/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“Then a man onstage quoted Sam Houston, saying, “Texas can make it without the United States, BUT THE UNITED STATES CANNOT MAKE IT WITHOUT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/then-a-man-onstage-quoted-sam-houston-saying-texas-can-make-it/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [Some people we define as trolls are just critics. Sometimes they have a point. And I hear them. But for the ones who comment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/some-people-we-define-as-trolls-are-just-critics-sometimes-they-have/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) > [“By my tenth glass of wine I started to wonder whether there was something wrong with my palate. 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Because they're the ones who helped you put them there." And sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-lawson/a-friend-is-someone-who-knows-where-all-your-bodies-are-buried/) [Jenny Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) [Explore all 132 Jenny Lawson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-lawson/) ## More Breathing quotes > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“As long as we’re breathing, we have a chance to start over and build a stable future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ha-campbell/as-long-as-we-re-breathing-we-have-a-chance-to-start-over-and-build-a/) [Kim Ha Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ha-campbell/) > [People don't think much about breathing. Of all the things we take for granted, breathing has to be number one - even though it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/people-don-t-think-much-about-breathing-of-all-the-things-we-take-for/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [I wish," Jared began, and stopped, breathing in. "Do you remember how you used to believe I wasn't real? Sometimes I wish that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-wish-jared-began-and-stopped-breathing-in-do-you-remember-how-you/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Breathing is give(carbon dioxide) and take(oxygen), such is life, find balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-williams/breathing-is-give-carbon-dioxide-and-take-oxygen-such-is-life-find/) Marcel Williams > [I'll probably be writing as long as I'm breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/i-ll-probably-be-writing-as-long-as-i-m-breathing/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [For me writing is like breathing. I could not live without breathing and I could not live without writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/for-me-writing-is-like-breathing-i-could-not-live-without-breathing/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I’m in, Cat. I’d never leave you. Especially when you’ve got death breathing down your neck.” “Very funny,” I retorted, since Bones was inches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/i-m-in-cat-i-d-never-leave-you-especially-when-you-ve-got-death/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [He’d moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn’t the only one breathing heavily.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-d-moved-toward-me-again-his-hands-released-mine-and-moved-to-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-fleming/my-worry-is-that-opera-will-become-an-historic-art-form-as-opposed-to/) [Renee Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-fleming/) > [I'm really fascinated and you know I've been wondering about that usage of language, various breathing techniques and why in these practices language is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/i-m-really-fascinated-and-you-know-i-ve-been-wondering-about-that/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [I’m exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us — comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/i-m-exactly-right-for-you-bella-it-would-have-been-effortless-for-us/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) [Browse all 1,666 Breathing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breathing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It’s amazing how much you’re missing in a depressive state until you start to come out on the other side. 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