Test: What’s the cause of your overwhelm?

At the root of emotional overwhelm is often conflict or drama in close relationships or situations where it’s unavoidable, such as work. What’s going on in the wider
world via the news, particularly human tragedy or injustice, can add to emotional overwhelm. When you’re empathic and sensitive, you naturally absorb the impact
of what’s going on around you. Feeling tired all the time and finding yourself withdrawing from seeing friends and family can be a sign of emotional overwhelm. A trigger
might be worrying about someone close to you, or finding yourself or a loved one in a difficult situation that isn’t easily solved. Emotional overwhelm can also be a side
effect of regularly taking on others’ problems while forgetting that you have needs too. Sometimes, periods of emotional overwhelm can be temporary – a side effect of dealing with a specific stressful situation that increases your general sensitivity to emotionally triggering events. But in emotionally sensitive people, it can become a regular pattern. It’s tempting to turn to quick-fix ways to numb the feelings, but a more effective strategy is to manage your response to the feelings, rather than try to pretend they’re not there. That means making space every day for something that you find soothing and calming. It’s not a luxury for you – it’s an essential.