--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: depression is not a side effect of…" description: "\"depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying.\" — John Green" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/john-green-12_cancer_depression-is-not-a-side-effect-of-cance_1692076.jpg" --- # depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a… ![“depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying.” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/john-green-12_cancer_depression-is-not-a-side-effect-of-cance_1692076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/john-green-12_cancer_depression-is-not-a-side-effect-of-cance_1692076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/john-green-12_cancer_depression-is-not-a-side-effect-of-cance_1692076.jpg) > “depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying.” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Depression is portrayed as an inevitable part of dying, not merely a reaction to illness. **In simple terms:** Depression comes with dying. Key Takeaway Recognize mental health in terminal illness. Themes mortality mental health illness Mood somber empathetic Type medical philosophical When to use this quote - hospital care - end‑of‑life counseling - support groups Key Concepts existentialism psychology palliative care Questions to Reflect On - How can caregivers address depression in terminal patients? - What supports help mitigate existential dread? A Different Perspective May overlook depression’s multifactorial causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Side effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side-effects/) ## Related quotes > [Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever, they always list depression among the side effects of cancer. But, in fact, depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/whenever-you-read-a-cancer-booklet-or-website-or-whatever-they-always-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“But, in fact, depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying. - Hazel Grace Lancaster”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-in-fact-depression-is-not-a-side-effect-of-cancer-depression-is-a-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“But in fact, depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-in-fact-depression-is-not-a-side-effect-of-cancer-depression-is-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying. (Cancer is also a side effect of dying. Almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/depression-is-not-a-side-effect-of-cancer-depression-is-a-side-effect-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever it always list depression as one of the side effects of cancer. But, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/whenever-you-read-a-cancer-booklet-or-website-or-whatever-it-always/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever, they always list depression among the side effects of cancer. But, in fact, depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-read-a-cancer-booklet-or-website-or-whatever-they-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Depression is a side effect of dying. (Almost everything is, really).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/depression-is-a-side-effect-of-dying-almost-everything-is-really/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Nostalgia is a side effect of cancer," I told him. "Nah, nostalgia is a side effect of dying," he answered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nostalgia-is-a-side-effect-of-cancer-i-told-him-nah-nostalgia-is-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Depression is a side effect of dying. (Cancer is also a side effect of dying. Almost everything is, really.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/depression-is-a-side-effect-of-dying-cancer-is-also-a-side-effect-of/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Depression is a side effect of dying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/depression-is-a-side-effect-of-dying/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Throughout the book, she refers to herself as "the side effect," which is just totally correct. Cancer kids are essentially side effects of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/throughout-the-book-she-refers-to-herself-as-the-side-effect-which-is/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [There is a very moving and ancient connection between cancer and depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/there-is-a-very-moving-and-ancient-connection-between-cancer-and/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [The Side Effects of Dying in Your Pants isn't really funny… Alright, it's a little funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-side-effects-of-dying-in-your-pants-isn-t-really-funny-alright-it/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Cancer kids are essentially side effects of the relentless mutation that made the diversity of life on earth possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/cancer-kids-are-essentially-side-effects-of-the-relentless-mutation/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [You are a side effect," Van Houten continued, "of an evolutionary process that cares little for individual lives. You are a failed experiment in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/you-are-a-side-effect-van-houten-continued-of-an-evolutionary-process/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More by John Green > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I just want to stay away from people and read books and think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-just-want-to-stay-away-from-people-and-read-books-and-think/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [She smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning and said, "Y'all smoke to enjoy it. I smoke to die." -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/she-smiled-with-all-the-delight-of-a-kid-on-christmas-morning-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“No one ever says good-bye unless they want to see you again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/no-one-ever-says-good-bye-unless-they-want-to-see-you-again/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Neither novels or their readers benefit from any attempts to divine whether any facts hide inside a story. Such efforts attack the very idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/neither-novels-or-their-readers-benefit-from-any-attempts-to-divine/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Traffic's not too bad on Sheridan, and I'm cornering the car like it's the Indy 500, and we're listening to my favorite NMH song,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/traffic-s-not-too-bad-on-sheridan-and-i-m-cornering-the-car-like-it-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Praise God for good nurses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/praise-god-for-good-nurses/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Nothing has ever looked like that ever in all of human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/nothing-has-ever-looked-like-that-ever-in-all-of-human-history/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“said to him quietly, as if I couldn’t hear or something. Dad was about to respond but I interrupted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/said-to-him-quietly-as-if-i-couldn-t-hear-or-something-dad-was-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He was hot. A nonhotboy stares at you relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at worst, a form of assault. But a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-was-hot-a-nonhotboy-stares-at-you-relentlessly-and-it-is-at-best/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia. (...) You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/imagining-the-future-is-a-kind-of-nostalgia-you-spend-your-whole-life/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) [Explore all 3,614 John Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More Cancer quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Historically, more people have died of religion than cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-francis/historically-more-people-have-died-of-religion-than-cancer/) [Dick Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-francis/) > [“Our kind of love can go into remission, but it's always waiting to return. Like the world sweetest cancer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/our-kind-of-love-can-go-into-remission-but-it-s-always-waiting-to/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Bollywood is a cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-banerjee/bollywood-is-a-cancer/) [Victor Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-banerjee/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. 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"those aren't stars. it's cancer." - forty years a smoker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-lovelace/the-doctor-hesitated-before-breaking-the-news-to-her-those-aren-t/) [Amanda Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-lovelace/) > [I loved you to the moon and back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-loved-you-to-the-moon-and-back/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) Richard Doll > [I would do away with super PACs. I think it's a cancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-conrad/i-would-do-away-with-super-pacs-i-think-it-s-a-cancer/) [Kent Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-conrad/) > [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/) > [If you are a white male, you don't deserve to live. You are a cancer, you're a disease, white males have never contributed anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-ignatiev/if-you-are-a-white-male-you-don-t-deserve-to-live-you-are-a-cancer/) [Noel Ignatiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-ignatiev/) > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) [Browse all 3,177 Cancer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cancer/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "depression is not a side effect of cancer. 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