--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Depression is a red herring,\" said…" description: "\"“Depression is a red herring,\" said Nariman. \"I think a lot about the past, it's true. But at my age, the past is more present than the here and now. a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/rohinton-mistry-4393_aging_depression-is-a-red-herring-said-nariman_1435138.png" --- # Depression is a red herring," said Nariman. "I think a lot… ![“Depression is a red herring," said Nariman. "I think a lot about the past, it's true. But at my age, the past is more present than the here and now. and there is not much percentage in the future.” quote by Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/rohinton-mistry-4393_aging_depression-is-a-red-herring-said-nariman_1435138.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/rohinton-mistry-4393_aging_depression-is-a-red-herring-said-nariman_1435138.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/rohinton-mistry-4393_aging_depression-is-a-red-herring-said-nariman_1435138.png) > ““Depression is a red herring," said Nariman. "I think a lot about the past, it's true. But at my age, the past is more present than the here and now. and there is not much percentage in the future.”” [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Depression skews perception of time, making past feel immediate and future negligible. **In simple terms:** Depression blurs past and future. Key Takeaway Seek present‑focused coping. Themes mental health time perception depression Mood reflective somber Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - therapy - journaling - mindful meditation Key Concepts psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on now help you? - What strategies bring future hope? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Past present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-present/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I think a lot about the past, it's true. But at my age, the past is more present than the here and now. and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/i-think-a-lot-about-the-past-it-s-true-but-at-my-age-the-past-is-more/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“His error lay in supposing that this age, more than any past or future one, is destined to see the tattered garments of Antiquity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/his-error-lay-in-supposing-that-this-age-more-than-any-past-or-future/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [You can only understand the present age when it is past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-suyin/you-can-only-understand-the-present-age-when-it-is-past/) [Han Suyin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-suyin/) > [Something happened culturally: No one is supposed to age past 45 - sartorially, cosmetically, attitudinally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mcdormand/something-happened-culturally-no-one-is-supposed-to-age-past-45/) [Frances McDormand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mcdormand/) > [“Men can become twins with age. The past was their common womb; the six months of rain and the six months of sun was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/men-can-become-twins-with-age-the-past-was-their-common-womb-the-six/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“To Vic and other kids his age, the past didn't exist except as a quick, oversimplified Wikipedia snippets, that ultimately didn't matter because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hontiveros/to-vic-and-other-kids-his-age-the-past-didn-t-exist-except-as-a-quick/) David Hontiveros > [People are marked down for their age - once you get past 30, people look at you a bit funny. When you get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-alves/people-are-marked-down-for-their-age-once-you-get-past-30-people-look/) [Dani Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-alves/) > [“It's very difficult to keep the line between the past and the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-beale/it-s-very-difficult-to-keep-the-line-between-the-past-and-the-present/) Edith Beale > [Art is an evolution of techniques and materials from past to present and we can't stop learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-warren/art-is-an-evolution-of-techniques-and-materials-from-past-to-present/) Robert Warren > [“Absolute means Universal or fixed. So I think nothing is fixed and universal in Conscious manner. But I also think everything is fixed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajendra-prasad-ojha/absolute-means-universal-or-fixed-so-i-think-nothing-is-fixed-and/) Rajendra Prasad Ojha > [Turning 60 had an impact on my heart and soul, I must say, because you're dealing with time: past, present, and future. You suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/turning-60-had-an-impact-on-my-heart-and-soul-i-must-say-because-you/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [I've never really had a favorite player, past or present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magnus-carlsen/i-ve-never-really-had-a-favorite-player-past-or-present/) [Magnus Carlsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magnus-carlsen/) > [“At times I feel as if I had lived all this before and that I have already written these very words, but I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/at-times-i-feel-as-if-i-had-lived-all-this-before-and-that-i-have/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [“According to Greek mythology, Medusa is a Triple Goddess, one of three gorgon sisters—Sthenno, Euryale, and Medusa—representing past, present, and future. Only Medusa exists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-marler/according-to-greek-mythology-medusa-is-a-triple-goddess-one-of-three/) [Joan Marler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-marler/) > [ The most important thing I learned \[...\] was that when a person dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-that-when-a-person-dies-he/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) ## More by Rohinton Mistry > [You have to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/you-have-to-maintain-a-fine-balance-between-hope-and-despair/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [What folly made young people, even those in middle age, think they were immortal? How much better, their lives, if they could remember the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-folly-made-young-people-even-those-in-middle-age-think-they-were/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“What sense did the world make? Where was God, the Bloody Fool? Did He have no notion of fair and unfair? Couldn't He read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/what-sense-did-the-world-make-where-was-god-the-bloody-fool-did-he/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [Lately you are brooding too much about rights. Give up this dangerous habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/lately-you-are-brooding-too-much-about-rights-give-up-this-dangerous/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [Flirting with madness was one thing; when madness started flirting back, it was time to call the whole thing off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/flirting-with-madness-was-one-thing-when-madness-started-flirting/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“But since the world is imperfect, we must put blinders on the senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/but-since-the-world-is-imperfect-we-must-put-blinders-on-the-senses/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“And the further they go, the more they'll remember, they can take it from me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/and-the-further-they-go-the-more-they-ll-remember-they-can-take-it/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [World can be a bewildering place,and dreams and ambitions are often paths to the most pernicious of traps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/world-can-be-a-bewildering-place-and-dreams-and-ambitions-are-often/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“In those days," continued Ishvar, "it seemed to me that that was all one could expect in life. A harsh road strewn with sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/in-those-days-continued-ishvar-it-seemed-to-me-that-that-was-all-one/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“God is dead," said Maneck. "That's what a German philosopher wrote." She was shocked. "Trust the Germans to say such things," she frowned. "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/god-is-dead-said-maneck-that-s-what-a-german-philosopher-wrote-she/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“Where humans were concerned, the only emotion that made sense was wonder, at their ability to endure; and sorrow, for the hopelessness of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/where-humans-were-concerned-the-only-emotion-that-made-sense-was/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“I've done lots of jobs. Right now, I'm a hair collector." "That's good", said Ishvar tentatively. "What do you have to do as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/i-ve-done-lots-of-jobs-right-now-i-m-a-hair-collector-that-s-good/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [If there was an abundance of misery in the world, there was also sufficient joy, yes - as long as one knew where to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/if-there-was-an-abundance-of-misery-in-the-world-there-was-also/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [The whole quilt is much more important than any single square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/the-whole-quilt-is-much-more-important-than-any-single-square/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [...there was another, gorier parturition, when two nations incarnated out of one. A foreigner drew a magic line on a map and called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/there-was-another-gorier-parturition-when-two-nations-incarnated-out/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) [Explore all 110 Rohinton Mistry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) ## More Aging quotes > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [We'll never be as young as we are tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/we-ll-never-be-as-young-as-we-are-tonight/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Prayer of an Anonymous Abbess: Lord, thou knowest better than myself that I am growing older and will soon be old. Keep me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prayer-of-an-anonymous-abbess-lord-thou-knowest-better-than-myself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [So often do you see collegians enter life with high resolve and lofty purpose and then watch them shrink and shrink to sordid, selfish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/so-often-do-you-see-collegians-enter-life-with-high-resolve-and-lofty/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [All the dangers in our world are like a blessed wake up call. They tell us to live life NOW... not tomorrow, not when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/all-the-dangers-in-our-world-are-like-a-blessed-wake-up-call-they/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“You could see the signs of female aging as diseased, especially if you had a vested interest in making women too see them your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/you-could-see-the-signs-of-female-aging-as-diseased-especially-if-you/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [“It takes maturity to be able to laugh like a child again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moffat-machingura/it-takes-maturity-to-be-able-to-laugh-like-a-child-again/) [Moffat Machingura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moffat-machingura/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Growing old-it's not nice, but it's interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/growing-old-it-s-not-nice-but-it-s-interesting/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [Anything is possible in the life of a man if he lives long enough. Even maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howell-raines/anything-is-possible-in-the-life-of-a-man-if-he-lives-long-enough/) [Howell Raines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howell-raines/) > [I just want to be Patty McCormack. I want to spend every year aging the way she has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-varney/i-just-want-to-be-patty-mccormack-i-want-to-spend-every-year-aging/) [Janet Varney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-varney/) > [Maturity is reached the day we don't need to be lied to about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-yerby/maturity-is-reached-the-day-we-don-t-need-to-be-lied-to-about-anything/) [Frank Yerby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-yerby/) [Browse all 2,792 Aging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Depression is a red herring,\" said Nariman. \"I think a lot about the past, it's true. 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