---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's like there are seven candles lit in…"
description: "\"“It's like there are seven candles lit in my stomach. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven candles burning and smoking - lit - seven flames o..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/nic-sheff-24675_fear_it-s-like-there-are-seven-candles-lit-in_417165.jpg"
---

#  It's like there are seven candles lit in my stomach. One…

![“It's like there are seven candles lit in my stomach. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven candles burning and smoking - lit - seven flames of doubt, fear, sorrow, pain, waste, hopelessness, despair. They turn my insides black with soot and ash. There is something at the back of my eyes…” quote by Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/nic-sheff-24675_fear_it-s-like-there-are-seven-candles-lit-in_417165.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/nic-sheff-24675_fear_it-s-like-there-are-seven-candles-lit-in_417165.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/nic-sheff-24675_fear_it-s-like-there-are-seven-candles-lit-in_417165.jpg)

> ““It's like there are seven candles lit in my stomach. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven candles burning and smoking - lit - seven flames of doubt, fear, sorrow, pain, waste, hopelessness, despair. They turn my insides black with soot and ash. There is something at the back of my eyes - a pressure building, building, building - hot like the flames of seven candles, which no amount of breath can extinguish.””

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker describes overwhelming internal turmoil, likening negative emotions to burning candles that cannot be easily quelled.

**In simple terms:** Inner pain feels like unending flames.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge and seek help for deep distress.

Themes

mental health emotional pain despair self‑awareness

Mood

somber introspective

Type

poetic reflective

When to use this quote

- personal crisis
- therapy
- support groups
- journaling

Key Concepts

psychology metaphor resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What fuels your inner flames?
- How can you create space to breathe?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring the pain may worsen it; professional help may be needed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Candles burning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candles-burning/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/)

## Related quotes

> [“It's like there are seven candles lit in my stomach. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven candles burning and smoking - lit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/it-s-like-there-are-seven-candles-lit-in-my-stomach-one-two-three-2/)

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> [“I felt as though a large knot of flames had been lit in my stomach, making me feel nauseous and excited all at once”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-james/i-felt-as-though-a-large-knot-of-flames-had-been-lit-in-my-stomach/)

[Heather James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-james/)

> [This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that the whole game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/this-more-than-anything-else-is-what-i-have-never-understood-about/)

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> [Great sex is not a pleasant soak in the tub, with the scented candle burning. Great sex is more like a bomb exploding inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/great-sex-is-not-a-pleasant-soak-in-the-tub-with-the-scented-candle/)

[Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/)

> [Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle. Happiness never decreases by being shared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/thousands-of-candles-can-be-lighted-from-a-single-candle-happiness/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [Colorful candles burning bright, each lit on eight very special nights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/colorful-candles-burning-bright-each-lit-on-eight-very-special-nights/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It is so hard to learn to put sadness in perspective so hard to understand that it is a feeling that comes in degrees,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wurtzel/it-is-so-hard-to-learn-to-put-sadness-in-perspective-so-hard-to/)

[Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/)

> [Shadows on the wall while the candles burning, messin up the bed while you sweating out your perm and making lovefaces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-songz/shadows-on-the-wall-while-the-candles-burning-messin-up-the-bed-while/)

[Trey Songz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-songz/)

> [We're weird roman candles burning bright at both ends. At the end of the road's where this story begins. Where the green of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/we-re-weird-roman-candles-burning-bright-at-both-ends-at-the-end-of/)

[Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/)

> [When you smell our candles burning, what does it make you think of, my child?" Winterfell, she might have said. I smell snow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-smell-our-candles-burning-what-does-it-make-you-think-of-my/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin, like the stuff of a fantastic candle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/he-felt-his-smile-slide-away-melt-fold-over-and-down-on-itself-like-a-2/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [I have way too many candles. Theres always a candle burning at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-heatherton/i-have-way-too-many-candles-theres-always-a-candle-burning-at-home/)

[Erin Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-heatherton/)

> [We are nothing here but just candles burning in the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-are-nothing-here-but-just-candles-burning-in-the-wind/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [I asked a girl who came from America to England, when I was only English, and she admitted she had been to a drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-asked-a-girl-who-came-from-america-to-england-when-i-was-only/)

[Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/)

## More by Nic Sheff

> [Isn't that the greatest gift in the world-just not to care?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/isn-t-that-the-greatest-gift-in-the-world-just-not-to-care/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [“And though I have done many shameful things, I am not ashamed of who I am. I am not ashamed of who I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/and-though-i-have-done-many-shameful-things-i-am-not-ashamed-of-who-i/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [I always get so overwhelmed trying to do everything perfectly. I can't do a job and not put everything I have into it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/i-always-get-so-overwhelmed-trying-to-do-everything-perfectly-i-can-t/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [It was like being in a car with the gas pedal slammed down to the floor and nothing to do but hold on and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/it-was-like-being-in-a-car-with-the-gas-pedal-slammed-down-to-the/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [“they say suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. the problem with being human isn't really so temporary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/they-say-suicide-is-a-permanent-solution-to-a-temporary-problem-the/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [“I don't want you to worry about protecting my feelings or your father's or anybody's. When you were little you always tried to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/i-don-t-want-you-to-worry-about-protecting-my-feelings-or-your-father/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [“I want to stay hidden in this apartment forever. I want to be kept like a house cat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/i-want-to-stay-hidden-in-this-apartment-forever-i-want-to-be-kept/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [It's not that I don't appreciate my life sober, but it's like there are two different people battling inside of me. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/it-s-not-that-i-don-t-appreciate-my-life-sober-but-it-s-like-there/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [It's like if the music is loud enough I won't be able to listen to my own thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/it-s-like-if-the-music-is-loud-enough-i-won-t-be-able-to-listen-to-my/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [It is possible to know peace. It is possible to watch all your dreams come to fruition. I promise you that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/it-is-possible-to-know-peace-it-is-possible-to-watch-all-your-dreams/)

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> [“I feel so completely crazy sometimes. I don't know which way I'm facing. All I can do is just shove all this shit to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/i-feel-so-completely-crazy-sometimes-i-don-t-know-which-way-i-m/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [We only have this one moment: NOW.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/we-only-have-this-one-moment-now/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [The dark is settling in. The sky glows yellow- pale- anemic from the city lights. The Tenderloin at night is a real horror show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/the-dark-is-settling-in-the-sky-glows-yellow-pale-anemic-from-the/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [“They say suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. he problem with being humas isn't really so temporary”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/they-say-suicide-is-a-permanent-solution-to-a-temporary-problem-he/)

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> [“ Honestly, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep doing this. It's like there are seven candles lit in my stomach. One,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/honestly-i-m-not-sure-how-much-longer-i-can-keep-doing-this-it-s-like/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

[Explore all 24 Nic Sheff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

## More Candles burning quotes

> [This, more than anything else, is what I have never understood about your people. You can roll dice, and understand that the whole game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/this-more-than-anything-else-is-what-i-have-never-understood-about/)

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> [We are nothing here but just candles burning in the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-are-nothing-here-but-just-candles-burning-in-the-wind/)

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> [I have way too many candles. Theres always a candle burning at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-heatherton/i-have-way-too-many-candles-theres-always-a-candle-burning-at-home/)

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> [He felt his smile slide away, melt, fold over and down on itself like a tallow skin, like the stuff of a fantastic candle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/he-felt-his-smile-slide-away-melt-fold-over-and-down-on-itself-like-a-2/)

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> [When you smell our candles burning, what does it make you think of, my child?" Winterfell, she might have said. I smell snow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-smell-our-candles-burning-what-does-it-make-you-think-of-my/)

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> [Shadows on the wall while the candles burning, messin up the bed while you sweating out your perm and making lovefaces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-songz/shadows-on-the-wall-while-the-candles-burning-messin-up-the-bed-while/)

[Trey Songz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-songz/)

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[Elizabeth Wurtzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wurtzel/)

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[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“It's like there are seven candles lit in my stomach. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven candles burning and smoking - lit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nic-sheff/it-s-like-there-are-seven-candles-lit-in-my-stomach-one-two-three-2/)

[Nic Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nic-sheff/)

> [Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle. Happiness never decreases by being shared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/thousands-of-candles-can-be-lighted-from-a-single-candle-happiness/)

[Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/)

> [Great sex is not a pleasant soak in the tub, with the scented candle burning. Great sex is more like a bomb exploding inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/great-sex-is-not-a-pleasant-soak-in-the-tub-with-the-scented-candle/)

[Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/)

> [I asked a girl who came from America to England, when I was only English, and she admitted she had been to a drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-asked-a-girl-who-came-from-america-to-england-when-i-was-only/)

[Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/)

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