--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Secrets can eat you alive. They break…" description: "\"Secrets can eat you alive. They break down your soul. It's better to have them in the open\" — Sara Shepard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/sara-shepard-1948_alive_secrets-can-eat-you-alive-they-break-dow_1854603.png" --- # Secrets can eat you alive. They break down your soul. It's… ![“Secrets can eat you alive. They break down your soul. It's better to have them in the open” quote by Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/sara-shepard-1948_alive_secrets-can-eat-you-alive-they-break-dow_1854603.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/sara-shepard-1948_alive_secrets-can-eat-you-alive-they-break-dow_1854603.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/sara-shepard-1948_alive_secrets-can-eat-you-alive-they-break-dow_1854603.png) > “Secrets can eat you alive. They break down your soul. It's better to have them in the open” [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hidden secrets weigh heavily, eroding inner peace; openness prevents psychological decay. **In simple terms:** Secrets damage the soul; share them. Key Takeaway Practice transparency. Themes secrets psychology well‑being Mood reflective serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships Key Concepts mental health conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - What secret are you holding? - How could sharing help? A Different Perspective Keeping everything hidden can harm relationships and self‑esteem. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Better Open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-open-1550299/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-soul-819377/) [Breaking down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-down/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Secrets Eat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets-eat-2457033/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-better-1308403/) [Your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-soul/) ## Related quotes > [I lied for years and years. And the thing about lies and secrets is that they eat you alive from the inside. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hamilton/i-lied-for-years-and-years-and-the-thing-about-lies-and-secrets-is/) [Tyler Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hamilton/) > [I will be waiting here… For your silence to break, For your soul to shake, For your love to wake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/i-will-be-waiting-here-for-your-silence-to-break-for-your-soul-to/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [You're playing with Pandora's box. Sometimes it's better not to open it. Sometimes, it's better not to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-de-rosnay/you-re-playing-with-pandora-s-box-sometimes-it-s-better-not-to-open/) [Tatiana de Rosnay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-de-rosnay/) > [I'll just get better as I go along because I'm open to getting better. If you have the goods, there's nothing to be afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/i-ll-just-get-better-as-i-go-along-because-i-m-open-to-getting-better/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [“Better is open rebuke         than hidden love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/better-is-open-rebuke-than-hidden-love/) [Crossway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crossway/) > [It's better to be an open sinner than a false saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle/it-s-better-to-be-an-open-sinner-than-a-false-saint/) [Danielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle/) > [Don't ever let anyone break your soul. You have to stand on your own two feet and fight. There are those who would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-ever-let-anyone-break-your-soul-you-have-to-stand-on-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dont let anyone ever break your soul. You have to stand on your own two feet and stand up for yourself. There are those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-let-anyone-ever-break-your-soul-you-have-to-stand-on-your-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Human making is our mission, but if you break the very soul of the would-be humans, then there will be no human to raise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/human-making-is-our-mission-but-if-you-break-the-very-soul-of-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“If you fall in love with a woman, she might break your heart; but if you fall in love with money, it will break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-fall-in-love-with-a-woman-she-might-break-your-heart-but-if/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“They would not break my soul. They would not see my pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/they-would-not-break-my-soul-they-would-not-see-my-pain/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [Dangerous feelings break out my soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inna/dangerous-feelings-break-out-my-soul/) [Inna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inna/) > [“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will break my soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-lopez/sticks-and-stones-may-break-my-bones-but-words-will-break-my-soul/) [Kathryn Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-lopez/) > [“Giving someone a piece of your soul is better than giving a piece of your heart. Because souls are eternal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-boswell/giving-someone-a-piece-of-your-soul-is-better-than-giving-a-piece-of/) [Helen Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-boswell/) > [I am not a hero in soul and never will be, but I am better than I was before. Or so I tell myself;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/i-am-not-a-hero-in-soul-and-never-will-be-but-i-am-better-than-i-was/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) ## More by Sara Shepard > [I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-am-a-big-outliner-for-my-adult-book-the-visibles-i-did-not-outline/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“Girls fight much dirtier than boys”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/girls-fight-much-dirtier-than-boys/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“all of us are damaged in our own ways. It's just that most people call it 'experience'. And you've had a lot of experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/all-of-us-are-damaged-in-our-own-ways-it-s-just-that-most-people-call/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [It's amazing what you don't see, though. Even when it's right in front of your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/it-s-amazing-what-you-don-t-see-though-even-when-it-s-right-in-front/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Sutton's dead. Tell no one. Keep playing along... or you're next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/sutton-s-dead-tell-no-one-keep-playing-along-or-you-re-next/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Its more fun to think of the future than dwell on the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/its-more-fun-to-think-of-the-future-than-dwell-on-the-past/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“Pull yourself together, bitch. He's just a guy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/pull-yourself-together-bitch-he-s-just-a-guy/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [I understood we used to be close. But they were like books i'd read two summer ago; I knew I'd liked them, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-understood-we-used-to-be-close-but-they-were-like-books-i-d-read/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Everybody has a secret and everybody has problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/everybody-has-a-secret-and-everybody-has-problems/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“You Know What They Say About Hope. It Breeds Eternal Misery. -Spencer Hastings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/you-know-what-they-say-about-hope-it-breeds-eternal-misery-spencer/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Every pretty girl is a heartbreaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/every-pretty-girl-is-a-heartbreaker/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“I know what I know,” she said softly. “But I let go of the fury I had for that boy a long time ago.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-know-what-i-know-she-said-softly-but-i-let-go-of-the-fury-i-had-for/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“I will never forget that moments, or the moments that came after”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-will-never-forget-that-moments-or-the-moments-that-came-after/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [“Get ready to meet your maker. It won’t be long now. Kisses! A (the real one)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/get-ready-to-meet-your-maker-it-won-t-be-long-now-kisses-a-the-real/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [It's not fun to keep secrets, but sometimes you have to do it to protect yourself. And to protect people around you. - Meredith,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/it-s-not-fun-to-keep-secrets-but-sometimes-you-have-to-do-it-to/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) [Explore all 193 Sara Shepard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Secrets can eat you alive. They break down your soul. 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