The Dose Makes the Poison

 “All things are poisons, for there is nothing without poisonous qualities. It is only the dose which makes a thing poison.”

― Paracelsus

I love a good quote. 

This is evident from the fact that I always start my articles with a quote.

But why do I love quotes so much?

One of the reasons is because a good quote is able to take a detailed principle and encapsulate it into a few select words. 

For example, I could write about the Dunning-Kruger Effect and how people with minimal skills think that their skills can solve all, whilst those with more skills can more easily recognize when they lack the ability to solve the issue. Or I can make that all very succinct by quoting “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail”.

I recently heard a quote for the very first time, and this quote made my jaw drop.

“The dose makes the poison”.

This quote is golden. If people could only properly incorporate it into their mindset, things would be much better. 

Very few things are “bad”, the issue is when they are used too much. 

There is no problem taking time for yourself, the problem lies in the dosage.

Should you be trusting or skeptical? The dose will make the poison.

Life is about finding a balance. 

The work/family balance.

The juggling between when to take risks and when to be cautious.

When I heard this quote from a doctor, he was using it in the context of food. That even excess of a single “healthy” food can be poisonous if consumed in extreme excess. 

So too with our behaviors.

So too with our choices.

So too with our thought processes. 

We too often focus on “right vs. wrong”. 

Things aren’t so black and white. 

It isn’t wrong to think about oneself, to do something for oneself.

Like with everything else, it is all in the dosage.

Yisroel Picker is a Social Worker who lives in Jerusalem. He has a private practice which specializes in working with people of all ages helping them understand their own thought processes, enabling them to improve their level of functioning, awareness, social skills and more.

To speak with Yisroel about presenting at a child safety event or to discuss a personal case, email him at yisroel@ympicker.com

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