--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know the expression, 'You're only as…" description: "\"You know the expression, 'You're only as sick as your secrets?' I believe that, and I think I try to have my work live by that to a degree.\" — Mike Bir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/mike-birbiglia-1343_believe_you-know-the-expression-you-re-only-as-s_725389.png" --- # You know the expression, 'You're only as sick as your… ![“You know the expression, 'You're only as sick as your secrets?' I believe that, and I think I try to have my work live by that to a degree.” quote by Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/mike-birbiglia-1343_believe_you-know-the-expression-you-re-only-as-s_725389.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/mike-birbiglia-1343_believe_you-know-the-expression-you-re-only-as-s_725389.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/mike-birbiglia-1343_believe_you-know-the-expression-you-re-only-as-s_725389.png) > “You know the expression, 'You're only as sick as your secrets?' I believe that, and I think I try to have my work live by that to a degree.” [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Keeping personal secrets hidden can harm health; openness promotes well‑being. **In simple terms:** Secrets hurt health; honesty helps. Key Takeaway Share responsibly to protect yourself. Themes health honesty vulnerability Mood reflective cautious Type advice personal When to use this quote - personal relationships - therapy - workplace culture Key Concepts psychology well‑being trust Questions to Reflect On - What secrets are affecting your health? - How can you balance honesty and privacy? A Different Perspective Too much disclosure can breach privacy or cause conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degree/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Expression Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression-sick-5692465/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [I believe that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe-that/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Secrets Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets-believe-691023/) [Sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick/) [Sick Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick-secrets-572530/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [“We're only as sick as the secrets we keep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-nemeth/we-re-only-as-sick-as-the-secrets-we-keep/) [Maria Nemeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-nemeth/) > [Something that I believe is that you're as sick as your secrets. The more open you're able to be, the more you're able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-enos/something-that-i-believe-is-that-you-re-as-sick-as-your-secrets-the/) [Mireille Enos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-enos/) > [You're as sick as your secrets, and my whole life was a secret, so it's just... it's been really healing, and I've found a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-bloom/you-re-as-sick-as-your-secrets-and-my-whole-life-was-a-secret-so-it-s/) [Molly Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-bloom/) > [Maybe, there's a moment growing up when something peels back... Maybe, maybe, we look for secrets because we can't believe our minds...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-kaysen/maybe-there-s-a-moment-growing-up-when-something-peels-back-maybe/) [Susanna Kaysen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-kaysen/) > [People, I have discovered, are layers and layers of secrets. You believe you know them, that you understand them, but their motives are always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/people-i-have-discovered-are-layers-and-layers-of-secrets-you-believe/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [People, in my long experience, want to talk. They may believe they wish to keep secrets, and they may believe that they are capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-lennon/people-in-my-long-experience-want-to-talk-they-may-believe-they-wish/) [J. Robert Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-lennon/) > [I believe that who we are, and consequently the work that we make, whether we're visual artists or writers or journalists or filmmakers, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/i-believe-that-who-we-are-and-consequently-the-work-that-we-make/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [You're only as sick as your secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-only-as-sick-as-your-secrets/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do believe you're only as sick as your secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/i-do-believe-you-re-only-as-sick-as-your-secrets/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [You're only as sick as your secrets. Either it comes out their way or my way. I talk about myself behind my back. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/you-re-only-as-sick-as-your-secrets-either-it-comes-out-their-way-or/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) > [“We are as sick as our secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-arterburn/we-are-as-sick-as-our-secrets/) [Stephen Arterburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-arterburn/) > [“And, I want other women to know they can stand up and MUST stand up to your persecutors. Feel the fear, and do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-lewis/and-i-want-other-women-to-know-they-can-stand-up-and-must-stand-up-to/) [Jenifer Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-lewis/) > [“We are only as sick as our secrets. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-baker/we-are-only-as-sick-as-our-secrets-the/) [John Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-baker/) > [“You’re only as sick as your secrets.” —Recovery program saying”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaye-wells/you-re-only-as-sick-as-your-secrets-recovery-program-saying/) [Jaye Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaye-wells/) > [We are as sick as our secrets, so I tell everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-lewis/we-are-as-sick-as-our-secrets-so-i-tell-everything/) [Jenifer Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-lewis/) ## More by Mike Birbiglia > [So I went to a club the other day, which is timely because my self esteem had been hovering right around 'normal' and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/so-i-went-to-a-club-the-other-day-which-is-timely-because-my-self/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [My writing process is very feedback-based. 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