Overwhelmed? 4 Steps for Managing

Everything lately is so overwhelming. My housemate is acting like she’s mad at me for unknown reasons. Our lease is up in two months, and we still don’t know where we are moving to, despite calling numerous places. The pharmacy canceled my prescription refills and I’m almost out of medicine.

These are just a few examples of some of the reasons I feel overwhelmed. It probably sounds a bit like a list of complaints – maybe, in some ways, it is. Regardless, it’s good to know why we feel overwhelmed so we can work with ourselves and reduce the impact stresses like these have on us.

Feeling overwhelmed and not taking the time to find out why is a bit like being sick and dealing with the symptoms instead of the problem.

Are You Overwhelmed?

Are you sitting here reading this thinking, I don’t even know when I feel overwhelmed! If that’s the case, let’s back up a little.

If simple things are too much – things you usually do often with no issues, or even just getting basic things done – then you might be dealing with overwhelm.

For me, sometimes making a simple lunch is too much. Sometimes I cannot force myself out of bed when I have a long to-do list, because the thought of trying to tackle that list is so daunting.

It’s important to recognize what you are experiencing as being overwhelmed. Your loved ones cannot help you if they do not know what you are going through, and you cannot help yourself if you cannot identify the problem!

Knowing the problem means that I can tell my husband why I’m curled up crying on the floor. It means I can break down the problem, and tackle it slowly – and at a rate I can manage.

Being overwhelmed often feels so tangible.

A Sketch to Communicate:

One of my many sketches was due to feeling overwhelmed. I wanted to show my husband what I was dealing with, and this was my chosen method to communicate.

The Experience:

My head will explode. The electricity runs along my skin. Make it stop. MAKE IT STOP! Curl up, cover my ears. It will go away. It always comes back, but I only have to make it through this time. I saw a T.V. show recently where the main character would count to ten, then start over again when she finished. You can stand anything for ten seconds, she would say. Well, I just have to make it through this time being overwhelmed. One day at a time.

The feeling of being overwhelmed is overflowing. My skin cannot contain it. Sometimes I feel like my skin is too small for everything – everyone – within it, but that’s another post. For now I just have to remember to take it slow. To breathe and stay in the moment. Breathe. Just make it through today.

We will find an apartment. I might run out of medicine, but will be able to get more. My housemate won’t stay mad forever.

Managing Overwhelm:

As you can see in the section above, one method for managing overwhelm is to write. I wrote out what I was experiencing, and that helped get it out of my head for me to process it. That all goes back to my communication style, but we will discuss that in a later post.

For now, here are a few more ways to help manage overwhelm:

• Sketch – also seen above, this is another way to get out of your head and process what is going on.
• Talk it out, or take time to process alone (what you choose depends on your style of communication).
• Break down the problem. If you make the problem manageable, it is much easier to tackle.
• Take a break! This may not seem like a good solution – but taking a break and clearing your head can help you look at the problem with fresh eyes.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, and like you can’t cope? These simple steps can help you tackle the problem instead of treating the symptoms.

What other methods do you have for dealing with feeling overwhelmed? How do you cope?