--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Writing does not numb, comfort, or soothe…" description: "\"Writing does not numb, comfort, or soothe me. It does the opposite. It tends to excite me and reinscribe pain. It doesn't function as exorcism.\" — Myri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/myriam-gurba-52032_comfort_writing-does-not-numb-comfort-or-soothe_1837306.jpg" --- # Writing does not numb, comfort, or soothe me. It does the… ![“Writing does not numb, comfort, or soothe me. It does the opposite. It tends to excite me and reinscribe pain. It doesn't function as exorcism.” quote by Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/myriam-gurba-52032_comfort_writing-does-not-numb-comfort-or-soothe_1837306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/myriam-gurba-52032_comfort_writing-does-not-numb-comfort-or-soothe_1837306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/myriam-gurba-52032_comfort_writing-does-not-numb-comfort-or-soothe_1837306.jpg) > “Writing does not numb, comfort, or soothe me. It does the opposite. It tends to excite me and reinscribe pain. It doesn't function as exorcism.” [Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing intensifies pain rather than soothing it; it’s not a therapeutic release. **In simple terms:** Writing amplifies pain, not soothes it. Key Takeaway Use writing to explore, not escape, pain. Themes creativity pain expression Mood introspective raw Type artistic psychological When to use this quote - journaling - fiction writing - therapeutic workshops Key Concepts psychology art therapy Questions to Reflect On - How does writing change your perception of pain? - What other outlets complement writing? A Different Perspective Relying solely on writing may neglect other healing methods. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Numb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numb/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I love how writing does so much; it can break down complex subjects to their essence, paint virtual pictures, entertain and make us smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-roy/i-love-how-writing-does-so-much-it-can-break-down-complex-subjects-to/) Barbara Roy > [“The writing does not define me, but says something about who I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-christine-hoem/the-writing-does-not-define-me-but-says-something-about-who-i-am/) [Liv-Christine Hoem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-christine-hoem/) > [Better to think of writing, of what one does, as an activity, rather than an identity to keep the calling a verb rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/better-to-think-of-writing-of-what-one-does-as-an-activity-rather/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Sometime really good writing does you a disservice as an actor. 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There does not exist, nor will there ever exist, any writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/every-serious-man-in-dealing-with-really-serious-subjects-carefully/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“This writing doesn't affect reality any more than any writing does; that is to say, indirectly, but considerably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/this-writing-doesn-t-affect-reality-any-more-than-any-writing-does/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Cruising the Internet doesn't count as writing. Neither does answering e-mail. Before you check Twitter & FB and do other similar tasks that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/cruising-the-internet-doesn-t-count-as-writing-neither-does-answering/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [“I am, apparently, of that rare breed that likes to write. The demands of a chapter pull me from bed in the morning, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-freeman-hawke/i-am-apparently-of-that-rare-breed-that-likes-to-write-the-demands-of/) David Freeman Hawke > [Nothing is worth doing at all, nothing is worth writing, which does not do something which will last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/nothing-is-worth-doing-at-all-nothing-is-worth-writing-which-does-not/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [Of course, like all organic processes, there is an ebb and a flow to writing. One does not exist without the other. The writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-unger/of-course-like-all-organic-processes-there-is-an-ebb-and-a-flow-to/) [Lisa Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-unger/) > [Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/good-writing-does-not-succeed-or-fail-on-the-strength-of-its-ability/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think finally good writing gets out there, and people like it, and bad writing doesn't. Well, no. Bad writing does get out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-parker/i-think-finally-good-writing-gets-out-there-and-people-like-it-and/) [Robert B. Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-parker/) ## More by Myriam Gurba > [I see things in hardcopy that I miss if I only see words on screen. I do get sick of the words, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myriam-gurba/i-see-things-in-hardcopy-that-i-miss-if-i-only-see-words-on-screen-i/) [Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) > [“Finding god in the poor is easy. Divinity doesn’t dwell in the rich. It can’t stand them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myriam-gurba/finding-god-in-the-poor-is-easy-divinity-doesn-t-dwell-in-the-rich-it/) [Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) > [“Guilt is a ghost. Guilt interrupts narratives. It does so impolitely. Ghosts have no etiquette. What do they need it for? There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myriam-gurba/guilt-is-a-ghost-guilt-interrupts-narratives-it-does-so-impolitely/) [Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) > [The Internet is the best and worst thing to happen to writing. It makes it so easy to quickly satisfy a lot of curiosity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myriam-gurba/the-internet-is-the-best-and-worst-thing-to-happen-to-writing-it/) [Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) > [Food is a complicated subject for me. Food brings joy, satisfaction, and conflict. Eating disorders plague my family. Their consequences have been painful, expensive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myriam-gurba/food-is-a-complicated-subject-for-me-food-brings-joy-satisfaction-and/) [Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) > [Working with a manuscript with that kind of intimacy is kind of like taking a magnification mirror to your pores. Its horrifying but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myriam-gurba/working-with-a-manuscript-with-that-kind-of-intimacy-is-kind-of-like/) [Myriam Gurba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) [Explore all 7 Myriam Gurba quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-gurba/) ## More Comfort quotes > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. 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It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I think that comfort is underrated in a lot of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/i-think-that-comfort-is-underrated-in-a-lot-of-ways/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) [Browse all 4,542 Comfort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Writing does not numb, comfort, or soothe me. It does the opposite. It tends to excite me and reinscribe pain. 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