---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The neurotic is always half-drowning in…"
description: "\"The neurotic is always half-drowning in anxiety, and always being half-rescued.\" — Mignon McLaughlin"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in_2355803.png"
---

#  The neurotic is always half-drowning in anxiety, and…

![“The neurotic is always half-drowning in anxiety, and always being half-rescued.” quote by Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in_2355803.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in_2355803.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in_2355803.png)

> “The neurotic is always half-drowning in anxiety, and always being half-rescued.”

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Anxious people are constantly partially overwhelmed and only partially rescued, leaving them in a perpetual state of distress.

**In simple terms:** Anxiety leaves you half‑drowned and half‑saved.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address the full depth of anxiety.

Themes

anxiety mental health vulnerability self‑awareness resilience

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- high‑stress jobs
- personal relationships
- public speaking
- creative work

Key Concepts

Partial coping emotional turbulence self‑rescue

Questions to Reflect On

- What aspects of your anxiety feel only half‑addressed?
- How can you seek full support?

A Different Perspective

Recovery may require complete support, not just partial relief.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Neurotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neurotic/) [Social anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-anxiety/)

## Related quotes

> [“This is how my day usually goes. I leave the faucet open and know what it’s like to have my fingers around a minuscule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kharla-m-brillo/this-is-how-my-day-usually-goes-i-leave-the-faucet-open-and-know-what/)

Kharla M. Brillo

> [“The first blush of love, when the self has lost its mooring, and, half-drowning, succumbs to a fearful tide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-catton/the-first-blush-of-love-when-the-self-has-lost-its-mooring-and-half/)

[Eleanor Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-catton/)

> [The fear of being laughed at makes cowards of us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-fear-of-being-laughed-at-makes-cowards-of-us-all/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The neurotic usually obeys his own Golden Rule: Hate thy neighbor as thyself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-usually-obeys-his-own-golden-rule-hate-thy-neighbor-as/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [Neurotics are always looking for something new to overdo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/neurotics-are-always-looking-for-something-new-to-overdo/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The neurotic has perfect vision in one eye, but he cannot remember which.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-has-perfect-vision-in-one-eye-but-he-cannot-remember/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The neurotic believes that life has meaning, but that his life hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-believes-that-life-has-meaning-but-that-his-life-hasn-t/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The neurotic lies awake at night, composing letters to those he hates. He seldom thinks of dropping a line to those he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-lies-awake-at-night-composing-letters-to-those-he-hates/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [Neurosis is no worse than a bad cold; you ache all over, and it's made you a mess, but you won't die from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/neurosis-is-no-worse-than-a-bad-cold-you-ache-all-over-and-it-s-made/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The neurotic's strongest fantasy is that he has no fantasies. The real is very real to him, the unreal even more so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-s-strongest-fantasy-is-that-he-has-no-fantasies-the-real/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [Neurotic quarrels always have the same theme-song: Hate me and get it over with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/neurotic-quarrels-always-have-the-same-theme-song-hate-me-and-get-it/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [No good neurotic finds it difficult to be both opinionated and indecisive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/no-good-neurotic-finds-it-difficult-to-be-both-opinionated-and/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [Neurotics always feel as though they were going way up or way down, which is odd in people going sideways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/neurotics-always-feel-as-though-they-were-going-way-up-or-way-down/)

[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/)

> [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/)

## More by Mignon McLaughlin

> [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/)

> [We have a terror of seeming to exert ourselves, lest it be noticed that we exerted ourselves and did not succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-have-a-terror-of-seeming-to-exert-ourselves-lest-it-be-noticed/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The three horrors of modern life - talk without meaning, desire without love, work without satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-three-horrors-of-modern-life-talk-without-meaning-desire-without/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [We are never more self-righteous than when giving up what we should have shunned all along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/we-are-never-more-self-righteous-than-when-giving-up-what-we-should/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The time to begin most things is ten years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-time-to-begin-most-things-is-ten-years-ago/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [One of life's few really reliable pleasures: to have a family you love, and to leave them for a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/one-of-life-s-few-really-reliable-pleasures-to-have-a-family-you-love/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [So long as God reveals Himself, or doesn't, He is behaving like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/so-long-as-god-reveals-himself-or-doesn-t-he-is-behaving-like-god/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [The total history of almost anyone would shock almost everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-total-history-of-almost-anyone-would-shock-almost-everyone/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [There are children born to be children, and others who must mark time till they can take their natural places as adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/there-are-children-born-to-be-children-and-others-who-must-mark-time/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [In life, as in restaurants, we swallow a lot of indigestible stuff just because it comes with the dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/in-life-as-in-restaurants-we-swallow-a-lot-of-indigestible-stuff-just/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [Neurotics always feel as though they were going way up or way down, which is odd in people going sideways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/neurotics-always-feel-as-though-they-were-going-way-up-or-way-down/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [Even in the same family, one child will always instinctively know when to ask for things, and another won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/even-in-the-same-family-one-child-will-always-instinctively-know-when/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [People find it hard to be both comic and serious, though life manages it easily enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/people-find-it-hard-to-be-both-comic-and-serious-though-life-manages/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

> [No good neurotic finds it difficult to be both opinionated and indecisive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/no-good-neurotic-finds-it-difficult-to-be-both-opinionated-and/)

[Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

[Explore all 383 Mignon McLaughlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/)

## 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

> [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": "The neurotic is always half-drowning in anxiety, and always being half-rescued.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mignon McLaughlin"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in-anxiety-and-always-being-half/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anxiety"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in-anxiety-and-always-being-half/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in_2355803.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in_2355803.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a0/mignon-mclaughlin-742_anxiety_the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in_2355803.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The neurotic is always half-drowning in anxiety, and always being half-rescued.” — Mignon McLaughlin",
                "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": "Mignon McLaughlin",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The neurotic is always half-drowning in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in-anxiety-and-always-being-half/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/the-neurotic-is-always-half-drowning-in-anxiety-and-always-being-half/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
