--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An individual in despair despairs over…" description: "\"An individual in despair despairs over something. . . . In despairing over something, he really despair[s] over himself, and now he wants to get rid of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/soren-kierkegaard-578_despair_an-individual-in-despair-despairs-over-s_2865905.jpg" --- # An individual in despair despairs over something. . . . In… ![“An individual in despair despairs over something. . . . In despairing over something, he really despair[s] over himself, and now he wants to get rid of himself. Consequently, to despair over something is still not despair proper. . . . To despair over oneself, in despair to will to be rid of…” quote by Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/soren-kierkegaard-578_despair_an-individual-in-despair-despairs-over-s_2865905.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/soren-kierkegaard-578_despair_an-individual-in-despair-despairs-over-s_2865905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/807/soren-kierkegaard-578_despair_an-individual-in-despair-despairs-over-s_2865905.jpg) > “An individual in despair despairs over something. . . . In despairing over something, he really despair\[s\] over himself, and now he wants to get rid of himself. Consequently, to despair over something is still not despair proper. . . . To despair over oneself, in despair to will to be rid of oneself-this is the formula for all despair.” [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Despair about something leads to self‑despair; true despair is self‑destruction, not just external loss. **In simple terms:** Despair about something becomes self‑despair. Key Takeaway Address root causes, not just symptoms. Themes existential psychology self‑reflection Mood somber introspective Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - mental health - personal crises - spiritual growth - therapy Key Concepts despair theory self‑identity Questions to Reflect On - What internal beliefs fuel your despair? - How can you transform despair into growth? A Different Perspective Ignoring self‑despair can deepen suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Despair Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair-despair-405145/) [Despair Proper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair-proper-3893626/) [Formulas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formulas/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individuality/) [Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself/) [Oneself Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself-despair-807583/) [Proper Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proper-despair-3893627/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [“There’s no reason to live, but there’s no reason to die, either. 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You don't - surrender to events with hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/don-t-despair-despair-suggests-you-are-in-total-control-and-know-what/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“they no longer had any hope, but they had despair. Despair is a last weapon that sometimes brings victory; Virgil said so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/they-no-longer-had-any-hope-but-they-had-despair-despair-is-a-last/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [ It's one thing to be discouraged. It's another thing to have despair. Despair is when you think there's just no end to this \[suffering\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/it-s-one-thing-to-be-discouraged-it-s-another-thing-to-have-despair/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Despair, or folly?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. 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Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-b-brewer/) > [“She hadn’t thought anything could squeeze past the pain in her head, the ache in her stomach, the sizzle of shame in her blood.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/she-hadn-t-thought-anything-could-squeeze-past-the-pain-in-her-head/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [Despair is despair, sorrow is sorrow, death is death. It's not about who is experiencing it; it's about building a bridge of empathy across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/okieriete-onaodowan/despair-is-despair-sorrow-is-sorrow-death-is-death-it-s-not-about-who/) [Okieriete Onaodowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/okieriete-onaodowan/) > [“Either Conquer Your Despair Or Your Despair Will Conquer You!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/either-conquer-your-despair-or-your-despair-will-conquer-you/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [Marriage...we cannot do without it, and yet we disgrace and vilify the same. It may be compared to a cage, the birds without despair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/marriage-we-cannot-do-without-it-and-yet-we-disgrace-and-vilify-the/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More by Soren Kierkegaard > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Christians remind me of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christians-remind-me-of-schoolboys-who-want-to-look-up-the-answers-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [People commonly travel the world over to see rivers and mountains, new stars, garish birds, freak fish, grotesque breeds of human; they fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/people-commonly-travel-the-world-over-to-see-rivers-and-mountains-new/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“A strange thing happened to me in my dream. 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The important thing is to make a beginning and get under way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/a-road-well-begun-is-the-battle-half-won-the-important-thing-is-to/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [I have, I believe, the courage to doubt everything; I have, I believe, the courage to fight against everything; but I do not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/i-have-i-believe-the-courage-to-doubt-everything-i-have-i-believe-the/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) [Explore all 462 Soren Kierkegaard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. 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It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) [Louaiq8](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louaiq8/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. 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Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An individual in despair despairs over something. . . . In despairing over something, he really despair[s] over himself, and now he wants to get rid of himself. Consequently, to despair over something is still not despair proper. . . . 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