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If the essential core of the person is denied or suppressed, he gets sick sometimes in obvious ways, sometimes in subtle ways, sometimes immediately, sometimes later.
Abraham Maslow
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Denying one's true self can lead to various forms of illness or distress.

Abraham Maslow's quote suggests that when an individual suppresses or denies their essential core self—such as their needs, desires, or true identity—it can manifest in both obvious and subtle forms of sickness, whether immediately or over time. This highlights the importance of self-acceptance and authenticity for overall well-being.

Themes

SelfAuthenticityWell-BeingHealthSickness

In practice

Example use cases

During a workshop on mental health, this quote could illustrate the importance of self-acceptance.

More from Abraham Maslow

It looks as if there were a single ultimate goal for mankind, a far goal toward which all persons strive. This is called variously by different authors self-actualization, self-realization, integration, psychological health, individuation, autonomy, creativity, productivity, but they all agree that this amounts to realizing the potentialities of the person, that is to say, becoming fully human, everything that person can be.
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Dispassionate objectivity is itself a passion, for the real and for the truth.
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The study of crippled, stunted, immature, and unhealthy specimens can yield only a cripple psychology and a cripple philosophy
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Marriage is a school itself. Also, having children. Becoming a father changed my whole life. It taught me as if by revelation.
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It seems that the necessary thing to do is not to fear mistakes, to plunge in, to do the best that one can, hoping to learn enough from blunders to correct them eventually.
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I was awfully curious to find out why I didn't go insane.
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