--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier…" description: "\"Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier that keeps us from seeing a person who is lost, in pain, and in desperate need of help.\" — Steven Levenkron" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/steven-levenkron-30080_barriers_self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier_1098128.png" --- # Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier that keeps us… ![“Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier that keeps us from seeing a person who is lost, in pain, and in desperate need of help.” quote by Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/steven-levenkron-30080_barriers_self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier_1098128.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/steven-levenkron-30080_barriers_self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier_1098128.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/steven-levenkron-30080_barriers_self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier_1098128.png) > “Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier that keeps us from seeing a person who is lost, in pain, and in desperate need of help.” [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self-harm creates a barrier that hides a person's deep pain, preventing others from recognizing their need for help. **In simple terms:** Self-harm masks suffering. Key Takeaway Seek to understand hidden pain. Themes mental health self-harm empathy Mood somber compassionate Type educational reflective When to use this quote - counseling sessions - support groups - family discussions Key Concepts psychology trauma communication Questions to Reflect On - How can you safely support someone self-harming? - What signs indicate hidden distress? A Different Perspective Recovery requires confronting the barrier directly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barriers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) [Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desperate/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Frightening Barrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening-barrier-2874180/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Mutilation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutilation/) [Mutilation Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutilation-frightening-2874179/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain Desperate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-desperate-2874181/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self mutilation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-mutilation/) ## Related quotes > [“Well how many troubles should equal a legitimate reason for self-mutilation? Ten? Twenty? One hundred? And how monumental must these troubles be? There’s probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-kettlewell/well-how-many-troubles-should-equal-a-legitimate-reason-for-self/) [Caroline Kettlewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-kettlewell/) > [Male domination, and the low and stigmatised status of women, cause teenage girls to engage in punishment of their bodies through eating disorders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-jeffreys/male-domination-and-the-low-and-stigmatised-status-of-women-cause/) [Sheila Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-jeffreys/) > [Lust and self-mutilation are closely related impulses. There are also self-mutilators among knowers: they do not want to be creators under any circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/lust-and-self-mutilation-are-closely-related-impulses-there-are-also/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Ripped apart, limb by limb, shattereing bones, heart caving in. Self mutilation, scar after scar, empty and having warn like tar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/ripped-apart-limb-by-limb-shattereing-bones-heart-caving-in-self/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [“You might imagine that a person would resort to self-mutilation only under extremes of duress, but once I'd crossed that line the first time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-kettlewell/you-might-imagine-that-a-person-would-resort-to-self-mutilation-only/) [Caroline Kettlewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-kettlewell/) > [The Christian faith from the beginning, is sacrifice the sacrifice of all freedom, all pride, all self-confidence of spirit, it is at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-christian-faith-from-the-beginning-is-sacrifice-the-sacrifice-of/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The first act of violence that patriarchy demands of males is not violence toward women. Instead patriarchy demands of all males that they engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-first-act-of-violence-that-patriarchy-demands-of-males-is-not/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Maybe writing can't be taught, but editing can be taught—prayer, fasting and self-mutilation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/maybe-writing-can-t-be-taught-but-editing-can-be-taught-prayer/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“I didn't respond to him. Couldn't speak at all. Couldn't look at his self-mutilation--not even the clean, bandaged version of it. Instead, I looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/i-didn-t-respond-to-him-couldn-t-speak-at-all-couldn-t-look-at-his/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“How did one even fraternize with people who could not entertain vivid scenarios of self-mutilation? How was the sexual act even possible if one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/how-did-one-even-fraternize-with-people-who-could-not-entertain-vivid/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [“I don't think you can get really out of anorexia (or any addiction, for that matter) until you simply have no other choice, until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-don-t-think-you-can-get-really-out-of-anorexia-or-any-addiction-for/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Part of the main plan of imperialism... is that we will give you your history, we will write it for you, we will re-order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/part-of-the-main-plan-of-imperialism-is-that-we-will-give-you-your/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [“I know exactly how that is. To love somebody who doesn’t deserve it. Because they are all you have. Because any attention is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-know-exactly-how-that-is-to-love-somebody-who-doesn-t-deserve-it-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hold the blade in trembling hands Prepare to make it, but Just then the phone rang, I never had the nerve to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink-floyd/i-hold-the-blade-in-trembling-hands-prepare-to-make-it-but-just-then/) [Pink Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink-floyd/) > [“I tried cutting myself to express my heartbreak over Tommy (Lord Flood) rejecting me, but OMFG it hurts like flaming fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/i-tried-cutting-myself-to-express-my-heartbreak-over-tommy-lord-flood/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) ## More by Steven Levenkron > [Kessa ran her fingers over her stomach. Flat. But was it flat enough? Not quite. She still had some way to go. Just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/kessa-ran-her-fingers-over-her-stomach-flat-but-was-it-flat-enough/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [The nerves of the skin send pain signals to the brain to warn us of the danger from and impending injury. In the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/the-nerves-of-the-skin-send-pain-signals-to-the-brain-to-warn-us-of/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [Repetition brings familiarity, and familiarity is the opposite of the unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/repetition-brings-familiarity-and-familiarity-is-the-opposite-of-the/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [ “\[. . .\] and in addition to the feeling of being full there was another more terrifying one, as if a hundred appetites were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/and-in-addition-to-the-feeling-of-being-full-there-was-another-more/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [“This morning Kessa was in control again. She lifted her left breast with her right hand and pinched it hard. The girl in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/this-morning-kessa-was-in-control-again-she-lifted-her-left-breast/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [She lay on her back and walked her fingers down her ribs, skipped them over her abdomen, and landed on her pelvic bones. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/she-lay-on-her-back-and-walked-her-fingers-down-her-ribs-skipped-them/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [She'd lost two more pounds. A picture of the models she'd cut out of the magazine flashed through Kessa's mind. And the winner is...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/she-d-lost-two-more-pounds-a-picture-of-the-models-she-d-cut-out-of/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [“Well, Kessa, I am glad to see that you're taking your body seriously. I shudder when I see the girls leaving class and heading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/well-kessa-i-am-glad-to-see-that-you-re-taking-your-body-seriously-i/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [She ran her hands over her body as if to bid it good-bye. The hipbones rising from a shrunken stomach were razor-sharp. Would they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/she-ran-her-hands-over-her-body-as-if-to-bid-it-good-bye-the-hipbones/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [“Fat bitch," Kessa murmured as the door scraped closed behind Mrs. Stone. "She meant well, Francesca. And you see, everyone thinks you're too thin."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/fat-bitch-kessa-murmured-as-the-door-scraped-closed-behind-mrs-stone/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [Soon I'll be thinner than all of you, she swore to herself. And then I'll be the winner. The thinner is the winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/soon-i-ll-be-thinner-than-all-of-you-she-swore-to-herself-and-then-i/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [How silly people were to eat. They thought they needed food for energy, but they didn't. Energy came from will, from self-control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/how-silly-people-were-to-eat-they-thought-they-needed-food-for-energy/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [Kessa began to cut her meat into tiny pieces. As a whole it was unmanageable, frightening; but divided and arranged, the meat could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/kessa-began-to-cut-her-meat-into-tiny-pieces-as-a-whole-it-was/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [“She used to look forward to changing in the locker room when other girls stole shocked glances at her emaciated body last spring. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/she-used-to-look-forward-to-changing-in-the-locker-room-when-other/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) > [She began to be reassured by these pains, tangible symbols of her success in becoming thinner than anyone else. Her only identity was being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/she-began-to-be-reassured-by-these-pains-tangible-symbols-of-her/) [Steven Levenkron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) [Explore all 17 Steven Levenkron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/) ## More Barriers quotes > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The gear you can't afford is not the barrier keeping you from success. Gear has very little to do with photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-jarvis/the-gear-you-can-t-afford-is-not-the-barrier-keeping-you-from-success/) [Chase Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-jarvis/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [Security is a component of everyday life that one spending time in Washington, D.C., gets accustomed to. Metal detectors, police vehicle barriers and heavily-armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-crapo/security-is-a-component-of-everyday-life-that-one-spending-time-in/) [Mike Crapo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-crapo/) > [The biggest obstacles to our progress exist within our own lives in the form of cowardice and the tendency to give up. Breaking through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/the-biggest-obstacles-to-our-progress-exist-within-our-own-lives-in/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [I feel that there are a few things in the world without cultural barriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-feel-that-there-are-a-few-things-in-the-world-without-cultural/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [English literature is a glorious inheritance which is open to all - there are no barriers, no coupons, and no restrictions. In the English…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/english-literature-is-a-glorious-inheritance-which-is-open-to-all/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I've cosponsored legislation to establish a lend-lease program to simplify bureaucratic barriers and allow a speedier transfer of U.S. military equipment to Ukraine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/i-ve-cosponsored-legislation-to-establish-a-lend-lease-program-to/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [Don't be afraid of what you want. This is your time. The barriers are down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/don-t-be-afraid-of-what-you-want-this-is-your-time-the-barriers-are/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Fear is the single biggest barrier to creativity. Unless we're brave enough to risk looking foolish, we'll inevitably find ourselves sticking to the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-linkner/fear-is-the-single-biggest-barrier-to-creativity-unless-we-re-brave/) [Josh Linkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-linkner/) > [He looked at my lips. I suddenly found myself wanting to lick his. 'Yes,' he replied, his eyes going molten. My breath caught in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-macalister/he-looked-at-my-lips-i-suddenly-found-myself-wanting-to-lick-his-yes/) [Katie MacAlister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-macalister/) > [What do you have to surrender? A drop has to dissolve into the ocean to become the ocean. And a drop cannot be greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/what-do-you-have-to-surrender-a-drop-has-to-dissolve-into-the-ocean/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [“One way to generate a precise customer value proposition is to think about the four most common barriers keeping people from getting particular jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-johnson/one-way-to-generate-a-precise-customer-value-proposition-is-to-think/) [Mark W. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-johnson/) [Browse all 1,191 Barriers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barriers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier that keeps us from seeing a person who is lost, in pain, and in desperate need of help.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Levenkron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier-that-keeps-us-from-seeing-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barriers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier-that-keeps-us-from-seeing-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/steven-levenkron-30080_barriers_self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier_1098128.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/steven-levenkron-30080_barriers_self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier_1098128.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/steven-levenkron-30080_barriers_self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier_1098128.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier that keeps us from seeing a person who is lost, in pain, and in…” — Steven Levenkron", "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": "Steven Levenkron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levenkron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Self-mutilation is a frightening barrier that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier-that-keeps-us-from-seeing-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levenkron/self-mutilation-is-a-frightening-barrier-that-keeps-us-from-seeing-a/#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 } } ] } ```