--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anyone who suggests that coming back from…" description: "\"Anyone who suggests that coming back from suicidal despair is a straightforward journey has never taken it.\" — Kay Redfield Jamison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_coming-back_anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-fro_2088674.jpg" --- # Anyone who suggests that coming back from suicidal despair… ![“Anyone who suggests that coming back from suicidal despair is a straightforward journey has never taken it.” quote by Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_coming-back_anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-fro_2088674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_coming-back_anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-fro_2088674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_coming-back_anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-fro_2088674.jpg) > “Anyone who suggests that coming back from suicidal despair is a straightforward journey has never taken it.” [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recovery from suicidal depression is complex and non‑linear, contrary to simplistic expectations. **In simple terms:** Suicidal recovery is a difficult, non‑straight path. Key Takeaway Approach recovery with realistic expectations. Themes mental health suicide recovery Mood empathetic hopeful Type advice psychological When to use this quote - therapy - support groups - personal healing Key Concepts resilience hope psychology Questions to Reflect On - What resources aid navigating this journey? - How can support systems be improved? A Different Perspective May discourage hope by emphasizing difficulty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) ## Related quotes > [“We human beings glimpse lofty ideals, catch ourselves betraying them, and sink to suicidal despair--despair from which only the love of our friends can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/we-human-beings-glimpse-lofty-ideals-catch-ourselves-betraying-them/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [“Some people avoid thinking deeply in public, only because they are afraid of coming across as suicidal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-people-avoid-thinking-deeply-in-public-only-because-they-are/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Paul?” I said. My voice shook a little. “It’s Jo.” Silence. I couldn’t tell what was happening on the other end. Then, very quietly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/paul-i-said-my-voice-shook-a-little-it-s-jo-silence-i-couldn-t-tell/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [They whooped our tail last time we was here. So it's time for a little revenge, and show that Florida football is coming back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-caldwell/they-whooped-our-tail-last-time-we-was-here-so-it-s-time-for-a-little/) Andre Caldwell > [But standing in that hallway, it was all coming back to me. Memories were waiting at the edges of things, beckoning to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/but-standing-in-that-hallway-it-was-all-coming-back-to-me-memories/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I'm looking forward to coming back, back to Earth, the landing, the views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-g-carey/i-m-looking-forward-to-coming-back-back-to-earth-the-landing-the-views/) [Duane G. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-g-carey/) > [I mean, the fact of the matter is, Ohio 's coming back because we set a clear path, we cut taxes, we balanced our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-mean-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-ohio-s-coming-back-because-we-set-a/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I am a fight fan. I think boxing had its problems and kind of fell away for a while, but it's coming back strong .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/i-am-a-fight-fan-i-think-boxing-had-its-problems-and-kind-of-fell/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [Sometimes I feel people can move past what they've grown up around and their surroundings while in a place and some people need closure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/sometimes-i-feel-people-can-move-past-what-they-ve-grown-up-around/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [Some friends and I, we went right up there behind the studio and we got on a train, we could tell it was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/some-friends-and-i-we-went-right-up-there-behind-the-studio-and-we/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) ## More by Kay Redfield Jamison > [ “...even though \[my psychiatrist\] understood mor than anyone how much I felt I was losing--in energy, vivacity, and originality--by taking medication, he never was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/even-though-my-psychiatrist-understood-mor-than-anyone-how-much-i/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [When people are suicidal, their thinking is paralyzed, their options appear spare or nonexistent, their mood is despairing, and hopelessness permeates their entire mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/when-people-are-suicidal-their-thinking-is-paralyzed-their-options/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [It's more common than not that bipolar illness will start in the teens. One of the reasons I spend a lot of time on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/it-s-more-common-than-not-that-bipolar-illness-will-start-in-the/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [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/) > [Every seventeen minutes in America, someone commits suicide. Mostly, I have been impressed by how little value our society puts on saving the lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/every-seventeen-minutes-in-america-someone-commits-suicide-mostly-i/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Mother, who has an absolute belief that it is not the cards that one is dealt in life, it is how one plays them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/mother-who-has-an-absolute-belief-that-it-is-not-the-cards-that-one/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [“I decided early in graduate school that I needed to do something about my moods. It quickly came down to a choice between seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/i-decided-early-in-graduate-school-that-i-needed-to-do-something/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [When I'm talking about depression, I'm talking about the more severe forms of depression, and I think that conceptualising as a form of grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/when-i-m-talking-about-depression-i-m-talking-about-the-more-severe/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [An ardent temperament makes one very vulnerable to dreamkillers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/an-ardent-temperament-makes-one-very-vulnerable-to-dreamkillers/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [the intensity, glory, and absolute assuredness if my mind's flight made it very difficult for me to believe once i was better, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/the-intensity-glory-and-absolute-assuredness-if-my-mind-s-flight-made/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [I wish I could explain it so someone could understand it. I'm afraid it's something I can't put into words. There's just this heavy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/i-wish-i-could-explain-it-so-someone-could-understand-it-i-m-afraid/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Moods are such an essential part of the substance of life, of one's notion of oneself, that even psychotic extremes in mood and behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/moods-are-such-an-essential-part-of-the-substance-of-life-of-one-s/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [We expect well-informed treatment for cancer or heart disease; it matters no less for depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/we-expect-well-informed-treatment-for-cancer-or-heart-disease-it/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [Manic depression distorts moods and thoughts, incites dreadful behaviors, destroys the basis of rational thought, and too often erodes the desire and will to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/manic-depression-distorts-moods-and-thoughts-incites-dreadful/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [People talk about grief as if it's kind of an unremittingly awful thing, and it is. It is painful, but it's a very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/people-talk-about-grief-as-if-it-s-kind-of-an-unremittingly-awful/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) [Explore all 205 Kay Redfield Jamison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) ## More Coming back quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [Some friends and I, we went right up there behind the studio and we got on a train, we could tell it was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/some-friends-and-i-we-went-right-up-there-behind-the-studio-and-we/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Sometimes I feel people can move past what they've grown up around and their surroundings while in a place and some people need closure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/sometimes-i-feel-people-can-move-past-what-they-ve-grown-up-around/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) > [I am a fight fan. I think boxing had its problems and kind of fell away for a while, but it's coming back strong .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/i-am-a-fight-fan-i-think-boxing-had-its-problems-and-kind-of-fell/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [I mean, the fact of the matter is, Ohio 's coming back because we set a clear path, we cut taxes, we balanced our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-mean-the-fact-of-the-matter-is-ohio-s-coming-back-because-we-set-a/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [I'm looking forward to coming back, back to Earth, the landing, the views.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-g-carey/i-m-looking-forward-to-coming-back-back-to-earth-the-landing-the-views/) [Duane G. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-g-carey/) > [But standing in that hallway, it was all coming back to me. Memories were waiting at the edges of things, beckoning to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/but-standing-in-that-hallway-it-was-all-coming-back-to-me-memories/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [They whooped our tail last time we was here. So it's time for a little revenge, and show that Florida football is coming back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-caldwell/they-whooped-our-tail-last-time-we-was-here-so-it-s-time-for-a-little/) Andre Caldwell > [Paul?” I said. My voice shook a little. “It’s Jo.” Silence. I couldn’t tell what was happening on the other end. Then, very quietly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/paul-i-said-my-voice-shook-a-little-it-s-jo-silence-i-couldn-t-tell/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [I think it is all about creating characters, mixing them up with the stars and the light-years, and coming back to Earth, because we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-think-it-is-all-about-creating-characters-mixing-them-up-with-the/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I was coming back from Tel Aviv recently, and we had forty minutes of bumps. I got so scared I grabbed a paper and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-pestova/i-was-coming-back-from-tel-aviv-recently-and-we-had-forty-minutes-of/) [Daniela Pestova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-pestova/) Browse all 485 Coming back quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Anyone who suggests that coming back from suicidal despair is a straightforward journey has never taken it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kay Redfield Jamison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-from-suicidal-despair-is-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coming back" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-from-suicidal-despair-is-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_coming-back_anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-fro_2088674.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_coming-back_anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-fro_2088674.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b2/kay-redfield-jamison-1826_coming-back_anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-fro_2088674.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Anyone who suggests that coming back from suicidal despair is a straightforward journey has never taken it.” — Kay Redfield Jamison", "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": "Kay Redfield Jamison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Anyone who suggests that coming back...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-from-suicidal-despair-is-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/anyone-who-suggests-that-coming-back-from-suicidal-despair-is-a/#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 } } ] } ```