Feeling Overwhelmed: A “Normal” Experience with a Message

hypnowithdean
Nov 12
7 min read

Life moves fast. You’ve got commitments, maybe work, family, personal goals, societal pressures—and somewhere in the mix the feeling creeps in: “I’m overwhelmed.” That heaviness in the chest, the racing thoughts, the sense that the to‑do list is longer than you are. It’s common. It’s human. But it also matters — because the experience of overwhelm often signals that something in our system needs attention.

As a solution‑focused hypnotherapist, you (or your clients) may already know that overwhelm isn’t a failure. It’s a sign: a sign that resources are mismatched to demands; that mind‑body needs recalibrating; that change is signalling. In this blog we’ll explore: what feeling overwhelmed really is; the triggers and underlying mechanisms; how it shows up in your life; why it matters for wellbeing (and for hypnotherapy); and most importantly — how we can respond, recover, and move toward stability and growth.

Keywords: feeling overwhelmed, coping with overwhelm, emotional overwhelm, hypnotherapy for overwhelm, solution‑focused hypnotherapy, managing overwhelm.

What Does “Feeling Overwhelmed” Actually Mean?

When we say we’re overwhelmed, we often mean several things at once: a flood of tasks, a cascade of emotions, a nervous system that’s racing or shutting down. It’s as much a body experience as it is a mind experience.

Some indicators:

A sense of being behind, inadequate, or “out of control”.
Difficulty focusing, making decisions or prioritising (too much in the mind).
Physical symptoms: tightness in chest, rapid breathing, fatigue, restlessness.
Emotional mix: anxiety, frustration, sadness, irritability, maybe guilt.
A “too much” feeling: too many inputs, too many demands, too many thoughts.

The experience is not simply “stress” in the mild sense. It’s when stress tips into overload — when our coping and resource systems are stretched. According to sources, overwhelm often shows when a person’s internal or external resources are inadequate to meet the stressors being applied. newportinstitute.com +2balancetreatment.com +2

Why We Get Overwhelmed: Core Causes

Understanding why overwhelm arises is key to responding effectively. Here are major contributing factors.

1. Excessive demands and multitasking

Whether at work, home or life in general, juggling many tasks at once is a common route into overwhelm. When we do too much simultaneously, our brain and body struggle to prioritise. Sources note that trying to multitask increases the risk of feeling overwhelmed.

2. Emotional triggers and transitions

Life changes (divorce, relocation, loss, new role) often bring emotional upheaval. Past trauma, grief, relationship strain may make us more vulnerable. These triggers can subtly escalate into chronic overwhelm. balancetreatment.com +1

3. Unrealistic expectations & perfectionism

Wanting to do it all, be perfect, control every outcome — these are significant stress multipliers. They create self‑imposed pressure and elevate vulnerability to overwhelm. balancetreatment.com

4. Accumulated stress and depleted resources

Stress isn’t a one‑off; it accumulates. When we don’t pause to recover, the system becomes fragile. Sleep deprivation, poor diet, lack of movement or support all weaken resilience. Cleveland Clinic+1

5. Cognitive overload & information saturation

In today’s digital world, the volume of information, decision‑making, alerts, and expectations can overload our cognitive system. Although not always labelled “overwhelm”, cognitive overload plays a role. en.wikipedia.org

How Overwhelm Shows Up in Daily Life

Recognising the signs is the first step to taking action.

In thoughts

Lots of “what‑ifs”, “I musts”, “I shoulds”.
Scattered mind: jumpy thoughts, difficulty concentrating.
A looping mental script: “There’s too much to do, I’m behind, I can’t catch up.”
Unhelpful self‑talk and catastrophising.

In emotions

Feeling anxious, uneasy.
Feeling defeated, stuck, maybe tearful.
Low mood, irritability, impatience.
Sense of hopelessness or heaviness.

In body / physiology

Shallow or rapid breathing, tension in shoulders or jaw.
Fatigue despite rest, or restlessness unable to switch off.
Digestive upsets, headache, amplified physical reactivity.
Sleep disturbed (either too little or too much).

In behaviour

Avoidance or procrastination: when the load feels too heavy you may hide from it.
Task‑hopping: jump from one thing to next without finishing.
Saying “yes” too much, not setting boundaries.
Neglecting self‑care because you’re “too busy”.
Using substances or behaviours to cope (food, screens, alcohol) — a sign you’re overwhelmed.

The blog from Cleveland Clinic points out that when stressors exceed our capacity to cope, we move into risk territory. Cleveland Clinic+1

Why It Matters: Overwhelm and Wellbeing

Overwhelm is more than a “bad feeling” — it affects your mental, physical and relational health, and it interrupts your ability to thrive and change.

Impact on mental health

If allowed to persist, overwhelm can lead into burnout, anxiety, depression. Sources highlight overlap with emotional exhaustion, depressive symptoms and cognitive overload. HelpGuide.org +1

Impact on physical health

Chronic stress and overwhelm impact sleep, immune system, heart‑health, digestion — the body pays attention. Cleveland Clinic

Impact on therapy, change and growth

Here’s where it matters for your hypnotherapy practice: clients who come in feeling overwhelmed often cannot access their inner resource states readily. They may feel stuck, disconnected from future‑focus, or unable to engage with solution‑layers. Your role is shifting them from overwhelm‑driven to resource‑driven. Recognising overwhelm early means you can guide the session differently — slower pacing, grounding, rapport‑building, before heavy future‑work.

Impact on relationships & life experience

Overwhelm doesn’t just sit inside you — it spills out. You may become irritable, less present, less engaged with loved ones, less able to enjoy simple things. And that feeds more overwhelm. It becomes a loop.

What to Do When You Feel Overwhelmed

Let’s move into the heart of the matter: how to respond. Remember: it’s not about “fixing” overnight; it’s about shifting and recovering. Here are practical steps.

1. Pause. Breathe. Ground.

When overwhelm arrives, the first move is to stop the upward spiral.

Pause whatever you’re doing.
Take a few deep, slow breaths. This helps regulate the nervous system. calm.com
Use grounding techniques: for example, the ‑5‑4‑3‑2‑1 method (five things you see, four you touch, three you hear, two you smell, one you taste) to bring yourself back into the present. calm.com +1
Acknowledge “I feel overwhelmed” rather than dismissing it. Labeling an emotion helps reduce the intensity.

2. Identify and acknowledge the triggers

Ask: What’s contributing to this overwhelm?

Is it too many tasks?
Is there an emotional transition happening?
Is perfectionism or fear of failure playing a part?
Are physical needs neglected (sleep, food, movement)?
Are you saying “yes” when you should say “no”?

Sources suggest that attending to root causes is key to moving forward rather than simply coping. balancetreatment.com

3. Prioritise and break down tasks

When everything feels urgent it becomes paralysing. Tools you can use:

Write down everything that’s in your head (brain‑dump).
Then prioritise: what absolutely must happen now? What can wait? What can be dropped or delegated? calm.com
Break bigger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. Progress on small wins builds momentum and relief. piedmont.org
Use a “no list” – things you explicitly decide not to do, to clear your plate. Mental Health First Aid

4. Regulate your body and self‑care

We often think the “work” is all in the mind, but the body is deeply involved.

Ensure adequate sleep: poor sleep worsens overwhelm. Cleveland Clinic+1
Engage in physical movement: even a 10‑minute walk helps shift nervous system and mood. calm.com +1
Nourish your body with healthy food and hydration. Stress is worse when nutrition is poor. HelpGuide.org
Use relaxation techniques: meditation, yoga, breathing exercises. Cleveland Clinic

5. Set boundaries and protect your energy

Overwhelm often comes from being spread too thin.

Learn to say no. Practice it in non‑urgent contexts so it becomes easier when it matters. Mental Health First Aid
Limit exposure to negative or draining people/events. Protect your emotional space. HelpGuide.org
Build rest or “buffer” time into tasks – don’t move straight from one obligation to the next without breathing space.

6. Use mindful reframing and self‑compassion

How we talk to ourselves matters.

Recognise and validate your feelings: “It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, I’m not failing, I’m human.”
Reframe thoughts: Instead of “I must do everything”, say “I’m doing what I can, step by step”.
Use gratitude or noticing: what is going right, what small resources do I have? This shifts the focus from threat to capacity. calm.com

7. Seek connection and support

You’re not alone. Overwhelm isolates but reaching out reconnects.

Talk to someone you trust about how you feel. Sharing lightens the load. calm.com
Consider professional support if overwhelm feels chronic or you’re struggling to function. ChoosingTherapy.com
Use community, groups, or even peer support for listening and perspective.

8. Transition from overwhelm → growth (solution‑focused)

Since your practice centres on solution‑focused hypnotherapy, the aim is not just relief but forward movement. Here’s how you can guide this in your sessions (or invite clients to apply these ideas):

Once the client is grounded, help them visualise what would feeling less overwhelmed look like. What would their day feel like if they had space, energy, clarity?
Use hypnotherapy to anchor resource states: calm, centred, confident.
Focus on one next step rather than “everything”. Overwhelm dissolves when the focus is narrow and actionable.
Build a “micro‑habit” that supports their state: e.g., 2‑minute grounding before work, a nightly wind‑down ritual. Small wins matter.
Celebrate the shift: clients often underestimate how far they’ve come in reducing overwhelm. Acknowledging progress reinforces resilience.

Why You as a Hypnotherapist Are Well‑Placed to Help

Your skillset brings unique value in working with overwhelm:

Your ability to create safe, attuned rapport allows clients to feel held, which is often missing in overwhelm.
You can guide deep physiological shifts (via hypnotherapy) so the nervous system relaxes and the overload state is disrupted.
Because your approach is solution‑focused, you work not just with symptoms of overwhelm but with the movement toward a preferred future state — e.g., “What does ease feel like for you?”
In your marketing, you can speak to people who say “I’m tired of being overwhelmed” — show them you understand what they feel and have tools for change. For instance: “If you’re often feeling like the weight of life is pressing down, you don’t need to carry it alone.”

Final Thoughts

Feeling overwhelmed isn’t a sign that you’re weak or failing—it’s a sign that your system is full. It’s asking you to pause, reset, and shift. The path out isn’t always dramatic; often it’s steady, small, thoughtful. As you practise pausing, grounding, prioritising, and inviting inner resource states, the weight lightens.

For clients, knowing there’s someone (you) who understands overwhelm, works with it consciously, and uses hypnotherapy to guide transformation is powerful. For you, using these strategies means you’ll serve them more deeply—and attract the individuals who most need your approach.

If you like, I can create two shorter blog variants from this (for specific issues like overwhelm at work, or overwhelm in parenting), plus design a PDF checklist or worksheet that goes with this blog (which you can offer as a free download). Would you like me to do that?