Brain surgery Quote by Laurie Halse Anderson
““thoughts hidden there? If she can, what will she do? Call the cops? Send me to the nuthouse? Do I want her to? I just want to sleep. The whole point of not talking about it, of silencing the memory, is to make it go away. It won’t. I’ll need brain surgery to cut it out of my head. Maybe I should wait until David Petrakis is a doctor, let him do it.””
About This Quote
The speaker describes intrusive thoughts and the desire to suppress them, acknowledging that avoidance fails and may require drastic measures.
In simple terms: Suppressing thoughts doesn’t make them disappear.
Key Takeaway
Seek help, not avoidance.
Themes
mental health
trauma
coping
Mood
anxious
reflective
Type
therapeutic
personal
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- self‑care routines
- support groups
Key Concepts
suppression
intrusive thoughts
psychological distress
Questions to Reflect On
- What strategies help confront intrusive thoughts?
- How can you safely address mental pain?
A Different Perspective
Avoidance can worsen distress.
![“'Why do you think it is...', I asked Dr. Cook ... 'that brain surgery, above all else-even rocket science-gets singled out as the most challenging of human feats, the one demanding the utmost of human intelligence?' [Dr. Cook answered,] 'No margin for error.'” quote by Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2e7/michael-j-fox-1653_brain_why-do-you-think-it-is-i-asked-dr-cook-t_431339.jpg)