--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Psychologists call it \"free-floating\"…" description: "\"Psychologists call it \"free-floating\" anxiety. What contradictory words. Anxiety doesn't free-float. It stalks. It attacks. It lands on you with a thud..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/martha-manning-19786_anxiety_psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxi_2277778.jpg" --- # Psychologists call it "free-floating" anxiety. What… ![“Psychologists call it "free-floating" anxiety. What contradictory words. Anxiety doesn't free-float. It stalks. It attacks. It lands on you with a thud.” quote by Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/martha-manning-19786_anxiety_psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxi_2277778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/martha-manning-19786_anxiety_psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxi_2277778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/martha-manning-19786_anxiety_psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxi_2277778.jpg) > “Psychologists call it "free-floating" anxiety. What contradictory words. Anxiety doesn't free-float. It stalks. It attacks. It lands on you with a thud.” [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. Free-floating anxiety is a misnomer; anxiety is an intrusive, aggressive force that crashes into consciousness. **In simple terms:** Anxiety is aggressive, not free-floating. Key Takeaway Recognize anxiety’s force to manage it. Themes mental health anxiety awareness Mood anxious urgent Type therapeutic educational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - stressful work - personal crises - mindfulness practice Key Concepts Cognitive distortion psychological impact Questions to Reflect On - What triggers your anxiety spikes? - How can you ground yourself when anxiety attacks? A Different Perspective Labeling anxiety as “free-floating” may downplay its severity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxiety Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety-contradictory-5303649/) [Anxiety Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety-doesn-1026573/) [Contradictory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory/) [Contradictory Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictory-words-4958874/) [Floating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/floating/) [Floating Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/floating-anxiety-1604461/) [Floats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/floats/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Psychologist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychologist/) [Stalking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stalking/) [Words Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-anxiety-1651793/) ## Related quotes > [The 7 Funniest Contradictory Words: 1. Clearly Misunderstood, 2. Exact Estimate, 3. Small Crowd, 4. Act Naturally, 5. Found Missing, 6. Fully Empty, 7. Happily Married?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/the-7-funniest-contradictory-words-1-clearly-misunderstood-2-exact/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [“Rollo May quipped that anxiety about nothing tries to become anxiety about something. In other words, anxiety about nothingness quickly attaches itself to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/rollo-may-quipped-that-anxiety-about-nothing-tries-to-become-anxiety/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [The emergence of the Atomic Age brought the previously inchoate and 'free-floating' anxiety of many people into sharp focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-emergence-of-the-atomic-age-brought-the-previously-inchoate-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [There's a period just before you start a movie when you start thinking, I don't know what in the world I'm going to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/there-s-a-period-just-before-you-start-a-movie-when-you-start/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“He is full of adrenaline, his nerves are shot, and his mind is cluttered up with free-floating anxiety-floating around on an ocean of generalized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/he-is-full-of-adrenaline-his-nerves-are-shot-and-his-mind-is/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [Panic---a deep abiding, free-floating anxiety, often without any reason or logical basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/panic-a-deep-abiding-free-floating-anxiety-often-without-any-reason/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [“Yet I also felt, for the first time, truly and sincerely pissed. It was enough already. Enough! I’d reached that point that comes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-b-smith/yet-i-also-felt-for-the-first-time-truly-and-sincerely-pissed-it-was/) [Daniel B. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-b-smith/) > [I'm learning what triggers me. What to stay away from. What I do like and what I don't like. To me, I've learned so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-garcia/i-m-learning-what-triggers-me-what-to-stay-away-from-what-i-do-like/) [Ryan Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-garcia/) > [“Chronic anxiety is a form of illness. It's not something you bring on yourself by how you feel on any given day. It isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-barnard/chronic-anxiety-is-a-form-of-illness-it-s-not-something-you-bring-on/) [Sara Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-barnard/) > [It's okay to talk about mental health issues. It's okay to admit that you have anxiety. It doesn't take away from your power. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-devitto/it-s-okay-to-talk-about-mental-health-issues-it-s-okay-to-admit-that/) [Torrey DeVitto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-devitto/) > [Pray, hope and don't worry. Anxiety doesn't help at all. Our Merciful Lord will listen to your prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/pray-hope-and-don-t-worry-anxiety-doesn-t-help-at-all-our-merciful/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Social anxiety- When someone doesn't text you back, and the reasonable part of you knows they're probably busy, but the anxiety convinces you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-day/social-anxiety-when-someone-doesn-t-text-you-back-and-the-reasonable/) [Amanda Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-day/) > [Anxiety is experiencing failure in advance. Tell yourself enough vivid stories about the worst possible outcome of your work and you'll soon come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/anxiety-is-experiencing-failure-in-advance-tell-yourself-enough-vivid/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Meaning coming from feeling, feeling coming from within, you absorb a massive amount of information, it goes through your whole body, a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-henson/meaning-coming-from-feeling-feeling-coming-from-within-you-absorb-a/) [Bill Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-henson/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) ## 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 look at other people and think, "He lives without meds. She does. What is wrong with me? Am I so biochemically screwed up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/i-look-at-other-people-and-think-he-lives-without-meds-she-does-what/) [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/) [Explore all 32 Martha Manning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Psychologists call it \"free-floating\" anxiety. What contradictory words. Anxiety doesn't free-float. It stalks. It attacks. It lands on you with a thud.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martha Manning" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxiety-what-contradictory-words/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxiety-what-contradictory-words/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/martha-manning-19786_anxiety_psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxi_2277778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/martha-manning-19786_anxiety_psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxi_2277778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb8/martha-manning-19786_anxiety_psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxi_2277778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Psychologists call it \"free-floating\" anxiety. What contradictory words. Anxiety doesn't free-float. It…” — Martha Manning", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Martha Manning", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Psychologists call it \"free-floating\" anxiety. What...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxiety-what-contradictory-words/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/psychologists-call-it-free-floating-anxiety-what-contradictory-words/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```