Feeling Overwhelmed: Symptoms, Causes, & How to Cope

Symptoms of Feeling Overwhelmed

You are not alone if you feel overwhelmed with life. Survey data shows that 33% of adults share this experience, and 76% reported at least one stress-related symptom in the past month.¹ Chronic overwhelm can strike busy professionals building careers, parents balancing work and family life, family caregivers nurturing loved ones, or those struggling to make ends meet. When stress builds, functioning at top capacity can feel impossible.

Below are symptoms and signs of being overwhelmed:^2,3

• Stress: Increased stress often coincides with feeling overwhelmed and can manifest in many ways. Somatic symptoms (i.e., headaches and stomach pain), restlessness, brain fog, difficulty sleeping, and neglecting healthy nutrition and exercise can indicate unhealthy stress levels.
• Pessimism: Negative thinking might look like pessimistic thoughts about your ability to meet deadlines, function under pressure, or stay financially stable.
• Mood changes: Increased irritability and angry outbursts can result from feeling overwhelmed and are often a sign of stress.
• Physical exhaustion: Feelings of fatigue and physical exhaustion commonly occur alongside overwhelm. You might lose sleep to meet work demands or ruminating thoughts about a stressful situation, leading to less energy in your daily life.
• Feeling isolated: Overwhelm is often associated with feeling alone and helpless to change your situation, perhaps due to a perceived lack of support from others.
• Procrastination: Feeling overwhelmed can lead a person to procrastinate. However, putting off important tasks can trigger or worsen these feelings.

Reasons Why You Feel Overwhelmed

Getting overwhelmed easily is commonplace in modern society, where high expectations and low support are the norm. While life events can trigger overwhelming feelings, many people experience toxic stress due to juggling many responsibilities with a lack of support.

Below are possible reasons why you feel overwhelmed all the time:

• Work problems: Excessive workload can easily lead to feeling overwhelmed, as can a stressful work environment.
• Financial stress: Worrying about money, whether due to job loss, increased bills, home ownership, or student debt, can cause overwhelm.
• Loss of a relationship: Experiencing a break-up, death in the family, or ongoing conflict in significant relationships can lead to overwhelming feelings and contribute to a lack of social support as you other demands.
• Health issues: Chronic health problems and life-altering diagnoses can certainly cause you to feel overwhelmed as you navigate the cost of healthcare, frequent doctor’s visits, and debilitating physical symptoms that accompany your health journey.
• Political, economic, or environmental issues: Many adults feel insecure in current turbulent political and economic climates. This added layer of stress can significantly impact mental health.

How to Cope With Feeling Overwhelmed

Feeling overwhelmed can be debilitating and disheartening. However, you are not alone when dealing with negative feelings. In fact, nearly one-third of people report such emotions at any given time.⁴ Determining the root cause of your stress is a healthy first step toward improvement. Utilizing grounding techniques, practicing mindfulness, and prioritizing physical health are also beneficial, so consider exploring different routines to choose what works for your needs.

Here are 23 healthy ways to deal with feeling overwhelmed:

1. Identify Why You Are Feeling Overwhelmed

Knowing what to do when you feel overwhelmed can be daunting. Start small by taking a step back to reflect on what causes you stress. Are you overwhelmed at work, home, or school? Do you experience relationship problems? Write down these possible triggers so you can start developing solutions to combat chronic overwhelm.

2. Use Grounding Techniques

“The 5-4-3-2-1 method works well because it brings you back to the present. Overwhelming feelings are typically rooted in anxiety that makes you ruminate on the future and spiral. You may also be experiencing somatic feelings (physical symptoms). Using all five senses can help you regulate your body more easily.” – Christina Powell, LMHC, LPC, Owner of Mental Perk Therapy

“Take off your shoes and socks and feel the ground/floor/dirt beneath you. Spread your toes and plant the soles of your feet deeper into the ground. Notice the temperature of the floor beneath you. Notice the surface beneath you. Here, you are actively and intentionally choosing where to focus your attention, moving away from the overstimulation you may be experiencing due to a multitude of demands/stressors/responsibilities/noise in your life at this moment in time.” – Melissa Barsotti, LCSW, Mindful Therapy Practice

3. Reconnect With Your Body

“When you are overwhelmed, don’t try to think your way out of it. Use your nervous system and the strong mind-body connection as your life vest. Begin to track your body. What sensations do you feel? Describe them quietly or aloud (i.e., heaviness, achy, tightness, throbbing in my stomach).

Negative feelings often lessen as you reconnect to your body. What seemed like a catastrophic or life-threatening moment is now simply a calmer space in time. You have recalibrated your nervous system to a more regulated state and can now actively use your ‘thinking brain’ to help you manage the overwhelm. You have more clarity to prioritize what matters most and take steps toward accomplishing each task.” – Cecilia Minano, MD, MPH

4. Name Your Feelings

“Overwhelm isn’t really a feeling–it’s a state of mind. Underneath overwhelm, most people have more specific feelings (fear, guilt, anger, and shame, to name a few). Those same feelings lead to a state of overwhelm. For example, taking on more work than is possible due to fear of failure. Mindfulness and meditation (practicing the awareness of thoughts, sensations, and emotions) can help you learn to identify how you feel. Ultimately, knowing how one feels is critical to figuring out what one needs and the best actions to take to improve their situation.” – Billy Roberts, LISW-S, Focused Mind ADHD Counseling

5. Identify What Is Within Your Control to Change

Ask yourself, “Why do I get overwhelmed so easily?” Perhaps you are focusing too much on what you can’t control rather than what you can change. For example, consider taking an alternative route to work if your morning commute causes unnecessary stress. Sometimes, waking up a little earlier to avoid traffic or listening to a podcast while driving can help improve your situation.

6. Break Big Tasks Down Into Tiny Steps

“When overwhelmed about something you need to do, take a few seconds to write the task on paper and then break it down into tinier steps you can take each day toward the bigger goal. Then, looking at your list, ask yourself, ‘Which of these tiny steps can I take today?’ There are usually one or two steps that feel the easiest. Seeing things mapped out on paper is an easy way to bring down your overwhelm.” – Risa Williams, LMFT, author of The Ultimate Time Management Toolkit

7. Delegate!

“Too many of us feel nothing will go right unless we handle it ourselves. We end up taking care of everything, which leads to feeling overwhelmed and unable to do ANYTHING. Give some jobs to other people who can handle them—and don’t worry if everything isn’t done exactly to your specifications.

Have to proofread a marketing proposal? Maybe your intern can give it a first run-through. Have to set out the snacks before guests arrive? Make the kids feel a part of the party action by creating their own food layout.” – Elisa Peimer, LMSW, Therapist at Resilience Lab

8. Practice Meditation

Meditation is one way to cope with feeling overwhelmed by life. These practices involve focusing on something specific, like your breath, sounds, or body. Studies on meditation have found that regular practice helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.⁵ If you are a beginner, find a guided meditation online, use a meditation app, or set a timer for five to 10 minutes. Thoughts will inevitably arise as you practice–let them pass without judgment.

9. Take a Sensory Break

“Reducing sensory information can be helpful when we are overwhelmed. Vision and hearing are the two areas that process the most information. You can reduce input by dimming the lights and avoiding colorful or visually stimulating environments. For hearing, you can avoid loud spaces or environments with constant noise. Wearing earbuds throughout the day can dampen noise while allowing you to engage in your surroundings. You can avoid further overstimulation by choosing less flavorful or aromatic foods. Finally, you can self-soothe by using a weighted blanket or removing restricting clothing.” – Naomi McKinney, R.Psych.

10. Use Ice as a Distraction

“Grab some ice and eat it, make an ice pack for your head or chest, or dunk your face into ice water. Doing so helps to distract the fight-or-flight response, and allows your neurotransmitters to refocus on the ‘pain’ response of the ice.” – Christina Powell, LMHC, LPC, Owner of Mental Perk Therapy

11. Color Away the Overwhelm

“Sometimes, overwhelm feels beyond description, and your brain feels fuzzy or foggy. This technique allows you to experience relief in a fun way. Lay out a sheet of blank paper and have a bunch of different colored crayons available—a minimum of eight colors. The more colors, the better.

Get in touch with whatever is overwhelming you. Then, look at your crayons and choose which color best represents your feelings. Use the crayon to make marks, whether swirls, dabs, or jagged lines. Don’t make a picture. Just make abstract marks that represent your feelings.

When you feel complete with one color, choose the next color that best captures your feelings.” – Susan Bernstein, MBA PhD, Executive Coach + Leadership Consultant

12. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is one way to redirect your attention when wondering what to do when you feel overwhelmed. Like meditation, mindfulness also involves being present but does not require a quiet space free from distractions.⁶ First, spend a few minutes noticing your senses. What can you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell? Spend a few minutes on each sense. Simply be present rather than analyzing or judging what comes up. Envision thoughts as passing clouds.

13. Prioritize Your Tasks

“If you are feeling helpless, one thing you can do is exercise more control over how you manage your affairs. Doing so can involve scaling down your to-do list to avoid doing too much. Focus on your priorities and leave the other tasks for later on.

Using the action priority matrix can help you prioritize your responsibilities. Let others know you are becoming overwhelmed, and be assertive enough to say “no” when you must. You can also ask those around you for help.” – Ellie Borden, BA, RP, PCC, Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor of Mind By Design® Psychology and Coaching clinics

14. Take a Step Back & Do Something Fun

“Get your mind off of whatever is stressing you out by doing something you enjoy. Watch a movie, read a book, walk, or spend time with friends or family. Doing this and remembering there’s more to life than stress could also give you some perspective.” – Heather Wilson LCSW, LCADC, CCTP, Executive Director of Epiphany Wellness

15. Do 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 Push-Ups, & 10 Sit Ups

“Exercise can refocus your energy, help burn up some of that fight or flight response, and exert that feeling of panic or overwhelmed sensation.” – Christina Powell, LMHC, LPC, Owner of Mental Perk Therapy

16. Change Your Body Posture

“Open your arms as if you were about to do a lateral pull. Activate your trapezius and back muscles, push out your chest, align your spine and neck, and raise your head up straight. Changing your posture will literally send signals to your brain, resulting in a calmer, more empowered state.” – Melissa Barsotti, LCSW, Mindful Therapy Practice

17. Get Your Thoughts Down on Paper

“Often, feeling overwhelmed is due to having too many things going on in your head. By writing down your thoughts, you can get them out of your head onto something more tangible, like paper. Writing will help you organize your thoughts and figure out what you can put on the back burner for now.” – Heather Wilson LCSW, LCADC, CCTP, Executive Director of Epiphany Wellness

18. Avoid Drugs & Alcohol

Drugs or alcohol may alleviate overwhelming stress in the short term, but abusing them can cause long-term problems.⁷ If you think you may be dealing with an addiction, speak to your doctor and contact a mental health professional specializing in addiction.

19. Watch Your Self-Talk

“Listen to how you talk to yourself. Does your voice sound overly negative or harsh? Lighten up with soothing, gentle phrases like, ‘Just take it one step at a time…’ and ‘You’ll figure it out as you go…’ This language can boost our motivation and lower our stress.” – Risa Williams, LMFT, author of The Ultimate Time Management Toolkit

20. Connect With a Loved One

Social support is crucial when life feels overwhelming. Make maintaining contact with your support system or meeting new people a priority. For example, spend time with a trusted friend or family member, join an in-person or online support group, or participate in a social activity that interests you.⁸

21. Spend Some Time With Your Pets

“Studies have shown spending time with pets can help reduce stress and anxiety. If you don’t have a pet, maybe visit a friend who does or go to a shelter and spend time with the animals.” – Heather Wilson LCSW, LCADC, CCTP, Executive Director of Epiphany Wellness

22. Find a Creative Outlet

Consider different ways to get your creative juices flowing, such as art, writing, dance, music, or acting. Research suggests creative outlets can lower stress levels when you feel overwhelmed.⁹ Connect with your creative side at least once a week.

23. Write a Gratitude List

Practicing gratitude when dealing with chronic overwhelm is a powerful way to transform how you see stress.¹⁰ Write down ten things you are grateful for every morning or evening, whether people, places, things, or even clean drinking water and heat.

Therapy for Feeling Overwhelmed

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by life, seeking help from a licensed therapist can support you in better understanding the source of your stress and cultivating healthy ways of coping. A therapist can guide you in noticing and restructuring overwhelming thoughts to create more positive, functional thinking patterns. Interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness practices are beneficial.¹¹