Five Signs Of Being Overwhelmed

Being overwhelmed can be a common experience, but it can be challenging to recognize the signs when you’re caught up in a pattern of behavior. Being consistently overwhelmed can affect your everyday life significantly and make it difficult to bring the best version of yourself to your work, friends, and family. Emotional instability, irritability, chronic anxiety, lack of energy, and cognitive decline may all serve as signs that you’re feeling overwhelmed. You may find it helpful to lean on loved ones, adjust your perspective, and seek professional help from a licensed therapist in person or online.

Five symptoms and signs of being overwhelmed

Our bodies tend to have predictable physiological responses when we feel stressed or anxious. Depending on whether our nervous system is more inclined toward fight, flight, or freeze, we may display different behaviors when we feel overwhelmed.

It can be important to take the time to evaluate your mental and physical health and identify symptoms that are causing you distress, as they may indicate a mental health condition or stress-related illness. Let’s delve into five of the most prevalent signs of feeling overwhelmed.

Irritability

Irritability can be a common sign of being overwhelmed. When you feel overwhelmed, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude and outlook. Instead, you may snap at friends or family or feel short-tempered for no particular reason.

Lack of energy

Chronic stress may take a significant toll on physical energy levels, as well as mental and emotional well-being. When we experience high stress levels for an extended period, our bodies may become overwhelmed by the constant influx of cortisol, the hormone associated with the body’s “flight-or-fight” response. This chronic stress may lead to high blood pressure and other draining physical effects that can sap the body of energy while preventing it from recovering. 

In addition to this physical fatigue, long-term stress can manifest in symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating. These physical and mental symptoms can all work together to further deplete energy reserves and prevent the body from having a chance to recover and find balance. 

Cognitive decline

Feeling overwhelmed with seemingly insurmountable tasks and demands can weaken cognitive processing. When this occurs, individuals may become unable to effectively organize, prioritize, or remember information. As a result, one can experience potentially dangerous feelings of confusion, difficulty concentrating, or impaired decision-making. 

The overload of stress hormones may lead to physical changes in the brain, affecting memory recall capabilities and other critical cognitive functions, especially those located in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. 

In general, the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus collectively work to control thoughts and actions as well as our ability to learn and remember information. When these brain areas are not working synchronously, performing well at work, interacting with others, and understanding how we are feeling may be difficult. 

Long-term exposure to chronic stress can also be linked to an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in later life. 

Chronic anxiety and stress

Feeling overwhelmed can indicate deeper mental health concerns, such as chronic anxiety. When people are constantly feeling overwhelmed by life, their stress levels can rise to the point that they start to feel anxious all the time. This is typically a result of the body’s stress response system becoming out of balance. 

When such an imbalance occurs, the body’s nervous system tends to get “stuck” in a state of stress, making it difficult to calm down. Prolonged exposure to this state may lead to an increased risk of developing chronic anxiety due to consistent symptoms, such as elevated heart rate, racing thoughts, elevated breathing rate, chest tightness, muscle tension, and more. If you experience these symptoms or feel anxious consistently, it may be a sign that your body and mind are overwhelmed.

Emotional instability

High levels of cortisol can also lead to changes in the structure and functioning of the brain over time. These changes can include problems with memory formation and recall, concentration difficulties, poor decision-making skills, and difficulty in forming emotional attachments with others. 

It may be common for women experiencing premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder to feel more easily overwhelmed during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle due to the chemical changes occurring in the body. When combined with these changes, chronic stress may increase the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed and the associated negative emotional symptoms. 

In one study, researchers looked at the role that chronic stress played in the emotional development of children and their “cognitive flexibility” – one’s ability to adapt to new perspectives, life changes, and emotional challenges. They discovered that when children were exposed to chronic stress, their cognitive flexibility tended to be significantly reduced later in life, demonstrating how chronic stress may reduce our ability to adapt in the face of change.

Coping with feeling overwhelmed

While, in moments of intense stress, it can feel like our emotions are out of our control, we can remind ourselves that restoring our nervous system to equilibrium is possible. There are strategies we can use to slow down our breathing rate, racing thoughts, and stress responses. The more we practice employing these techniques with consistency, the more efficient we can become in controlling our emotions and preventing ourselves from becoming overwhelmed in the first place.

Change your perspective

When feeling overwhelmed, it can be easy to focus on the negative and feel like there's no way out. If you are consistently overwhelmed, try changing your perspective, which may involve looking at the situation from a different angle or reframing the problem more positively. 

For instance, if you feel stressed due to a large workload, you might take time to break down the tasks into smaller chunks and prioritize them. This way, you can approach each task systematically rather than letting it become an unmanageable mass. By taking small steps toward completing each goal, it might be easier to stay motivated and prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done at once. 

Consider practicing mindfulness to avoid anxiety due to feeling overwhelmed

Another approach entails practicing mindfulness or meditation. Consider dedicating time each day away from technology and other distractions to allow yourself time to reflect on your current mental state and look inward for guidance. Taking a few moments during your day to sit quietly with your thoughts may bring clarity regarding what makes you feel overwhelmed, giving you a space to challenge your assumptions and notice any irrational thoughts or fears that may be guiding your behavior. 

Seek out support when experiencing symptoms and signs of being overwhelmed

When we feel overwhelmed, it can be important to recognize that we are not alone and that support from friends, family, or professionals may help us cope with the overwhelming feelings we experience. Seeking support from someone trained to provide mental health services may be beneficial for those feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges. Therapists can provide a safe space that may help individuals manage stress, explore emotions, and find healthy ways of managing them.

Friends and family members may also offer support in difficult times. They may be able to provide comforting words, a listening ear, or helpful advice. Having someone to talk to about feeling overwhelmed can validate our experiences and provide an emotional connection. Friends and family members may also be able to share strategies they use when feeling overloaded or suggest activities that have helped them reduce stress.

Improve the balance between stress and sleep for better mental health

Improving the balance between stress and rest may benefit individuals experiencing overwhelming stress or anxiety. To do this, try to think about how much time you spend in stressful situations compared to how much time you spend actively resting or taking care of your body. 

Active rest may be a key consideration, as this generally refers to time spent engaging in purposeful rest activities, such as reading, meditation, yoga, walking, or cooking a meal. If you notice that most of your time is spent rushing through activities and not much time is devoted to slowing down and resting, you may be pushing your body and mind past their capacity. 

Benefits of online therapy for mental health

Online therapy may be beneficial for those who feel overwhelmed and are unsure how to reduce chronic stress symptoms. For individuals who experience emotional symptoms, such as those associated with anxiety and depression, it may be difficult to leave the house and seek in-person help from a licensed therapist. Online therapy may provide a more available option that helps these individuals receive the guidance and professional care they deserve. 

Effectiveness of online therapy in overcoming stress and anxiety

In one study, researchers looked at the ability of online-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help individuals reduce symptoms of chronic stress. In the study, they found that online CBT was generally able to provide significant relief for symptoms of chronic stress. This study can demonstrate the ability of online therapists to help individuals reframe their thinking patterns and develop healthier patterns of behavior.