We’ve all been there – feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tasks or obligations that are piling up. You probably already know that feeling overwhelmed can have a serious impact on your mental and physical health. In this blog post, we’ll be exploring five ways that feeling overwhelmed can negatively affect you. Read on to learn more about the high price of feeling overwhelmed.
Life can be overwhelming, no doubt. Whether you’re caring for an aging parent, raising a family, and holding down a job, it’s easy to get bogged down.
The situation may be temporary and as you near the end of that period, those feelings of overwhelm will start to fade away. But when you’re constantly working in a state of stress, your body will start to give you signs that something’s off.
How Feeling Overwhelmed Can Affect You
Having too much on your plate for too long will leave you with various negative consequences. It can hurt your relationships, which just adds to the overwhelm and may also add guilt. It affects your mental health, damaging your sense of calm and peace. Left unchecked it can also affect you physically, ranging from becoming more accident prone, to making unhealthy lifestyle choices. These are some of the early warning signs:
Your ability to think rationally will decrease
When you don’t take care of yourself, like getting enough rest, it can lead to a chain reaction of bad decisions. Not getting enough sleep can lead to feeling anxious, which can then cause you to make more poor choices. It’s a vicious cycle that can be hard to break out of.
You will probably feel intense emotions that you cannot explain
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it can be an emotional rollercoaster. You might be feeling angry, scared, anxious, or guilty. That’s because your body is releasing cortisol. This is the stress hormone. It’s like a wave of intense anxiety that floods your system.
You may cry more frequently
Those intense emotions may lead on to you crying more often. This is a natural reaction. It’s a great way to release emotions and can be really beneficial for your mental health. But if you find yourself crying too often or it’s affecting your daily life, it could be a sign of a bigger issue and it might be worth talking to a doctor about it.
You may hurt some relationships
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, your body can react in some pretty intense ways. You might find yourself snapping at your coworkers, partner, or even your five-year-old when they spill their milk. It’s totally understandable, but it’s not always easy to manage these strong emotions. It can take a toll on you and the people around you.
You forget to take care of yourself
Taking care of everyone else’s needs can easily leave you feeling drained and exhausted. You might even find yourself skipping meals, neglecting breaks, and having trouble sleeping. The longer this goes on, the worse it gets, until you’re at the point of feeling like nothing will ever change.
When you feel overwhelmed, your body may respond in kind. But, if you can recognise what’s happening, you’re already taking the first steps toward healing. For your next step, check out our tips for taking control.
Feeling overwhelmed can have a serious impact on your life, both physically and mentally. It can cause stress, anxiety, and depression, and can even lead to physical health issues. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to take steps to reduce your stress and prioritise your mental and physical health. A little self-care can go a long way in helping you manage your stress and reclaim your life. So if you’re paying the high price of feeling overwhelmed – take charge to start feeling better today!