--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm trying not to think about it too much…" description: "\"“I'm trying not to think about it too much because that makes it worse. It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b7/stephen-chbosky-387_mirror_i-m-trying-not-to-think-about-it-too-muc_1626675.png" --- # I'm trying not to think about it too much because that… ![“I'm trying not to think about it too much because that makes it worse. It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name. And it gets to a point where none of it seems real. I can do that, but I don't need an hour in front of a mirror. It happens very fast, and things…” quote by Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b7/stephen-chbosky-387_mirror_i-m-trying-not-to-think-about-it-too-muc_1626675.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b7/stephen-chbosky-387_mirror_i-m-trying-not-to-think-about-it-too-muc_1626675.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b7/stephen-chbosky-387_mirror_i-m-trying-not-to-think-about-it-too-muc_1626675.png) > ““I'm trying not to think about it too much because that makes it worse. It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name. And it gets to a point where none of it seems real. I can do that, but I don't need an hour in front of a mirror. It happens very fast, and things start to slip away.”” [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overthinking intensifies distress; the narrator describes dissociation and the urge to avoid self‑reflection to prevent worsening feelings. **In simple terms:** Overthinking makes things worse; avoid excessive self‑scrutiny. Key Takeaway Limit rumination to protect mental health. Themes mental health rumination self‑awareness Mood introspective somber Type psychological reflective When to use this quote - therapy sessions - college life - personal crises Key Concepts cognitive overload identity crisis Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your overthinking? - How can you observe thoughts without judgment? A Different Perspective Avoiding reflection can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hour Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hour-mirror-344578/) [Look Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-mirror/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Mirror Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror-happens-344577/) [Mirror Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror-say/) ## Related quotes > [“It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name. And it gets to a point where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-kind-of-like-when-you-look-at-yourself-in-the-mirror-and-you-say/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name. 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I do it once a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-barakat/sometimes-you-gotta-look-yourself-in-the-mirror-and-say-you-are-the/) [Jack Barakat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-barakat/) > [Sometimes you gotta take a look at yourself in the mirror and say 'when in Rome.' -Ron Burgandy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchor-man/sometimes-you-gotta-take-a-look-at-yourself-in-the-mirror-and-say/) [Anchor Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchor-man/) > [When I was young, people would say I was ugly, but I never saw that. I would look in the mirror and say, 'They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dania-ramirez/when-i-was-young-people-would-say-i-was-ugly-but-i-never-saw-that-i/) [Dania Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dania-ramirez/) > [If you want to meet someone who can fix any situation you don't like, who can bring you happiness in spite of what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/if-you-want-to-meet-someone-who-can-fix-any-situation-you-don-t-like/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change; Then let it come: I have no dread of what Is called for by the instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-change-then-let-it-come-i-have/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [I don't think anyone wants to look in the mirror and say, 'I'm anti-woman.' They don't see themselves that way, and you can't treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/i-don-t-think-anyone-wants-to-look-in-the-mirror-and-say-i-m-anti/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [AM the kind that will look in the mirror and say wow, I love myself today more then yesterday. I love myself from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drusila-t/am-the-kind-that-will-look-in-the-mirror-and-say-wow-i-love-myself/) [Drusila T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drusila-t/) > [If you can look in the mirror and say I love myself, that's going to affect your interactions with people who look like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-faiyaz/if-you-can-look-in-the-mirror-and-say-i-love-myself-that-s-going-to/) [Brent Faiyaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-faiyaz/) > [It helps to even look in the mirror - and it sounds so cheesy - but if you just look in the mirror and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/it-helps-to-even-look-in-the-mirror-and-it-sounds-so-cheesy-but-if/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [I don't want to be another Jordan, Magic, or Isiah. When my career is over, I want to be able to look in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/i-don-t-want-to-be-another-jordan-magic-or-isiah-when-my-career-is/) [Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/) > [“Look in the mirror and say to yourself, 'I am innocent and I am beautiful and I am pure. And I am not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thia-keen/look-in-the-mirror-and-say-to-yourself-i-am-innocent-and-i-am/) [Thia Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thia-keen/) > [Every day I wake up I look in the mirror and I say to myself, 'It's time.' The reason for that is I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-buffer/every-day-i-wake-up-i-look-in-the-mirror-and-i-say-to-myself-it-s/) [Bruce Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-buffer/) ## More by Stephen Chbosky > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“It's great that you can listen and be a shoulder to someone, but what about when someone doesn't need a shoulder. What if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-great-that-you-can-listen-and-be-a-shoulder-to-someone-but-what/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Most of the people I know who were raised to be accommodating or were raised to just be nice and put everybody's needs ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/most-of-the-people-i-know-who-were-raised-to-be-accommodating-or-were/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I don’t want to start thinking again. Not like I have this last week. I can’t think again. Not ever again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-want-to-start-thinking-again-not-like-i-have-this-last-week-i/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“And then Patrick started running after the sunset. And Sam immediately followed him. And I saw them in silhouette. Running after the sun. Then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-then-patrick-started-running-after-the-sunset-and-sam-immediately/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [That was always my hope that that is exactly what I would do. It was always part of the dream of this story -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/that-was-always-my-hope-that-that-is-exactly-what-i-would-do-it-was/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [And she says she wants to expose me to all these great things. And to tell you the truth, I don't really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/and-she-says-she-wants-to-expose-me-to-all-these-great-things-and-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“I'm sorry I bothered you, Susan. I'm just having a tough time. That's all. Have a good one," I said and walked away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-m-sorry-i-bothered-you-susan-i-m-just-having-a-tough-time-that-s/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [When we were all getting ready to leave, I walked up to my grandfather and gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/when-we-were-all-getting-ready-to-leave-i-walked-up-to-my-grandfather/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. And he would think that the reason the photograph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/it-s-like-he-would-take-a-photograph-of-sam-and-the-photograph-would/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Five minutes of a lifetime were truly spent, and we felt young in a good way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/five-minutes-of-a-lifetime-were-truly-spent-and-we-felt-young-in-a/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I feel like a big faker because I've been putting my life back together, and nobody knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-feel-like-a-big-faker-because-i-ve-been-putting-my-life-back/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“So, this is my life. And I want you to know I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/so-this-is-my-life-and-i-want-you-to-know-i-am-both-happy-and-sad-and/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [If you care about somebody, you should want them to be happy. Even if you wind up being left out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/if-you-care-about-somebody-you-should-want-them-to-be-happy-even-if/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I wasn't raised very religiously because my parents went to Catholic school, but I do believe in God very much. I just never gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-wasn-t-raised-very-religiously-because-my-parents-went-to-catholic/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) [Explore all 558 Stephen Chbosky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## More Mirror quotes > [Hate nothing in another human being because your eyes is made looking at others but never at your own self except in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/hate-nothing-in-another-human-being-because-your-eyes-is-made-looking/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [I always look in the mirror to see somthing beautiful but all I see is me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/13-yearold/i-always-look-in-the-mirror-to-see-somthing-beautiful-but-all-i-see/) [13 Yearold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/13-yearold/) > [I fell upon Jenny Saville's work and loved these great big pieces she was painting, celebrating all things flesh and woman, and with great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-fell-upon-jenny-saville-s-work-and-loved-these-great-big-pieces-she/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [I wasn't happy with my body and I knew I had to do something to make myself feel better. I was looking at myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-pivarnick/i-wasn-t-happy-with-my-body-and-i-knew-i-had-to-do-something-to-make/) [Angelina Pivarnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-pivarnick/) > [A Margo for each of us--and each more mirror than window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/a-margo-for-each-of-us-and-each-more-mirror-than-window/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Our fashion for us, it's an expression; first of all of life, I put all of myself in my fashion. Sometimes it's good, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefano-gabbana/our-fashion-for-us-it-s-an-expression-first-of-all-of-life-i-put-all/) [Stefano Gabbana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefano-gabbana/) > [Think of me as a mirror. How you treat me is how I will treat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-of-me-as-a-mirror-how-you-treat-me-is-how-i-will-treat-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Even If I Don’t See it Again Even if I don’t see it again.–nor ever feel it I know it is–and that if once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-howe/even-if-i-don-t-see-it-again-even-if-i-don-t-see-it-again-nor-ever/) [Marie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-howe/) > [“nations never see themselves clearly in the mirror, much less when war preys on their minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/nations-never-see-themselves-clearly-in-the-mirror-much-less-when-war/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafón](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [When people look in the mirror, sometimes they see are their shells in the mirror, nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-look-in-the-mirror-sometimes-they-see-are-their-shells-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mirror, mirror, here I stand. Who is the fairest in the land?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mirror-mirror-here-i-stand-who-is-the-fairest-in-the-land/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Maybe it begins the day you pledge allegiance, face the flag and suddenly clutch your left clavicle because you find a tender puff of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-johnson/maybe-it-begins-the-day-you-pledge-allegiance-face-the-flag-and/) [Marilyn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-johnson/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [I turned back to the mirror, seeing that there were no lines on it. It was empty. "What happened to my mirror?" I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-turned-back-to-the-mirror-seeing-that-there-were-no-lines-on-it-it/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [If you long for peace, act in peace and harmony. If you want the world to change, start with the person in the mirror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-long-for-peace-act-in-peace-and-harmony-if-you-want-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,876 Mirror quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm trying not to think about it too much because that makes it worse. It's kind of like when you look at yourself in the mirror and you say your name. And it gets to a point where none of it seems real. I can do that, but I don't need an hour in front of a mirror. 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