--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I look at other people and think, \"He…" description: "\"“I look at other people and think, \"He lives without meds. She does. What is wrong with me? Am I so biochemically screwed up, so neurotic, so narcissis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/martha-manning-19786_neurotic_i-look-at-other-people-and-think-he-live_719318.jpg" --- # I look at other people and think, "He lives without meds… ![“I look at other people and think, "He lives without meds. She does. What is wrong with me? Am I so biochemically screwed up, so neurotic, so narcissistically self-absorbed that every hour is an obstacle course for me?” quote by Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/martha-manning-19786_neurotic_i-look-at-other-people-and-think-he-live_719318.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/martha-manning-19786_neurotic_i-look-at-other-people-and-think-he-live_719318.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/martha-manning-19786_neurotic_i-look-at-other-people-and-think-he-live_719318.jpg) > ““I look at other people and think, "He lives without meds. She does. What is wrong with me? Am I so biochemically screwed up, so neurotic, so narcissistically self-absorbed that every hour is an obstacle course for me?”” [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels inadequate compared to others who seem unaffected by medication, questioning personal mental health and self-worth. **In simple terms:** Feeling inferior because others seem healthier; self-doubt about mental health. Key Takeaway Practice self-compassion and seek appropriate help. Themes mental health self-esteem comparison Mood introspective empathetic Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - therapy - medication decisions - support groups - personal journaling Key Concepts psychology self-acceptance Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports your belief about your mental state? - How can you reframe self-criticism into constructive growth? A Different Perspective Self-assessment can be distorted by social comparison. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Neurotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurotic/) [Obstacle Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacle-course/) [Self absorbed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-absorbed/) ## Related quotes > [The more I focused on my need to get better the worse I actually got - the more neurotic and self-conscious and self-absorbed I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-more-i-focused-on-my-need-to-get-better-the-worse-i-actually-got/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“At17, balanced on that precarious walkway between adolescence and adulthood, the world is a crazy obstacle course paved one day with broken glass, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/at17-balanced-on-that-precarious-walkway-between-adolescence-and/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [“Cassandra continued her obstacle course along the wall, hoping to find a gate or a door, anything permitting entry. The sun was rising in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-morton/cassandra-continued-her-obstacle-course-along-the-wall-hoping-to-find/) [Kate Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-morton/) > [“A good rogue must be able to complete the obstacle course within a specific amount of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-the-noob/a-good-rogue-must-be-able-to-complete-the-obstacle-course-within-a/) Steve the Noob > [I try to make every issue new-reader friendly. I remember being frustrated many times trying to pick up new series that were overladen with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-simone/i-try-to-make-every-issue-new-reader-friendly-i-remember-being/) [Gail Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-simone/) > [“Running through an unfamiliar forest filled with thorns is half an exercise in masochism, and half an obstacle course from the deepest reaches of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/running-through-an-unfamiliar-forest-filled-with-thorns-is-half-an/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [“Because life is an adventure, of course.” “I would say it was more of an endurance race,” Sylvie said. “Or an obstacle course.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/because-life-is-an-adventure-of-course-i-would-say-it-was-more-of-an/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [I've got a lot of balance beams, which has been fun walking down these beams, and I've made an obstacle course and doing whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kittle/i-ve-got-a-lot-of-balance-beams-which-has-been-fun-walking-down-these/) [George Kittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kittle/) > [“How much does this thing cost?” Travis says, walking closer to it. Honestly, Travis is always like this. A negative nelly is what my mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-harper/how-much-does-this-thing-cost-travis-says-walking-closer-to-it/) [Emily Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-harper/) > [“Connecting to the outernet was less of a shock this time, as the monitor gave him a sense of distance from it, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-friedman/connecting-to-the-outernet-was-less-of-a-shock-this-time-as-the/) [C.S. Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-friedman/) > [“I leaned up to kiss him. He inhaled sharply, freezing, but his lips parted just enough for my affection to warp into the sharp…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/i-leaned-up-to-kiss-him-he-inhaled-sharply-freezing-but-his-lips/) [Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/) > [“I saw her as soon as I pulled into the parking lot. This beautiful woman with a gigantic smile on her face was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/i-saw-her-as-soon-as-i-pulled-into-the-parking-lot-this-beautiful/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) > [“For two years I've read the scrolls and learned the language, and I know more about magick than anyone here...You ask what the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-mckenzie/for-two-years-i-ve-read-the-scrolls-and-learned-the-language-and-i/) [T.B. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-mckenzie/) > [We're only passers-by, and all you can do is love what you have in your life. A person has to fight the meanness that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hamilton/we-re-only-passers-by-and-all-you-can-do-is-love-what-you-have-in/) [Jane Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hamilton/) > [So I think we need to set up an 'American Ninja Warrior' obstacle course at the border and whoever can make it - you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kennedy-montgomery/so-i-think-we-need-to-set-up-an-american-ninja-warrior-obstacle/) [Lisa Kennedy Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kennedy-montgomery/) ## More by Martha Manning > [I'm getting less good at faking it. People in my family are noticing and asking what's wrong. My friends give me invitations to talk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/i-m-getting-less-good-at-faking-it-people-in-my-family-are-noticing/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [I would never kill myself intentionally. I couldn't do that to my family, my friends ... But to have fate step in and give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/i-would-never-kill-myself-intentionally-i-couldn-t-do-that-to-my/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [The infinity of this vacancy, the pervasive pain, the longing for some spirit, some lightness, some joy - that's all that is left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/the-infinity-of-this-vacancy-the-pervasive-pain-the-longing-for-some/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“She reports the breakup of the relationship as if she is presenting a case in court - all facts, no feeling. I lean forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/she-reports-the-breakup-of-the-relationship-as-if-she-is-presenting-a/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“In the psychological literature, depression is often seen as a defense against sadness. But I'll take sadness any day. There is no contest. Sadness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/in-the-psychological-literature-depression-is-often-seen-as-a-defense/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“Suffer from depression." That's right. It is suffering. A person does not just have depression. She suffers from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/suffer-from-depression-that-s-right-it-is-suffering-a-person-does-not/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“He throws a quick arm around me and quotes a line we've always loved from The New Hampshire Hotel, "Keep passing the open windows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/he-throws-a-quick-arm-around-me-and-quotes-a-line-we-ve-always-loved/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“There is no getting away from a wave that has got your name on it. The tide will come in whether you want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/there-is-no-getting-away-from-a-wave-that-has-got-your-name-on-it-the/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [I always feel bad laughing at people who act crazy. But sometimes the things they do are so damned funny. I wonder what I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/i-always-feel-bad-laughing-at-people-who-act-crazy-but-sometimes-the/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“All the romantic nonsense about depression somehow making one into a creature of unique sensibilities is easy to agree with when I feel good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/all-the-romantic-nonsense-about-depression-somehow-making-one-into-a/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“I didn’t want to die because I hated myself; I wanted to die because I loved myself enough to want this pain to end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/i-didn-t-want-to-die-because-i-hated-myself-i-wanted-to-die-because-i/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“For so long now I have waited to get back to baseline and I have to go to exactly the same point from which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/for-so-long-now-i-have-waited-to-get-back-to-baseline-and-i-have-to/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“My depression points to my not knowing how to lose - I have perhaps been unable to find a valid compensation for the loss.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/my-depression-points-to-my-not-knowing-how-to-lose-i-have-perhaps/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [Sometimes hell has no words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/sometimes-hell-has-no-words/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [“People say, "I have heart disease," not "I am heart disease." Somehow the presumption of a person's individuality is not compromised by those diagnostic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/people-say-i-have-heart-disease-not-i-am-heart-disease-somehow-the/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) [Explore all 32 Martha Manning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) ## More Neurotic quotes > [I'd love to talk to myself at 40 and see what I've achieved and what I feel... but I will just be the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/i-d-love-to-talk-to-myself-at-40-and-see-what-i-ve-achieved-and-what/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [As we are human, we can't do what we can't do; as we're neurotic, we can't do what we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/as-we-are-human-we-can-t-do-what-we-can-t-do-as-we-re-neurotic-we-can/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Naturally, the neurotic wants you to love him twice as much, for he's going to cut it in half anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/naturally-the-neurotic-wants-you-to-love-him-twice-as-much-for-he-s/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [Not to be offensive, not to be capricious, not to be arbitrary, not to be neurotic, not to be an actor outer, you're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/not-to-be-offensive-not-to-be-capricious-not-to-be-arbitrary-not-to/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [You can take the girl out of the library, but you can’t take the neurotic, compulsively curious librarian out of the girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/you-can-take-the-girl-out-of-the-library-but-you-can-t-take-the/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) > [People are very forgiving in my job of neurotic individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/people-are-very-forgiving-in-my-job-of-neurotic-individuals/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [“The fact that compulsive drives for success will arise only in a competitive culture does not make them any less neurotic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-horney/the-fact-that-compulsive-drives-for-success-will-arise-only-in-a/) [Karen Horney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-horney/) > [Successful comedians are just as neurotic as I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/successful-comedians-are-just-as-neurotic-as-i-am/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [I realise few people get to live the life they always wanted, but I'm so neurotic, I don't really think about it. I'm too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/i-realise-few-people-get-to-live-the-life-they-always-wanted-but-i-m/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [You can't escape history, or the needs and neuroses you've picked up like layers and layers of tartar on your teeth… Your every past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-escape-history-or-the-needs-and-neuroses-you-ve-picked-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All writers are obviously neurotic... For various reasons, writers retreat into an imaginary world because they find ordinary life rather difficult or boring or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-koch/all-writers-are-obviously-neurotic-for-various-reasons-writers/) [Christopher Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-koch/) > [“I was attracted to the strangeness of his mind as a psychiatrist might have been drawn to an interesting case. he wanted a resident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-harrower/i-was-attracted-to-the-strangeness-of-his-mind-as-a-psychiatrist/) [Elizabeth Harrower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-harrower/) [Browse all 474 Neurotic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurotic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I look at other people and think, \"He lives without meds. She does. What is wrong with me? 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