Feeling overwhelmed is common, but it doesn’t have to turn into a long-lasting spiral if you recognize the signs early.
Overwhelm can come from stress, mental health conditions, or daily life challenges. Catching it early and identifying the cause can help you respond more effectively.
Coping strategies like mindfulness, support from others, and treatment for underlying conditions can help you manage overwhelm in healthier ways.
Almost all of us have felt overwhelmed at some point. You might have felt so stressed that you felt out of control or dealt with intense thoughts and emotions you didn’t know how to cope with. Feeling overwhelmed is uncomfortable, and you can start to spiral during this time. It’s important to know how to stop overwhelm and stay grounded.
Different things lead to overwhelm for different people. And certain mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions can cause you to feel more easily overwhelmed in general. But there are steps you can take to prevent yourself from spiraling.
Signs that you may be overwhelmed
Overwhelm isn’t a clinical diagnosis, so there’s no official definition of it in the world of psychology. But generally, we describe ourselves as feeling “overwhelmed” when the stressors we’re confronted with feel like they exceed our capacity to cope.
Different things can lead to a feeling of overwhelm for different people. And some people may become more easily overwhelmed than others. Sometimes, you might just feel overwhelmed for a few minutes while you work to calm your nervous system. Other times, the sense of overwhelm might last for days, weeks, or even months — especially if you don’t deal with it.
Some of the signs that you could be overwhelmed include:
Having physical signs of anxiety and stress, like muscle tension, headaches, or rapid heartbeat
Experiencing sensory overload, or feeling overstimulated by the lights, sounds, or textures around you
Crying more frequently or more easily than usual
Having trouble concentrating or feeling like your mind is “foggy”
Feeling unusually irritable or snapping at people close to you
Having sleep problems, including struggling to fall asleep or waking up throughout the night
Avoiding responsibilities or procrastinating because things feel unmanageable
Feeling like your life is out of control
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Identifying the cause of your overwhelm
Different things can cause different people to become overwhelmed. For some people, their feelings of overwhelm may stem from certain mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. For others, it can be related to the situation or life circumstances you’re dealing with.
Just because you’re experiencing overwhelm doesn’t necessarily mean you have a neurodevelopmental condition. Identifying the root cause behind the feeling can help you take action to address it.
Some conditions that can lead to overwhelm include:
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
ADHD overwhelm is a common phenomenon. It can happen because you’re experiencing sensory overload or because you’re faced with too many tasks. People with ADHD often have a harder time regulating their emotions, which can lead them to become overwhelmed more easily.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Autistic people may also become overwhelmed for similar reasons. For example, if you have autism, you might be in a place that’s too crowded and feel completely overwhelmed. This can sometimes lead to “autistic meltdowns,” which resemble panic attacks or tantrums.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
People with OCD can also become easily overwhelmed for different reasons. Living with constant intrusive thoughts can cause fear and disgust that feels too big to handle. People with OCD can also sometimes live with sensory sensitivities. This can make normal bodily sensations (like your heartbeat) feel completely overwhelming.
Anxiety disorders
People with anxiety disorders may become overwhelmed when everyday stressors pile up on top of an already sensitive nervous system. Anxiety often makes it harder to let go of worries, which can make situations feel more threatening or unmanageable than they are.
Other factors
In addition to these conditions, some life stressors can cause anyone to become overwhelmed. These include:
Relationship problems
Work stress and demands
Media and news anxiety
Having too much on your plate
Parenting stress
Financial struggles
Major life transitions, like moving or changing jobs
Grief and loss, including making important decisions related to the loss
What you can do when you feel overwhelmed
Most people feel overwhelmed once in a while, and it might just be a matter of waiting until the feeling passes. But if you’re chronically overwhelmed or if feeling overwhelmed is getting in the way of you functioning at your best, there are some ways to cope.
Acknowledge the feeling
It’s easy to get burnt out if you keep trying to operate “as normal” when you’re overwhelmed. It’s important to take a moment to pause and acknowledge your emotions. Notice that you’re feeling overwhelmed, and try to acknowledge it. Even if you can’t do anything about it right now, just naming it can make a difference. This can sound like, “I am feeling really overwhelmed right now. I see how much this is affecting me.”
Practice mindfulness
You might become more overwhelmed if you judge yourself for the feeling. Mindfulness can help you slow down and notice your emotions without judging yourself for them.
It can also help you pay attention to what’s happening in your body in the moment, which can calm your nervous system and reduce the intensity of stress. It may even help you notice the early signs of overwhelm before it turns into a spiral. After acknowledging the feeling, you can add, “I choose to slow down and send gentleness to myself in this moment.”
Ask for practical support
When you’re overwhelmed with tasks or responsibilities, asking for support can make a huge difference. This could mean delegating work, asking family members to help with household duties, or reaching out to friends for emotional support. Practical support may not always be what you need, but it can help a lot of the time.
Get treatment for underlying conditions
If it’s a mental health or neurodevelopmental condition that’s causing your feelings of overwhelm, it may be necessary to get treatment. Once you address the underlying condition, you might find that it’s easier to cope with stress and strong emotions. This can help you feel less overwhelmed over time. For most conditions, therapy and/or medication are the most effective treatments.
If you notice rapid shifts in your emotions, that can be a good indicator that you’re overwhelmed. When you’re overwhelmed, emotions can become spirals, and taking a moment to tune in and give yourself what you need can help prevent that.
Ashley Ayala, LMFT
Clinical reviewer
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Feeling overwhelmed is something that most people go through, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. By recognizing the signs early, identifying what’s behind them, and using healthy coping tools, you can prevent overwhelm from spiraling out of control.
At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best.
Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we're here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.
Saya Des Marais
Saya graduated with her Master in Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in mental health from the University of Southern California in 2010. She formerly worked as a therapist and motivational interviewing trainer in community clinics, public schools, mental health startups, and more.
Her writing has been featured in FORTUNE, GoodRX, PsychCentral, and dozens of mental health apps and therapy websites. Through both her clinical work and her personal OCD diagnosis, she’s learned the importance of making empathetic and accurate mental health content available online.
She lives in Portland, Oregon but you can find her almost just as often in Mexico or in her birthplace, Tokyo.
Ashley Ayala, LMFT
Ashley is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in generational healing and family dynamics. Ashley has worked in schools, clinics, and in private practice. She believes that people’s relationships, including our relationship with ourselves, greatly shape our experiences in life.
Ashley is committed to empowering others to show up authentically and deepen their self understanding. This passion stems from taking a critical lens on her own life story and doing inner healing. One of her favorite quotes is “Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.”
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