5 steps to overcome being overwhelmed

A pounding heartbeat, a tight stomach, and perspiring palms. Nearly all of us have been there and gone through that emotional downward spiral.

Thoughts of negativity spiral out of control. The outcomes are the same whether it’s about distressing texts from a loved one, a stressful encounter at work, clothing that don’t fit right, or deep interior agony. We dwell on these distressing thoughts as our emotions run amok.

Being unable to manage our emotions is quite uncomfortable and can have detrimental effects. There is some good news, though! We can use a variety of abilities to alter these undesirable results.

1. When feeling overwhelmed, take a few long, deep breaths.

It is simple to feel overwhelmed when we are in a challenging circumstance that elicits an emotional reaction. This sudden bodily excitation is brought on by the emotional tempest. It’s time to step back and inhale deeply at this point. This could sound cliche. Because it is one, that is!

Yet there’s a good reason it’s become a cliche: multiple studies have demonstrated that it works.

Make an effort to inhale deeply for three or four counts. After that, slowly exhale for double that number. If you find that double is too much, try to exhale for one or two more counts than you inhale. According to studies, when we breathe out, our bodies put the breaks on the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates our ability to fight or flee.

The amygdala, a region of the brain directly connected to emotional responses, becomes more active during inhalation. Try concentrating on taking long, steady breaths to help you calm your amygdala when it is affecting you.

You should be careful not to breathe too differently than you normally do because doing so could make you feel uncomfortable or anxious. Although without becoming too erratic, the rhythm should be gradual and even, emphasizing the out-breath.

2. Outline the facts and your analysis of them in writing.

Draw up two lists:

1. List A should include the essential details of the circumstance that upsets you. Be sure you aren’t presuming or introducing any facts that aren’t already there. Try to keep your list to only the things that were said or done, leaving out any feelings or emotions.
2. Describe your feelings and ideas concerning the circumstance in List B. Keep your attention on how you are interpreting and perceiving the scenario.

Compare the lists, third.

Contrast Lists A and B. Verify that your interpretations match the data. We frequently view the world through an emotional lens that has been developed over time as a result of our personal experiences. This filter can distort reality while we’re feeling stressed.

Make sure you weren’t influencing someone’s communication by adding motive or emphasis. Examine the likelihood that the message’s unclear meaning wasn’t what you initially assumed. Make sure that your emotional response is appropriate for the scenario and that it isn’t being amplified by a false interpretation while you are making sure that the facts support the issue.

Perhaps your partner did leave you a hostile note, but does your degree of distress line up with that? Or are you inferring from your previous relationships that your current spouse has the same negative motives as your ex? It’s critical to make an effort to reframe your ideas and perceptions into a narrative that more closely corresponds with the situation’s reality.

We must ensure that the tale we tell ourselves is accurate since it has a really strong impact on how we feel. It is obvious that there is no problem with your interpretation if you recognize after comparing the lists that your response does match the facts. Use some basic problem-solving techniques to come up with a solution if this is the case.

4. Try Opposite Action when you’re feeling overwhelmed

When you understand that your interpretations don’t match the evidence and that your emotional reaction isn’t helping, it’s time to move on to the next phase. One of the most effective tools, albeit it is frequently the hardest to use.

Take a step back and write down the feelings you are experiencing the most strongly, along with any cravings that go along with them, whether you are in the midst of an emotional storm or after it has passed. For instance, if you are extremely irate at work, you could feel the need to slam your boss.

If your significant other has sent you a text that has irritated you, you may have the urge to reply with a caustic text of a few pages.

It is important in these instances to identify the emotion and urge, and then to do the opposite (or something incongruent) of that urge. In the first situation, it might mean getting away from your boss for a while. In the second, it may mean taking some time before replying appropriately.

People often struggle with this skill because they have developed self-defeating habits over the years, and these can be tough to break.

It can be terrible to consider doing chores or taking a walk if you always curl up in bed when you’re depressed or terrified. And for that reason, doing it is essential.

You need to persuade your mind that, even when you’re unhappy, you can still think clearly. Although it will be painful, if you routinely engage in opposing action, over time the distressing feelings and the related cravings may reduce or even vanish.

5. Pay attention to the thoughts and emotions.

It might be time to move on to this one if none of the other measures have provided you with significant relief. Based on mindfulness exercises, this ability. We are frequently totally entangled in our ideas and emotions. Only because we are thinking or feeling them does not make them true or lasting in our eyes.

Without passing judgment, try to notice your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Appreciate them for what they are. Imagine your troubling thoughts flowing down a stream like leaves. You are not required to converse with them. After thanking them, bid them farewell. It’s not true that you are useless just because you believe you are. Keep an eye on the thought as it drifts away. We give these notions more strength the more we wrestle or argue with them.

The more we strive, the deeper we sink into the quicksand, much as the more we struggle with our thoughts and feelings, the deeper we sink into our emotional maelstrom.

Steps to Do if You’re Still Feeling Overwhelmed

Hopefully, one or more of these techniques may help you feel less anxious when you are feeling overburdened. Remember that, like with most things in life, insights rarely make a difference on their own. Instead, the key to achieving your objectives is practice. You won’t get a six pack by learning how to crunch or by performing one crunch. As repetitions are what count, you are more likely to benefit if you can use these skills frequently.

Whether you feel any relief from being overwhelmed, it’s crucial to remember that even if you’re in the midst of your storm, storms always pass. Even though it will be challenging, it will pass. The fact that we feel so much misery at these moments is mostly due to the fact that we believe the feelings, thoughts, and sensations will never pass. Simply keeping in mind that your suffering and struggles are only transitory can be quite effective.

Suggestion for read: Holiday Stress: Why Do I Get Stressed Out Over the Holidays?

Feelings, ideas, and sensations seem to go on forever. Simply keeping in mind that your suffering and struggles are only transitory can be quite effective.

Inquire Talk’s, certified therapists who you can get in touch and book a therapy session with:

Digna Patel

Paul Weeden

Victoria Sharman