--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The torment of human frustration…" description: "\"The torment of human frustration, whatever its immediate cause, is the knowledge that the self is in prison, its vital force and \"mangled mind\" leaking..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/elizabeth-drew-27945_causes_the-torment-of-human-frustration-whateve_620371.png" --- # The torment of human frustration, whatever its immediate… ![“The torment of human frustration, whatever its immediate cause, is the knowledge that the self is in prison, its vital force and "mangled mind" leaking away in lonely, wasteful self-conflict.” quote by Elizabeth Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/elizabeth-drew-27945_causes_the-torment-of-human-frustration-whateve_620371.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/elizabeth-drew-27945_causes_the-torment-of-human-frustration-whateve_620371.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19c/elizabeth-drew-27945_causes_the-torment-of-human-frustration-whateve_620371.png) > “The torment of human frustration, whatever its immediate cause, is the knowledge that the self is in prison, its vital force and "mangled mind" leaking away in lonely, wasteful self-conflict.” [Elizabeth Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-drew/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Frustration stems from feeling trapped inside oneself, draining energy and causing self‑conflict. **In simple terms:** Feeling trapped inside hurts and creates conflict. Key Takeaway Seek freedom from internal imprisonment. Themes psychology self‑awareness conflict Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative blocks - relationship counseling - personal growth Key Concepts identity mental health existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What internal walls have you built? - How can you release trapped energy? A Different Perspective Self‑imposed prisons can be reinforced by external pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Frustration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration/) [Frustration in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frustration-in-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Torment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torment/) ## Related quotes > [“Each conflict is self conflict.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-zernoff/each-conflict-is-self-conflict/) [Raphael Zernoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-zernoff/) > [“I deas about the ‘self ’ conflict with each other and cannot be slain – their very resistance is what gives them the appearance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/i-deas-about-the-self-conflict-with-each-other-and-cannot-be-slain/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Self is the only prison which can contain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/self-is-the-only-prison-which-can-contain/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [I didn't realize that I was in a self-made prison of human approval and human acceptance. Didn't even realize it. Most of the prisons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/i-didn-t-realize-that-i-was-in-a-self-made-prison-of-human-approval/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/self-is-the-only-prison-that-can-ever-bind-the-soul/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Fear of being a flawed person lay at the root of my trance, and I had sacrificed many moments over the years in trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/fear-of-being-a-flawed-person-lay-at-the-root-of-my-trance-and-i-had/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul. ~Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/self-is-the-only-prison-that-can-ever-bind-the-soul-henry-van-dyke/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Things never go the way you expect them to. That's both the joy and frustration in life. I'm finding as I get older that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stuhlbarg/things-never-go-the-way-you-expect-them-to-that-s-both-the-joy-and/) [Michael Stuhlbarg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stuhlbarg/) > [Fears, indecision, and frustration feed on words. Without words they usually stop. . . . Words are at times good for looking back, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/fears-indecision-and-frustration-feed-on-words-without-words-they/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [That's the whole story of my life: frustration. It's a chronic disease, and it's incurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-sherwood/that-s-the-whole-story-of-my-life-frustration-it-s-a-chronic-disease/) [Robert E. Sherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-sherwood/) > [All successful people learn that success is buried on the other side of frustration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/all-successful-people-learn-that-success-is-buried-on-the-other-side/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [People need trouble - a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/people-need-trouble-a-little-frustration-to-sharpen-the-spirit-on/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfullfilled potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-xxiii/think-not-about-your-frustrations-but-about-your-unfullfilled/) [Pope John XXIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-xxiii/) > [Life can't work for you if you don't show up as you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/life-can-t-work-for-you-if-you-don-t-show-up-as-you/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The slow rhythm of the body, the insistent rhythm of the wit, were they becoming irreconcilable in modern civilisation? The sedentary life, frustration and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-williamson/the-slow-rhythm-of-the-body-the-insistent-rhythm-of-the-wit-were-they/) [Henry Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-williamson/) ## More by Elizabeth Drew > [“It is important to remember now, amid all this debris, how frightened we used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-drew/it-is-important-to-remember-now-amid-all-this-debris-how-frightened/) [Elizabeth Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-drew/) > [Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-drew/too-often-travel-instead-of-broadening-the-mind-merely-lengthens-the/) [Elizabeth Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-drew/) > [The pain of loss, moreover, however agonizing, however haunting in memory, quiets imperceptibly into acceptance as the currents of active living and of fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-drew/the-pain-of-loss-moreover-however-agonizing-however-haunting-in/) [Elizabeth Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-drew/) > [Too often travel, instead of broadening the mind, merely lengthens the conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-drew/too-often-travel-instead-of-broadening-the-mind-merely-lengthens-the-2/) [Elizabeth Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-drew/) > [Language is like soil. 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