Emotion · Overwhelm family
Overwhelm
noun
The state of having more coming in — demands, feelings, noise — than you can process at once.
How it shows up in the body
Racing thoughts, shallow breathing, tears that come out of nowhere, freezing, forgetting simple things.
What it is telling you
Your capacity has been exceeded. It is not a character flaw; it is a signal to reduce input and do one thing at a time.
The urge — and the choice
To shut down or try to do everything at once. The choice is to pick the very next small step and only that.
One thing to try
Write every demand on paper. Circle one. Do it. Then circle the next.
Practice it: Long-exhale breathing.
Words you can use
I’m overwhelmed. Can you help me figure out what actually needs to happen first?
Read more: Emotional regulation
