Here’s a list of 130 of the best depression quotes I could find. Whether you’re a kid, teenager, or adult, I hope you’ll find relief, meaning, and perhaps inspiration. You’ll discover quotes by Lao Tzu, Osho, Rumi, and more.

I created this article because I’ve been depressed too. So please keep in mind: you’re not alone. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255 or the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to find help today. There is also the Drug Abuse & Addiction Hotline at 1-844-289-0879. Stay strong my friend.

There are times when explanations, no matter how reasonable, just don’t seem to help. Fred Rogers

There is no person in this whole world who is a mistake, no matter how different that person may seem. Fred Rogers

You are strong. You are beautiful. You are resilient. You are loved. You are capable. You are not weak. You are not defected. You are not weird. You are not a lost cause. You are not different. Unknown

It is easy to be heavy: hard to be light. G.K. Chesterton

No darkness lasts forever. And even there, there are stars. Ursula K. Le Guin (The Farthest Shore)

We know you’re tired, tired and scared. Happens to everyone, okay? Just don’t let your feet stop. Haruki Murakami

A depressing and difficult passage has prefaced every page I have turned in life. Charlotte Brontë

Depression lies. It tells you you’ve always felt this way, and you always will. But you haven’t, and you won’t. Halley Cornell

No storm, not even the one in your life, can last forever. The storm is just passing over. Iyanla Vanzant

The more you see and accept reality, the more you’ll understand and love yourself. Maxime Lagacé

There are some things about myself I can’t explain to anyone. There are some things I don’t understand at all. Haruki Murakami

Depression is, in part, grief for your own life not turning out how it should; grief for your own needs not being met. Johann Hari

Love your future more than your past. Joe Dispenza

The shadows are as important as the light. Charlotte Brontë

Winter always comes to an end, always. Maxime Lagacé

Related

• 100 Loneliness Quotes To Comfort And Inspire You
• 100 Mental Health Quotes To Comfort, Encourage, Inspire
• 100 Hope Quotes That Will Nourish Your Soul

The Best Depression Quotes

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Life begins on the other side of despair. Jean-Paul Sartre (Nausea)

You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes. Winnie the Pooh

Sometimes, when I say “I am ok”, I want someone to hold me tight, look me in the eyes and say “No, I know you are not”. Paulo Coelho (Hippie)

There is no normal life that is free of pain. It’s the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth. Fred Rogers

Going through anxiety or depression or any other psychological condition doesn’t make you unlovable – it makes you human. Seth J. Gillihan (Related: Yes, You Are Lovable With Depression and Anxiety, webmd.com)

Never lose hope. This life is worth the struggle. Your future self is pleading with you to stay. You are more than your thoughts. You are more than your fears and stronger than you give yourself credit for. Unknown

All obstacles that are perceived with love can transform into the greatest life lessons. Gabby Bernstein

If you are depressed and anxious, the main thing I want to tell you is: your pain makes sense. It has meaning. You aren’t a machine with broken parts. You are a human being with unmet needs. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re crazy or broken. You deserve love and practical support. Johann Hari

Being deluded and scared will make you suffocate. Being honest with yourself and responsible will make you breathe. Maxime Lagacé

It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem. G.K. Chesterton

The fundamental delusion – there is something out there that will make me happy and fulfilled forever. Naval Ravikant

Whereas pain is a physical experience, suffering is a mental one. It is the sense that things should be other than they are. Its antidote is acceptance. Wu Hsin

And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. Haruki Murakami

The wound is the place where the light enters you. Rumi

We cannot simply sit and stare at our wounds forever. We must stand up and move on to the next action. Haruki Murakami (1Q84)

It is in dialogue with pain that many beautiful things acquire their value. Alain de Botton (The Architecture of Happiness)

There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them. But they are there for a reason. Only when we have overcome them we will understand why they were there. Paulo Coelho

You know quite well, deep within you, that there is only a single magic, a single power, a single salvation…and that is called loving. Well, then, love your suffering. Do not resist it, do not flee from it. It is your aversion that hurts, nothing else. Hermann Hesse

Don’t cling to yesterday. It was beautiful, but it was yesterday. Osho

In the flame of awareness all problems are finally resolved. Jiddu Krishnamurti

Related: Start Your Recovery: Substance Abuse Resources & Support (startyourrecovery.org)

What Is Depression?

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Depression is a kind of constricted consciousness. Bill Richards

Depression isn’t a disease; depression is a normal response to abnormal life experiences. Johann Hari (Lost Connections)

The opposite of play is not work – the opposite of play is depression. Stuart Brown

What people think causes depression: being weak, being lazy, choosing to think negative. What actually causes depression: a loved one dying, trauma, bullying, low self-esteem, body image issues, financial struggles, genetic factors. Unknown

Depression is a medical condition. We need to create a world where people are as comfortable seeking care for their minds as they are for their bodies. Adam Grant

Depression is being colorblind and constantly told how colorful the world is. Atticus

Related: What is depression? – Helen M. Farrell (YouTube Ted-ED video)

Part 2. Depression Quotes That Are…

The Most Famous Depression Quotes (J.K. Rowling, Jim Carrey, Paulo Coelho, etc.)

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Depressed means you need deep rest from the character you’ve been playing in the world. Jim Carrey

Make peace with your past so it won’t destroy your present. Paulo Coelho (Hippie)

With depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone. Dwayne Johnson (The Rock)

Real change will come about not as a result of prayer, but of using intelligence and taking action. 14th Dalai Lama

I have never felt so much pain in my life. It was tough for me to even get out of bed and I had days when I couldn’t walk, let alone write a rhyme. Eminem

One of the best things that helps depression is work, and socialising with other people and connecting. Because when you work you find purpose. Trevor Noah (The Daily Show)

I was hiding out from the celebrity thing, I was smoking way too much dope. I was sitting on the couch and just turning into a doughnut, and I really got irritated with myself. I got to: ‘What’s the point? I know better than this. Brad Pitt

Therapy gives you another perspective when you are so lost in your own spiral, it helps. Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

You need to know that part of being strong and tough is having the courage to ask for help when you need it. You must not silently suffer. You are all in this together. And, if I may speak personally, we are all in this together because asking for help was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. You will me continually amazed how life changes for the better. Prince Harry

I’ve suffered through depression and anxiety my entire life. I just want these kids to know that this modern thing, where everyone is feeling shallow and less connected…that’s not human. Lady Gaga

I don’t feel very much like Pooh today. Winnie the Pooh

I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy because they know what it’s like to feel absolutely worthless and they don’t want anyone else to feel like that. Robin Williams

Depression is the most unpleasant thing I have ever experienced… It is that absence of being able to envisage that you will ever be cheerful again. The absence of hope. That very deadened feeling, which is so very different from feeling sad. Sad hurts but it’s a healthy feeling. It is a necessary thing to feel. Depression is very different. J.K. Rowling

I need one of those long hugs where you kinda forget whatever else is happening around you for minute. Marilyn Monroe

I’ll never forget how the depression and loneliness felt good and bad at the same time. Still does. Henry Rollins

People talk about depression all the time. The difference between depression and sadness is sadness is just from happenstance – whatever happened or didn’t happen for you, or grief, or whatever it is. Depression is your body saying f*ck you, I don’t want to be this character anymore, I don’t want to hold up this avatar that you’ve created in the world. It’s too much for me. Jim Carrey

You can’t stop the future. You can’t rewind the past. Hannah (13 Reasons Why)

I struggled with anxiety and depression and questioned whether or not I wanted to be alive anymore. It was when I hit this low that I decided to reach out and ask for the help of a licensed therapist. This decision ultimately helped save my life. You don’t have to wait for things. Michael Phelps

Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Winnie the Pooh

Related: Joe Rogan and Johann Hari on Depression and Anxiety (YouTube video)

Short Depression Quotes

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One-liners, short depression quotes, sayings, thoughts, and captions for your bio, social status, self-talk, motto, mantra, signs, posters, wallpapers, and backgrounds.

Nothing changes if nothing changes. Mel Robbins

Breathe. @DailyZen

There’s always a solution. Noah Kagan

Reframing is a super power. Rorty Witt

It won’t always be like this. Halley Cornell (Related: Things That Get Me Through Bad Depression Days, webmd.com)

I need a break from my own thoughts. Paulo Coelho

I’m too tired for long explanations. Haruki Murakami

The faster you accept reality, the faster you find peace of mind. Maxime Lagacé

Numb the dark and you numb the light. Brené Brown (Daring Greatly)

Do not stumble on something behind you. Seneca

No amount of social media will replace a hug, an handshake and a real look in the eyes. Maxime Lagacé

Real change requires a desire to change. Gabby Bernstein

The soul is healed by being with children. Fyodor Dostoevsky

Today’s hot pain is tomorrow’s cold wisdom. The Stoic Emperor

All of our miseries are nothing but attachment. Osho

The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves. Sophocles

When you don’t know what you need, you want everything. Thibaut

The act of releasing your shame is – in itself – healing. Johann Hari

Admitting you need help with depression or any challenge is strength. Lance Allred

The cure to depression is to reject modern culture. Rob Riker (Source)

Take your M.E.D.S.: MEDITATION – It’s easy to be constantly doing with no time to be. EXERCISE – Our body needs to be stretched. It’s a use it or lose it. DIET – Food for energy which builds and augments rather than destroys. SLEEP – Get the correct amount, feel great. Thibaut

Inspirational Depression Quotes

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Only stepping out of old ruts will bring new insights. Andy Grove

The Universe has your back even when things aren’t working out the way you expected. Gabby Bernstein

I was blaming instead of taking responsibility. I was taking the easy route that led nowhere instead of taking the hard one that led somewhere. Maxime Lagacé

Even lost and alone, I kept moving forward. Even scared and confused, I kept moving forward. In the end, that’s what you must do: keep moving forward. Maxime Lagacé

Go to the place inside that hurts. The part that’s lonely or sad. Your broken heart. Your bruised ego. The part of you that worries it will always be this way. Go there now and silently repeat: May you be happy. May you be safe. May you be filled with love. You’re not alone. Jason Garner

Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge. Eckhart Tolle

You’re tired. You’re stressed. You’re mentally and physically drained. You feel alone. Struggling with the present, uncertain of the future. Life sucks right now. You’ll be fine. I promise…It gets better. Just keep moving forward. Ralph Napolitano

Don’t attack your problems. Face them, confess them, understand what they are. That is the process. Iyanla Vanzant

Nothing has a hold on your mind that you cannot break free of. Iyanla Vanzant

Reminder – if you feel chronically depressed – try this before you swallow pills: Sunlight, exercise, clean diet, meditation, 8-9 hours of sleep, human interaction. Daily for 2-3 months. There’s a very high chance your depression will get fixed. @LifeMathMoney

Nobody else can destroy you except you; nobody else can save you except you. Osho

You got this. One day at a time. You are resilient, courageous, and capable. Be proud of yourself. It isn’t easy enduring depression/anxiety. Unknown

It’s not too late to recover. You’re young, you’re tough. You’re adaptable. You can patch up your wounds, lift up your head and move on. Haruki Murakami

Every day of our lives, we are on the verge of making those slight changes that would make all the difference. Mignon McLaughlin

Helpful Depression Quotes (To Help A Friend)

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We can’t take away the suffering of others. What we can do is show up for them. And in doing so, take away the pain of having to suffer alone. Jason Garner

Offer whatever light you can. Unknown

What not to say to someone with anxiety: quit being dramatic, you need to toughen up, you’re just lazy, when are you going to grow up?, pull yourself together. Try one of these instead: I know this is hard for you, take some time, it’s okay, how can I help? Unknown

Listen. Really, really listen if someone opens up to you about their mental health. A response isn’t always needed, but a compassionate ear is. Unknown

Being depressed, all I needed was someone who could listen to me, believe in me, encourage me, but most of all, understand me. Maxime Lagacé

How to help people struggling with their mental health: Learn about mental health, go to visit them, give practical support, ask other people to help, listen to them, give them a hug, celebrate their small steps. Unknown

If you have a friend going through a crisis, never say “if I can help, let me know.” It sounds vague, perfunctory. I try to always say: “please tell me what I can do to help: I want to help you.” Friendship is a commitment: always show up in a crisis. Johann Hari

With the right help, we can understand these problems and we can fix these problems together. But to do that, the very first step is we have to stop insulting these signals by saying they’re a sign of weakness, or madness or purely biological, except for a tiny number of people. Johann Hari

If you know someone who’s depressed, please resolve never to ask them why. Depression isn’t a straightforward response to a bad situation; depression just is, like the weather. Stephen Fry

Related: Helping Someone with Depression (helpguide.org)

Helpful Depression Quotes (To Help Yourself)

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It’s okay to not be okay all the time. Unknown

If you think you are alone in your problems, you are not alone. There are 7 billion people out there. Someone is going through the same thing. Justin Kan

Go on that journey to discover who you really are, what you love, what you hate, what’s the content of your mind, why you are the way you are. Take your time. Be curious about your own mind, your fears and your sadness. Meditate and take care of yourself. The more self-knowledge you’ll have, the better you’ll feel, eventually. Maxime Lagacé

It is very hard to explain to people who have never known serious depression or anxiety the sheer continuous intensity of it. There is no off switch. Matt Haig

The people who have already walked through the fire can help you do the same. James Clear (30 Famous People with Depression, socialworkdegreeguide.com)

Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You’ll learn from them – if you want to. J.D. Salinger

Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Do not become bitter or hostile. Be hopeful, be optimistic. John Lewis

If you are depressed or anxious – your pain makes sense. You’re not crazy. You’re not broken. There’s scientific evidence for why people feel this way. There’s a mix of causes – biological, psychological and social. None are your fault and all can be dealt with, with love and support. Johann Hari

No matter how bad things are right now, no matter how stuck you feel, no matter how many days you’ve spent crying and wishing things were different, no matter how hopeless and depressed you feel, I promise you that you won’t feel this way forever. Keep going. Helen Wilson

If you run away from pain without identifying and solving the underlying issue, you will probably run to exactly the same situation again. Justin Kan

I believe depression is legitimate. But I also believe that if you don’t: exercise, eat nutritious foods, get sunlight, get enough sleep, consume positive material, surround yourself with support, then you aren’t giving yourself a fighting chance. Matt Stephens

When something is too close to your eyes you cannot see it. For seeing, some distance is needed. Osho

I was only able to start changing my life when I realized my depression was not a malfunction. It’s a signal. Your depression is a signal. It’s telling you something. Johann Hari

The scientific evidence is clear that exercise significantly reduces depression and anxiety. Johann Hari

The more you think life is about money, and status, and how you look to other people, the more vulnerable you are to depression and anxiety. Just like junk food has taken over our diets, junk values have taken over our minds and made us sick. Johann Hari

It’s okay to worry; it’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to get scared; it’s okay to be mad. It’s okay to embrace our humanity. In fact we don’t have any choice but to be the sensitive, vulnerable creatures we were made to be. Breathe. Let go a bit. It’s okay to be you just as you are. Jason Garner

In meditation we learn that sitting is enough. Breathing is enough. This life is enough. And we’re enough too. Jason Garner

What if we weren’t so hurried to find the answers? What if it was safe to hang out in the unknown? To stumble around in the dark, curious as to what we might find, comfortable in not having it all sorted out. What would we discover about ourselves? About each other? About life? Jason Garner

If you are being gentle with yourself during a difficult time, that is not self-pity. You would show compassion to a friend in pain, even a stranger, so why withhold it from yourself? Don’t. Keep moving. Maggie Smith

For anyone struggling or battling through mental and chronic illness, please please remember that you are so brave even though you might not think it. You are literally fighting for your life, fighting through pain and fighting to get through each day, which makes you so fricking strong. Roxxy (@galacticxtears)

Things to remember: it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to ask for help, you are enough, you matter, bad days happen, you are not alone. Unknown

In case no one told you today, you are needed, you are stronger than you think, you are doing great, you deserve the best, you are here for a reason, don’t give up. Unknown

Related: Coping with Depression (helpguide.org)

List of people who had major depressive disorder (wikipedia.org)

Part 4. Tips I would say to my 22-year-old depressed self

• It will be fine, I promise. It just takes time, hope, and work.
• Friends and support: express yourself more to the ones you love.
• Simplicity: take baby steps, do one thing at a time, and don’t chew too much.
• Exercise and walking: move at least 2-3 times a week. You can’t have a healthy mind if you don’t have a healthy body.
• Nature, sun: spend more time in nature and get your Vitamin D (sun).
• Diet: more water, more quality food, more good fats (extra virgin olive oil), more Omega 3, less sugar, less junk, less alcohol, less caffeine.
• Sleep: get at least 7 hours, have a peaceful/quiet, cool, and dark room, and go to bed at the same time every day.
• Therapist: have you considered it?
• Relaxation: listen to soothing music, take hot baths/saunas/spas.
• Consume less: less social media, less news, fewer screens, fewer toxic relationships, fewer useless things to do, and fewer things you hate to do.
• Create more: it feels good to create and build things.
• Stoic philosophy: read some Stoic words. Don’t try to control what you can’t (almost anything in life basically). Try to control what you can (how you react, what you do, your perception, your effort). Don’t dwell on the past: there’s nothing you can do about it. Don’t fear the future: it’s not here yet. Just move forward.
• Gratitude: there are still many things you can be grateful for. List them. Think about them before you go to bed and first thing in the morning.
• Patience: Again, overcoming depression takes time, be patient. There are no shortcuts, no overnight change. It will be fine in the end.

Conclusion

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This pain you are feeling is not a pathology. It’s not crazy. It is a signal that your natural psychological needs are not being met. It is a form of grief – for yourself, and for the culture you live in going so wrong. I know how much it hurts. I know how deeply it cuts you. But you need to listen to this signal. We all need to listen to the people around us sending out this signal. It is telling you what is going wrong. It is telling you that you need to be connected in so many deep and stirring ways that you aren’t yet – but you can be, one day. Johann Hari

The word ‘depressed’ can be spoken as DEEP REST. We can choose to view depression, not as a mental illness but as a state of Deep Rest, a spiritual exhaustion that we enter into when we are depressed (pressed down) by the weight of the false self, the mask, the mind-made story of “me”. We long to stop pretending, and express our raw truth! To give voice to our secret loneliness, our shame, our broken hearts, boredom, and brilliant rage! Depression’s call to truth needs to be listened to and understood, not analyzed or medicated away. There is no shame in your exhaustion. We are all exhausted, my love. Slow down today. Allow yourself to rest, deeply. And weep. And breathe. And begin again. Now. I say, our depression is holy. It contains the seeds of new life. Jeff Foster

Find meaning. Distinguish melancholy from sadness. Go out for a walk. It doesn’t have to be a romantic walk in the park, spring at its most spectacular moment, flowers and smells and outstanding poetical imagery smoothly transferring you into another world. It doesn’t have to be a walk during which you’ll have multiple life epiphanies and discover meanings no other brain ever managed to encounter. Do not be afraid of spending quality time by yourself. Find meaning or don’t find meaning but ‘steal’ some time and give it freely and exclusively to your own self. Opt for privacy and solitude. That doesn’t make you antisocial or cause you to reject the rest of the world. But you need to breathe. And you need to be. Albert Camus

Further Readings

• Topic: Sadness And Depression
• 73 Sad Quotes To Bring Relief
• How to Fight Depression: 20 Things to Try (healthline.com)
• Exercise and meditation together help beat depression (sciencedaily.com)
• 149 Anxiety Quotes To Help You Recharge And Relax
• 100 Healing Quotes To Help You Feel Better
• 79 Positive Quotes To Uplift Yourself
• How To Improve Your Mental Health – 36 Wellness Tips

Note: Any of the quotes here should be not taken as medical advice. If you struggle with sadness or depression, please consult your doctor or mental health professional.