Emotional overwhelm is a state of being beset by intense emotion that is difficult to manage. It can affect your ability to think and act rationally. It could also prevent you from performing daily tasks.
Emotional overwhelm may be caused by stress, traumatic life experiences, relationship issues, and much more. If you feel emotionally overwhelmed for an extended period of time, you may benefit from seeing a therapist at Star Point Counseling center in Tampa, Fl & Brandon, Fl.
Emotional overwhelm occurs when the intensity of your feelings outmatches your ability to manage them. An individual is most likely to be overwhelmed by negative emotions, such as anger, fear or guilt. However, people experiencing mania can be overwhelmed by euphoria.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, it may be difficult for you to pinpoint exactly why. Often there are many stressors contributing to emotional overwhelm rather than one particular event. Your emotions may bleed into seemingly unrelated parts of your life.
Here are some common signs that you are being overwhelmed by your emotions:
You have a disproportionately big reaction to seemingly insignificant situations. For example, you may panic when you can’t find your keys.
You feel physically ill or fatigue without knowing why.
You have trouble focusing or completing even simple tasks.
You find yourself withdrawing from friends and family.
Your emotions color your perception of the world. For example, intense grief may have you feeling sad even during pleasant occasions.
overwhelm can also occur due to many smaller stressors. For example, missing your bus may not feel like too big of a deal by itself. But if you’ve been fighting with your family, having trouble sleeping, and are hungry from skipping breakfast, a missed bus can be the proverbial “last straw” of the day. Some emotions may overwhelm you more easily than others. You may find it easier to manage your anger than to tolerate extreme fear or sadness. If you have many conflicting feelings at once, emotional overwhelm can be especially likely.
With each concern that is resolved, you will likely find that dealing with other stressors becomes easier. Even focusing on one or two issues can significantly reduce your distress.
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