Strategies For When You’re Always Feeling Overwhelmed

If you’ve ever found yourself inundated with tasks, responsibilities, stressors, or unexpected events, then you may have also experienced overwhelm, which can be defined as a feeling of being swamped or stretched too thin. While occasional stressful situations may be a natural part of life, feeling constantly overwhelmed may be worth examining more closely. Pausing to break down your goals into actionable bits and setting priorities may be some effective strategies to manage overwhelm. You may also find it helpful to work with an online or in-person therapist. 

What does it mean to feel overwhelmed?

When you feel overwhelmed, it may seem as if you can’t handle or keep up with the current demands on your time, energy, or emotional resources. Feeling overwhelmed can mean different things for different people, and symptoms can manifest differently depending on the context, the cause, and various other factors. 

Although always feeling overwhelmed is typically not considered a mental illness in and of itself, overwhelm may have certain mental and physical health implications. Often, overwhelm can be tied to stress, particularly chronic stress, which has frequently been linked to conditions like high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. 

Causes of overwhelm

A variety of potential causes may exist for feeling overwhelmed. For some, the feeling of being overwhelmed may come as the result of a specific stressor, such as an unexpected illness or a particularly busy period at work. 

In contrast, others may feel overwhelmed in response to facing multiple stressors at once—for example, the loss of a job combined with relationship challenges. Still others may experience emotional overwhelm, which can be seen as a form of overwhelm resulting from experiencing too many emotions at once or having emotions that are too intense to process. 

Sometimes, feelings of being overwhelmed may be connected to other mental health conditions, such as:

• Anxiety disorders: For those with anxiety disorders, feeling overwhelmed may result from, or function as a contributor to, episodes of worry or panic. 
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Similarly, those with post-traumatic stress disorder may feel overwhelmed, particularly when exposed to situations that may remind them of their trauma. 
• Depression: For those with depression, overwhelm may come in the form of intense negative feelings or feelings of helplessness or hopelessness. 
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder may feel overwhelmed by compulsive habits, which they may feel unable to stop or control. 
• Borderline personality disorder: Borderline personality disorder may affect emotional regulation, potentially leading to a person being overwhelmed by situations or emotions.

Additionally, those with certain attachment styles—for example, anxious attachment—may find themselves easily overwhelmed when separated from specific loved ones or family members.

Coping strategies for when you feel overwhelmed

Constantly feeling overwhelmed can be distressing, but various strategies may help you tend to your mental health, emotions, and overall well-being. These can include the following:

Breaking things down

Sometimes, overwhelm can stem from believing you’re taking on too much at once or facing an insurmountable challenge. By breaking goals and tasks down into actionable, bite-sized steps, you may better manage overwhelming challenges.

Prioritizing

It can be overwhelming to perceive that you have too many things on your to-do list. However, you may find some relief by identifying which tasks are the most urgent and critical and allowing yourself to just focus on those while pushing back less necessary or urgent tasks. 

Practicing self-care

There may be a tendency to neglect self-care when feeling overwhelmed, but practicing self-care strategies can greatly help to manage overwhelm. These can include practicing good hygiene, engaging in meditation or mindfulness, or exercising.

Seeking outside support

Sometimes, simply expressing your emotions to another person can be useful for managing overwhelming situations. You might consider contacting a family member, friend, or mentor and seeking their input and advice.

Therapy as a resource

Sometimes, you may benefit from extra help in managing your emotions and addressing overwhelming situations or preventing overwhelm in the future. Therapy may be a valuable source of support and guidance. A licensed therapist may be able to offer suggestions for managing stress, advice on how to address the causes of overwhelm, or additional resources aimed at helping those who are feeling overwhelmed improve their quality of life. 

Benefits of online therapy

For those who already feel overwhelmed, having to commute to a therapist’s office in person may be an additional source of stress. In this case, online therapy may present an appealing alternative, offering the option to attend therapy from wherever is most convenient through formats such as voice call, video call, or instant messaging. Online therapy can also be a convenient option, as you can schedule your sessions with your therapist according to your comfort level and availability.

Effectiveness of online therapy

Online therapy can be a useful and cost-effective treatment for a range of mental health conditions. One 2017 study found that online cognitive behavioral therapy could be useful for treating various mental illnesses that may be connected to feeling overwhelmed, such as generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, OCD, and depression.