: Look for heads low in the water, glassy or closed eyes, and a vertical body position without a supporting kick. [29, 32]
Survivors often describe the physical and psychological journey of drowning with vivid, haunting detail. [1, 5] Drowning
Contrary to cinematic portrayals of thrashing and screaming, actual drowning is often chillingly quiet. [35, 24] : Look for heads low in the water,
: These states are often compared to being pulled under by an invisible tide—silent, isolating, and exhausting. [5, 31, 7] glassy or closed eyes
: It often happens in plain sight, with onlookers—or even family members—unaware of the emergency. A person may simply look like they are treading water while staring blankly at the surface. [35, 10]