--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know that feeling you get when your…" description: "\"You know that feeling you get when your leg falls asleep? Well, I suddenly had that feeling in my spine. Like termites were chewing through the marrow ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/neal-shusterman-412_backbone_you-know-that-feeling-you-get-when-your_2104920.png" --- # You know that feeling you get when your leg falls asleep?… ![“You know that feeling you get when your leg falls asleep? Well, I suddenly had that feeling in my spine. Like termites were chewing through the marrow in my backbone.” quote by Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/neal-shusterman-412_backbone_you-know-that-feeling-you-get-when-your_2104920.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/neal-shusterman-412_backbone_you-know-that-feeling-you-get-when-your_2104920.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/neal-shusterman-412_backbone_you-know-that-feeling-you-get-when-your_2104920.png) > “You know that feeling you get when your leg falls asleep? Well, I suddenly had that feeling in my spine. Like termites were chewing through the marrow in my backbone.” [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid metaphor describing an intense, unsettling anxiety that spreads through one's core, likened to a spine numbness and decay. **In simple terms:** Intense anxiety feels like a numb, decaying spine. Key Takeaway Recognize and address deep anxiety early. Themes anxiety body metaphor mental health Mood uneasy reflective Type psychological metaphorical When to use this quote - stressful workday - public speaking - health crisis - personal loss - major decision Key Concepts metaphor psychological distress physical sensation Questions to Reflect On - What underlying fear is causing your spine‑like numbness? - How can you ground yourself when anxiety spreads? A Different Perspective Anxiety may also stem from external factors, not just internal sensations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backbone/) [Chewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chewing/) [Chewing Marrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chewing-marrow-4222820/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Feeling Leg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-leg-3180521/) [Feeling Spine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-spine-1904412/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs/) [Like Termites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-termites-712347/) [Sleep well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep-well/) [Spine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spine/) [Suddenly Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suddenly-feeling-556651/) [That feeling you get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/that-feeling-you-get-185302/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [“Life and the work on the mountain had left their mark. Everything about him was warped and crooked. His back seemed to be heading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-seethaler/life-and-the-work-on-the-mountain-had-left-their-mark-everything/) [Robert Seethaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-seethaler/) > [You know that feeling when your leg falls asleep and you can't really feel it or move it? Well, that's what my legs feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-arlen/you-know-that-feeling-when-your-leg-falls-asleep-and-you-can-t-really/) [Victoria Arlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-arlen/) > [I had a horrible feeling my leg was broken. If it wasn’t, it had a lot of explaining to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/i-had-a-horrible-feeling-my-leg-was-broken-if-it-wasn-t-it-had-a-lot/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [If you have two weeks of no feeling in your leg, you start to wonder, 'Will it ever return?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-alderweireld/if-you-have-two-weeks-of-no-feeling-in-your-leg-you-start-to-wonder/) [Toby Alderweireld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-alderweireld/) > [When you don't know what to do, get still. The answer will come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/when-you-don-t-know-what-to-do-get-still-the-answer-will-come/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Friends are like termites they only come around when its sweet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/so-sick-aka-mk/friends-are-like-termites-they-only-come-around-when-its-sweet/) [So-sick -AKA- Mk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/so-sick-aka-mk/) > [Millions of infiltrators have entered our country and are eating the country like termites. Should we not uproot them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-shah/millions-of-infiltrators-have-entered-our-country-and-are-eating-the/) [Amit Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-shah/) > [“The more one limits oneself, the closer one is to the infinite; these people, as unworldly as they seem, burrow like termites into their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-more-one-limits-oneself-the-closer-one-is-to-the-infinite-these/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Hope is a waking dream.' I let the words echo in my head. The quote reminded me of that feeling you get when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rush/hope-is-a-waking-dream-i-let-the-words-echo-in-my-head-the-quote/) [Jennifer Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rush/) > [“Bad thoughts can be dangerous if left to simmer and weaken the heart slowly and invisibly. Like termites that destroy the beams of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-marino/bad-thoughts-can-be-dangerous-if-left-to-simmer-and-weaken-the-heart/) [Massimo Marino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-marino/) > [It had that kind of open-ended fear to it - like that feeling you get when you're driving and you see a cop. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/it-had-that-kind-of-open-ended-fear-to-it-like-that-feeling-you-get/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [Heaven is on the other side of that feeling you get when you’re sitting on the couch and you get up and make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/heaven-is-on-the-other-side-of-that-feeling-you-get-when-you-re/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [The English language needs a word for that feeling you get when you badly need help, but there is no one you can call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/the-english-language-needs-a-word-for-that-feeling-you-get-when-you-2/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [All my life I have been passionately interested in monomaniacs of any kind, people carried away by a single idea. The more one limits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/all-my-life-i-have-been-passionately-interested-in-monomaniacs-of-any/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [I think most people, even if they say they hate horror movies, there's that feeling you get inside that you love. I mean, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-watson/i-think-most-people-even-if-they-say-they-hate-horror-movies-there-s/) [Barry Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-watson/) ## More by Neal Shusterman > [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“If you come anywhere near my daughter, I will see to it that you are taken apart piece by bloody piece. Do I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-come-anywhere-near-my-daughter-i-will-see-to-it-that-you-are/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Dead kids are put on pedestals, but mentally ill kids get hidden under the rug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/dead-kids-are-put-on-pedestals-but-mentally-ill-kids-get-hidden-under/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“The fear of not living is a deep, abiding dread of watching your own potential decompose into irredeemable disappointment when “should be” gets crushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-fear-of-not-living-is-a-deep-abiding-dread-of-watching-your-own/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [That's wisdom you can take to the grave, and dig up when you need it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/that-s-wisdom-you-can-take-to-the-grave-and-dig-up-when-you-need-it/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“And you know the darkness beyond despair, just as intimately as you know the soaring heights. Because in this and all universes, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/and-you-know-the-darkness-beyond-despair-just-as-intimately-as-you/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [You may feel a tugging sensation near your ankles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/you-may-feel-a-tugging-sensation-near-your-ankles/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“while an adult could rarely be universally loved, everyone could love the right kid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/while-an-adult-could-rarely-be-universally-loved-everyone-could-love/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“It's like art, you know? Picasso had to prove to the world he can paint the right way, before he goes putting both eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/it-s-like-art-you-know-picasso-had-to-prove-to-the-world-he-can-paint/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [The way I see it, the impossible happens all the time; but we're so good at taking it for granted, we forget it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-way-i-see-it-the-impossible-happens-all-the-time-but-we-re-so/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“a true leader never puts his ego ahead of his assets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/a-true-leader-never-puts-his-ego-ahead-of-his-assets/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [If you have to ask then you don't deserve an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-have-to-ask-then-you-don-t-deserve-an-answer/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“There was never anything wrong with my life. 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Maybe not the first time, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-sad-truth-about-humanity-risa-was-quick-to-realize-is-that-people/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) [Explore all 573 Neal Shusterman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) ## More Backbone quotes > [“The Lord gave you a backbone because He wanted you to use it. So use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-wilgus/the-lord-gave-you-a-backbone-because-he-wanted-you-to-use-it-so-use-it/) [Nick Wilgus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-wilgus/) > [Making money isn't the backbone of our guiding purpose; it is the by-product of our guiding purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/making-money-isn-t-the-backbone-of-our-guiding-purpose-it-is-the-by/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [Truth of life is that in difficult times, my family was my backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/truth-of-life-is-that-in-difficult-times-my-family-was-my-backbone/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) > [Gaming is the backbone of Nevada's economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-guinn/gaming-is-the-backbone-of-nevada-s-economy/) [Kenny Guinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-guinn/) > [A true leader must have enough backbone to stand alone - even when the crowd wants to take the easy road home. A true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-ludy/a-true-leader-must-have-enough-backbone-to-stand-alone-even-when-the/) [Leslie Ludy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-ludy/) > [General Petraeus is a man that has the backbone that somebody like President-elect Trump would love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/general-petraeus-is-a-man-that-has-the-backbone-that-somebody-like/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [My Christian faith is my backbone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/my-christian-faith-is-my-backbone/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [“Better to get spine broken than bend it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/better-to-get-spine-broken-than-bend-it/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The backbone of our nation's domestic defense against terrorist attacks will continue to be the men and women in local law enforcement and emergency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saxby-chambliss/the-backbone-of-our-nation-s-domestic-defense-against-terrorist/) [Saxby Chambliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saxby-chambliss/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I don't have any contempt for the men who have to have jobs and have to commute and have to pay the mortgage and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloan-wilson/i-don-t-have-any-contempt-for-the-men-who-have-to-have-jobs-and-have/) [Sloan Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloan-wilson/) > [News is the backbone of our network; the main commodity and the main successes of Al Jazeera came out of our involvement in covering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/news-is-the-backbone-of-our-network-the-main-commodity-and-the-main/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [He was a tool of the boss, without brains or backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/he-was-a-tool-of-the-boss-without-brains-or-backbone/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Inflationism is a dreadful cancer that is gnawing at the backbone of the civilized order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/inflationism-is-a-dreadful-cancer-that-is-gnawing-at-the-backbone-of/) [Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/) > [To succeed, we must have the will to succeed, we must have stamina, determination, backbone, perseverance, self-reliance, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/to-succeed-we-must-have-the-will-to-succeed-we-must-have-stamina/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) [Browse all 318 Backbone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backbone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know that feeling you get when your leg falls asleep? Well, I suddenly had that feeling in my spine. 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