Coping with Anxiety and Overwhelm

Anxiety and Overwhelm

Anxiety and overwhelm often feel like pressure, a weight sitting on top of your chest. Thoughts go in circles as you try to fall asleep at night. You wake up exhausted, and the cycle continues.

Below is a “pondering exercise” in which you can consider the following prompts and connect them to your own situation. Find a comfortable place to sit, and read along.

After noticing you’re in anxiety or overwhelm, consider being kind to yourself. This doesn’t necessarily mean “do more self-care.” The pressure to “self-care” can be another thing we guilt ourselves about, something to add to your to-do list. Rather, being kind to yourself means you don’t have to do anything. Consider you don’t have to do anything differently and that it could be outside circumstances contributing to much of your stress. Sit with that idea. Take a moment to validate yourself and consider all that you’re up against.

Now ponder, if all things were better, what would your life look like? Let your imagination flow. Getting depressed that your life doesn’t actually look like that right now? Its okay. Go with your imagination for a moment and sense or feel what your experience of life would be if all were well.

Now, think about things that may be in the way. The smaller barriers, not big things like responsibility of kids or a marriage. Think about areas where you may be over-extending yourself. Could there be another way to do things? Even if the answer is “no” right now, let your mind wonder.

What do you have control over? How could your choices decrease the amount of stress and overwhelm you are experiencing? Play with the idea, but don’t stay here too long. It won’t be helpful if you get into shame or more rumination.

Is there anything at all you could say no to? Notice if there’s guilt about saying no. Remind yourself that people will reorganize even if it disappoints them.

Consider something you can do right now. Something that you like to do, not what other people tell you to do. Do you enjoy walks outside? Yoga? Watching a show? Eating some grounding food? Think of what you could do now. Even if its 5 breaths in and out through your nose and mouth, planting both feet on the ground, and connecting with yourself before moving on.

To recap, coping with anxiety looks like having awareness of your thoughts, feelings and body sensations. It also looks like validating yourself on what you are going through right now. Consider what you can and cannot control at this very moment. Do what you need to take care of yourself, even if its something as small (yet challenging) as saying no. When you find yourself ruminating, you can ground yourself in the moment before moving forward with your day.

It can help to have a therapist to walk you through these steps. Learning to cope effectively is a process, but with guidance and support, either from yourself or someone you trust, relief is possible.