Overwhelmed? Do This! An Antidote to Feeling Overwhelmed

Are you feeling overwhelmed?

When you get overwhelmed, do you feel paralyzed, freeze up, or quit? Or do you “run amuck,” frantically trying to do everything? Or get irritable, defensive? Maybe you procrastinate or avoid the task?

When you start to have a bad day, do you go out of your way to bring to mind every single bad thing that is happening or has ever happened? Or do you just feel like there is so much to do that it’s pointless to even start? These behaviors are all functional in the short term - they give us an excuse to shut down and curl up in bed. But they won’t help you in the long run.

On the other hand, some people have the habit of sprinting about trying to do everything for everyone until they become completely exhausted and shut down. This might get some things done, but it also isn’t sustainable in the long run.

We often develop habitual responses to high levels of stress. The tendency is to shrink back, withdraw, or protect oneself. Look at these responses. Each is a type of fight/flight/freeze response, triggered by an overload to the alerting part of the brain, the sympathetic nervous system. These responses are natural, but they often get in the way of getting anything done.
What are your behaviors when you feel overwhelmed? How well are they working?

The deep brain (the brain stem and the limbic brain) is not built to multitask efficiently. Our cortex can do it to a degree, but juggling multiple tasks freaks out our core brain and triggers an emotional response. Fortunately, this is something we can counteract in a few simple ways.

The antidote to being overwhelmed:
Write it down (do a brain dump or a mind map)
Break it down (into small concrete steps)
Prioritize (choose what is most important and say no to the least important tasks)
Do one thing

Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

About Me:
I’m Emma McAdam. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have worked in various settings of change and growth since 2004. My experience includes juvenile corrections, adventure therapy programs, wilderness therapy programs, an eating disorder treatment center, a residential treatment center, and I currently work in an outpatient therapy clinic.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
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[jigsmom]

What a cute precious baby. Now that's therapeutic

[austinparsons]

When i get overwhelmed, I feel like I need to do everything at once and then start to get easily aggravated with everything. Even though I start doing things I still feel like I'm disorganized or have way more to do until I'm done. I could write myself a checklist and mark things off to feel that I'm making progress, but I will still feel stressed that I'm still not done

[irmalair]

I'm the paralyzed, procrastinator and extremely irritable one. 😣😣😣

[moderndancer]

I love how your baby kept looking at you and smiling. You have seamlessly integrated baby into your work!

[shinaerazo]

“You’ve gotten through all the weeks until now.” 😭 this brought tears to my eyes! 😭 I’m still standing!! 💪 thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I needed to hear that!!!

[Elena_M-ofre]

me trying to focus on the video:
Baby: *smiles*
Me ( puts all attention on the baby): SHES SO

[ashitavohra]

I’m a uni student and in my last year of uni, and i’ve literally been watching this video everyday to keep myself calm. Thank you so much for this.

[ChessPuzzles]

When Overwhelmed I misunderstand everyone around me.

[clairesteinriede]

LOOK AT YOUR PRECIOUS ANGEL!!! My goodness! All I would need is to cuddle with her! Love your videos!

[homehelpheart]

My problem is more depression than anxiety, and when I get overwhelmed, I tend to shut down. I've been working on myself for a bunch of years. I'm 70 now, but that doesn't mean that the procrastination monster doesn't still get me. Thank you so much for this video, Emma! I find your list of steps very helpful!

[ofckerii]

Not gonna lie, Grace took away all the pressure and overwhelmed mind. She's so adorable that I felt so happy to watch her. And I must appreciate your advice as well. Thank you for saving me from all the stress I had.💝

[judyrobertson]

Gracie has it right. When you feel overwhelmed sit in your mom's lap. It worked for all of us at one time. Unfortunately we couldn't do it forever. Too bad we can't remember the feeling we had and summon it when we need it. Keep up the good work. You always make so much sense.

[darkfeather]

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one who gets that Sunday depression every week! This video is SO helpful! I've spent years in therapy and been to five therapists and I have to say that your videos are more helpful and useful than all the years of therapy that I've gone to with the exception of my first therapist in college. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift of knowledge and self help. You are a blessing and I hope the best for you and your baby!!!

[rosalee]

I was trying to pay attention to what was being taught, but my goodness, that little baby had most of my attention. I was smiling and feeling better by just watching her. ❤

[MBKurilko]

That baby is the best thing I've seen this year! When she looks up at you and smiles, I'm done. 🥰

[patriciahartner]

Every time you direct your voice to your little one, she smiles. You are such an excellent mother, how can I not take your advice?! Thank you.

[ceciliaj]

When I feel overwhelmed and freezed... I watch this video of yours Emma.. just hearing your kind, sympathetic, calm reassuring voice in this video give me instant calm and peaceful feeling.

[NexLegacyAccount]

I've been practicing this more as a way to recover from several years of being stuck in a deep cycle of anxiety and depression. I tend to procrastinate cleaning my apartment, especially due to my job that wears me out, so this week I broke everything up instead of trying to do a bunch of it at once. I've also been working on adjusting my focus so I can learn programming and get out of the aforementioned crappy job, but I keep backsliding a bit there.

[shavigautam]

Grace is really blessed to have you with her as mother. Bless u both, and yep she's so adorable 🤗.

[FLHerbologistLaura]

I'm absolutely paralyzed, frozen, overwhelmed because there is too much to do. Always. Single mother and I've been freezing like this for years, periods of being unable to get out of bed, or I run around being crazy- yet I could never find a professional to explain this! So grateful I finally found an answer to why I'm doing (Ooooo all or nothing thinking.... I have BPD. I'm surprised I don't hear more about this in the BPD community!) ... just finished video, I'm going to watch it again💙💙 From someone in therapy her entire life, this is info I've never heard. Thank you 💙✌️🌺 beautiful baby!😍

Edit: I like you. You're cool. And you reached my cold black heart 🖤 😆 🌿 😂😂🌺🤦🏻‍♀️ jk 🌼🌼