What To Do When You Feel Overwhelmed: Five Strategies That May Help

A rapid heartbeat, racing thoughts, restlessness, and anxiety may all be examples of sensations you might experience if you are feeling overwhelmed. These feelings could result from events in your personal life, unexpected sources of stress, or other challenges that may seem like too much to handle at once. Feeling overwhelmed can happen to anyone, and these feelings may be considered a natural response to stressful situations. During times of overwhelm, consider taking deep breaths, engaging in self-care, journaling, focusing on one thing at a time, and reaching out for help. Online therapy can be a convenient way to seek professional insight and guidance.

What does it mean to feel overwhelmed?

Feeling overwhelmed may be described as the experience of being unable to keep up with the demands that are being placed on one’s time, emotions, or energy. When you feel overwhelmed, it might seem as though you have too many things on your to-do list, you’re being spread too thin, or you’re being asked to handle too much at once. 

Overwhelmed feelings may be a common response to stress, particularly when stressful situations pile up or extend for prolonged periods of time. While some individuals might feel overwhelmed in response to a single stressful moment, others might experience overwhelm because they are managing multiple stress-inducing triggers at once. 

Occasional stress may be considered natural, and it can be the body’s way of alerting the mind to challenging or unsafe situations. However, when stress levels remain elevated, this may have other potential implications. According to the National Library of Medicine, chronic stress may be correlated with physical and mental health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. 

Knowing when you’re overwhelmed

Identifying when you’re feeling overwhelmed may be an important first step to managing it. Thus, it may be worth taking a moment to explore the symptoms of overwhelm. These can vary from person to person and may include the following:

• Restlessness
• Agitation
• Anxiety or panic
• Irritability
• Rapid heartbeat
• Feelings of hopelessness or helplessness
• Trouble concentrating or sleeping
• Nausea
• Headaches
• Muscle pains

A variety of triggers can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed. These could range from an unexpected family event or illness to work challenges, marital troubles, or even intense emotions. Those with certain mental health conditions, such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or depression, may be more susceptible to feelings of overwhelm in certain situations. 

It can be important to remember that what causes one person to feel overwhelmed may not have the same effect on another. Different people may have different thresholds for feeling overwhelmed.

Five coping strategies for overwhelming feelings

While feeling overwhelmed can be distressing, certain coping strategies may be helpful for navigating these situations and improving your overall well-being. 

1. Practice self-care

During periods of high stress, it may be easy to prioritize other things over self-care practices. However, maintaining overall health and well-being can be useful for managing stressful situations more objectively and constructively. Consider practices like reading, yoga, hygiene, eating a nutritious diet, or engaging in enjoyable exercise when you are feeling particularly overwhelmed.

2. Take a deep breath

Intentional breathing may be a useful practice for calming the nervous system during periods of high stress. You might consider practicing deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, or yoga. All of these may be helpful for grounding you in the present and allowing your body to relax.

3. Write it down

4. Tackle one thing at a time

A situation can easily become overwhelming when you’re uncertain of how to begin addressing it. Consider breaking it down into more manageable pieces or focusing on smaller tasks first, such as doing the dishes, getting dressed, or sending a few emails, for example. This technique may help you build momentum, and it can make the overwhelming situation feel less intimidating. 

5. Consider seeking outside support

In the face of overwhelming situations, seeking outside support may be a valuable way to reduce stress, get additional opinions and advice, and express yourself to someone you trust. You might consider reaching out to a family member, friend, mentor, or other trusted acquaintance to air your emotions and get their perspective on the situation. 

The advice of a mental health professional may also be useful for navigating stressful events and unexpected challenges. A licensed therapist can provide an objective view of the situation, suggest additional coping mechanisms, or offer alternative ways of looking at what’s overwhelming you. As a result, you may be able to navigate challenges with more clarity.  

Benefits of online therapy

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may not always be easy to commute to a therapist’s office for in-person treatment. For this reason, individuals facing overwhelm might consider online therapy. With this form of remote therapy, you can speak to a therapist from the comfort of your home through formats such as voice call, video call, or online chat.

Effectiveness of online therapy

Online therapy can be an effective and cost-efficient treatment for a variety of mental health conditions linked to feeling overwhelmed. For example, in a 2017 study, internet-based therapy was found to be a valid and effective form of treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more.