Last Updated on November 3, 2023 by cmv
Are you feeling overwhelmed?
For some people it’s an all-consuming experience of emotions and thoughts. The body can take over with an increased heart rate, shallower breathing, sweaty palms, dizziness, and tunnel vision. This is the anxiety response to either “fight” or “flight”. If you think back to ancestral times, the anxiety stress response was very useful if you had to fight a lion in the wild.
- Your breath would become shallow so that you could get more oxygen through your body.
- Your heart would race to get the blood to your extremities faster, thus making you faster.
- Your hands and feet would sweat so that you could better grip your spear and the ground.
- Your mind would become hyper-focused so that all your attention is all on either fighting or running (“flighting”). You also may “freeze,” which can happen when feeling stuck, not knowing what to do.
All of these physiological responses in today’s society aren’t necessarily helpful. This system can go off in various scenarios such as when you’re about to do a presentation, go on a date, go to a party, speak up at work, in the middle of an argument with your spouse, and so on.
If anything, it can be downright frustrating to have your body hijack your brain. It can leave you feeling overcome with emotion, which can hinder performance, make you want to retreat from society, and take over your life for fear of losing control.
The Post-Traumatic Stress Response
A more extreme form of overwhelm is known as the Post-Traumatic Stress Response; otherwise known as PTSD. Survivors of a traumatic experience often struggle with thought intrusions, horrible memories, nightmares, flashbacks, sleep/concentration difficulties, hypervigilance, and anger outbursts. It’s normal and expected to have these symptoms after being traumatized but if the symptoms persist after 1 month, you may have PTSD.
One of the best ways to improve and prevent these symptoms from worsening is to talk about the trauma event. Talking about it should be done in a controlled way with an experienced, trained counsellor who knows how to help so as to avoid harm.
Overwhelm can be managed and overcome with time
Feelings of overwhelm can include stress, anxiety, fear, worry, sadness, grief, helplessness, hopelessness, disconnect, frustration, angst, among other painful emotions. It often feels like the walls are closing in on you. With the right counselling therapist, you learn ways to better manage these feelings so that they aren’t so consuming. Your counsellor can teach you new coping strategies to challenge your thoughts in efforts to change your emotional and behavioural experience. In time, your counsellor will help you solidify tools for managing overwhelm so that you can feel more in control, resilient, and calm in your daily life.
Overwhelm does get better
It takes a lot of courage to seek help from a counselling therapist, especially if you’re dealing with overwhelm and anxiety. Be sure to reach out and get the help you need because you don’t have to life a life where these emotions control you. Get started on a plan today with one of our Vancouver Counsellors.
