--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have developed this unbelievable…" description: "\"We have developed this unbelievable ability to deny. We have to. If we didn't, we'd go crazy.\" — Patty Duke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/patty-duke-14964_ability_we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-abil_3171264.jpg" --- # We have developed this unbelievable ability to deny. We… ![“We have developed this unbelievable ability to deny. We have to. If we didn't, we'd go crazy.” quote by Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/patty-duke-14964_ability_we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-abil_3171264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/patty-duke-14964_ability_we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-abil_3171264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/patty-duke-14964_ability_we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-abil_3171264.jpg) > “We have developed this unbelievable ability to deny. We have to. If we didn't, we'd go crazy.” [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes denial as a necessary mental defense to avoid madness, implying it can be both protective and harmful. **In simple terms:** Denial protects sanity but can be risky. Key Takeaway Use denial wisely, seek balance. Themes psychology coping mental health defense mechanisms Mood cautious empathetic Type advice psychological When to use this quote - stressful events - grief - trauma recovery - high-pressure jobs Key Concepts self-preservation reality testing emotional regulation Questions to Reflect On - When is denial helpful? - How can you transition from denial to acceptance? A Different Perspective Overreliance on denial may prevent confronting problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ethos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethos/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) ## Related quotes > [The most important thing for me was to never, ever, ever deny it. But I didn't really have the courage to talk about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/the-most-important-thing-for-me-was-to-never-ever-ever-deny-it-but-i/) [Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/) > [It is not the ability to deny happiness but the inability to find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-not-the-ability-to-deny-happiness-but-the-inability-to-find-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whatever he might have denied me was unimportant; it was the fact that he could deny me anything at all, even what I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/whatever-he-might-have-denied-me-was-unimportant-it-was-the-fact-that/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“What was invented with civilization was the ability of some to deny sensuality to others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-manning/what-was-invented-with-civilization-was-the-ability-of-some-to-deny/) [Richard Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-manning/) > [I didn't find myself in this crazy ground i feel so dim and hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-didn-t-find-myself-in-this-crazy-ground-i-feel-so-dim-and-hard/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [“Uncle Stash said you didn't have to be crazy to to do something stupid, just young.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lansens/uncle-stash-said-you-didn-t-have-to-be-crazy-to-to-do-something/) [Lori Lansens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lansens/) > [“I smiled a little. “Everyone knows, is all. That I went crazy or whatever.” “Oh, sweetie,” she said. “You didn’t go crazy. You’ve always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-smiled-a-little-everyone-knows-is-all-that-i-went-crazy-or-whatever/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I didn't do that many crazy things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/i-didn-t-do-that-many-crazy-things/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [When alien abductees recount to me their stories, I do not deny that they had a real experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/when-alien-abductees-recount-to-me-their-stories-i-do-not-deny-that/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim Him with their mouths and deny Him with their actions is what an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rahner/the-number-one-cause-of-atheism-is-christians-those-who-proclaim-him/) [Karl Rahner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rahner/) > [Political correctness is a major defect of the western ethos. Some Western countries have even passed blasphemy laws that would put you in legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/political-correctness-is-a-major-defect-of-the-western-ethos-some/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [Let's assume for the moment that the logic behind Presidents Day is actually sound for certain presidents. Why not have a separate holiday for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/let-s-assume-for-the-moment-that-the-logic-behind-presidents-day-is/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [I myself am consummately middle class. We grew up in upper-middle-class suburbs in Oklahoma City, and thats very much the same ethos as what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-bailey/i-myself-am-consummately-middle-class-we-grew-up-in-upper-middle/) [Blake Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-bailey/) > [I'm an Indian and I shall not do anything that goes against my ethos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-m-an-indian-and-i-shall-not-do-anything-that-goes-against-my-ethos/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) ## More by Patty Duke > [I've come to believe that whoever I am didn't start on December 14, 1946, and isn't going to end on whatever that mysterious date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-ve-come-to-believe-that-whoever-i-am-didn-t-start-on-december-14/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I still have highs and lows, just like any other person. What's missing is the lack of control over the super highs, which became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-still-have-highs-and-lows-just-like-any-other-person-what-s-missing/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I have been afraid all my life that I am going to die. All my life it has been stuffed in my imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-have-been-afraid-all-my-life-that-i-am-going-to-die-all-my-life-it/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [If I have any message for others, it is to go for help early and not to be a resistant patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/if-i-have-any-message-for-others-it-is-to-go-for-help-early-and-not/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [The mania started with insomnia and not eating and being driven, driven to find an apartment, driven to see everybody, driven to do New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/the-mania-started-with-insomnia-and-not-eating-and-being-driven/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I never did quite fit the glamour mode. It is life with my husband and family that is my high now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-never-did-quite-fit-the-glamour-mode-it-is-life-with-my-husband-and/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [You can have manic depression without having an ounce of creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/you-can-have-manic-depression-without-having-an-ounce-of-creativity/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [The panic attacks - I still have them. They started when I was around 8. They always have to do with my death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/the-panic-attacks-i-still-have-them-they-started-when-i-was-around-8/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [Human beings have speculated about the relationship between inspiration and insanity for centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/human-beings-have-speculated-about-the-relationship-between/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [We call that Sean's little independent movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/we-call-that-sean-s-little-independent-movie/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I know that without treatment I would not have never been able to harness my creativity in such a successful way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-know-that-without-treatment-i-would-not-have-never-been-able-to/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I'm living out a childhood fantasy. Our house is in a historic district of a small town that I used to read about in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-m-living-out-a-childhood-fantasy-our-house-is-in-a-historic/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I was just sort of moving through time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-was-just-sort-of-moving-through-time/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [All I will tell you is that I play a small role in someone's happily ever after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/all-i-will-tell-you-is-that-i-play-a-small-role-in-someone-s-happily/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) > [I'm going to be 58, and I'm a woman. In this business, that seems to be a bigger crime than being mentally ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/i-m-going-to-be-58-and-i-m-a-woman-in-this-business-that-seems-to-be/) [Patty Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) [Explore all 44 Patty Duke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have developed this unbelievable ability to deny. We have to. If we didn't, we'd go crazy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patty Duke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-ability-to-deny-we-have-to-if-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-ability-to-deny-we-have-to-if-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/patty-duke-14964_ability_we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-abil_3171264.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/patty-duke-14964_ability_we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-abil_3171264.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78a/patty-duke-14964_ability_we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-abil_3171264.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have developed this unbelievable ability to deny. We have to. If we didn't, we'd go crazy.” — Patty Duke", "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": "Patty Duke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-duke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have developed this unbelievable ability...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-ability-to-deny-we-have-to-if-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-duke/we-have-developed-this-unbelievable-ability-to-deny-we-have-to-if-we/#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 } } ] } ```