During Mental Health Awareness Week, I find myself reflecting not only on the people I work with, but on my own experiences of overwhelm, because the reality is, none of us are immune to it.
There are moments when everything feels too much and life seems utterly overwhelming. The overwhelm itself doesn't always initially present in a dramatic or obvious way, but rather as a quietly persistent and yet somewhat sinister hum of pressure, that builds beneath the surface, until even the smallest tasks begin to feel heavy.
Overwhelm often creeps in when life stretches beyond what feels manageable. And in today’s world, that threshold is being tested constantly. We are living in a time shaped by uncertainty, global conflict, political tension, financial instability, and a steady stream of distressing news that is difficult to switch off from. What’s more, is that even when these events are not directly impacting us, they live in our awareness, creating an unnerving sense of unease. I like to think about this permeating feeling as similar to white noise - its whether or not you choose to tune into it.
It’s no wonder so many people feel like they are “too much in their heads” or are struggling to ground themselves. When overwhelm takes hold, our instinct is often to do more; whether its to fix, to solve, or to busy ourselves in attempt to regain control as quickly as possible. But paradoxically, this can deepen the feeling. We become caught in cycles of overthinking, catastrophising, and trying to mentally outrun something that cannot be resolved all at once.
So what does it mean to sit with overwhelm, rather than fight it? For me, it begins with a return to fundamentals.
When the world feels large and unsteady, we bring our focus back to what is immediate and within reach. Not the next year, or even the next week, but today. This moment. Presence. The breath.
There is something quietly powerful in acknowledging: I only have to get through today.
This is not about avoidance or denial. It is about recognising the limits of what we can realistically hold at any one time. Much of what fuels overwhelm is the mind reaching too far ahead, trying to prepare for every possible outcome. But we are not designed to carry the weight of the future all at once.
Taking things day by day is not a cliché - it is an going practice. To stay in the present moment is an act of trust. In trusting in ourselves, we have to let go of the desire to control everything in sight, everything that is coming, and everything that has been before. Trust that not everything needs to be solved immediately. Trust that you will meet what comes, when it comes. And for many, there is also a deeper sense of faith here - not necessarily in a religious sense - in knowing that things can unfold without us forcing every step.
Alongside this, I often encourage people to return to routine, as a gentle anchor. When we feel overwhelmed, the things that ground us can start to feel insignificant or even burdensome. Going for a walk, making a proper meal, stepping outside, moving our bodies - these can all slip down the priority list. And yet, they are often the very things that help regulate our nervous system.
There is something deeply stabilising about tending to the ordinary.
Getting up at a consistent time. Washing, dressing, eating regularly. Stepping into nature, even briefly. Engaging in some form of movement - whether that’s a walk, yoga, or simply stretching - and processing how inexplicably lucky you are to be able to do these simple activities. Or, if that’s not possible for you, then taking a few minutes to sit quietly, to breathe, to notice your surroundings: just practicing staying in the presence of the current moment.
These are not small things. They are signals to the body that we are safe enough. That we are still here, still functioning, still connected to something steady. Overwhelm thrives in disconnection (from ourselves, from our bodies, and from the present moment). Routine helps rebuild that connection, piece by piece.
A hugely important aspect of managing overwhelm is also in recognising how we may unintentionally feed it. When anxiety rises, it can pull us towards behaviours that amplify fear; from constant checking of the news to excessive scrolling, to replaying worst-case scenarios, and even withdrawing from the very activities that might soothe us. In these moments, it can feel as though we are staying informed, staying prepared, ahead of what’s coming. But in actual fact, by attempting to consume everything that is going on around us, we often lose perspective on our own lives and instead serve to deepen the sense that the world is unsafe and we are not capable of managing as we are.
It is about learning to accept our own human-ness, our own faults and flaws and learning not to judge them. This tendency is not a byproduct of being human, it is a learnt behaviour, and therefore one that can be un-learnt. Instead of naming, shaming and blaming each small imperfection, we are faced with a choice: to reframe our unconscious bias to work for us, or to allow it to continue to work against us.
We tend to to self-criticise rather than self-soothe; the nuance is all about gently noticing these thoughts in order to create space for a different choice, a better-feeling thought and a better-feeling option.
We can begin to ask: Is this helping me feel calmer, or more distressed?
If it is the latter, it may be time to step back and to set boundaries around what we take in and how often we are doing so, in order to simply give ourselves permission not to engage with everything, all the time.
Calm is not something we wait for; it is something we actively cultivate. And sometimes, it is found in very simple places.
In a quiet cup of tea.
In the rhythm of walking.
In the practice of focused breathing.
In the decision to turn off the noise for a while.
Overwhelm often tells us that everything is urgent, everything matters equally, and everything must be addressed now. But this is rarely true. When we bring life back into the scale of a single day, it becomes more manageable.
What needs to be done today?
What can wait?
What actually matters in this moment?
These questions can help restore a sense of proportion and perspective, and with it, a sense of control. As a therapist, I see how powerful it can be when someone realises they are not failing but rather, they are just overwhelmed, and that what they are feeling makes sense in the context of their life and the wider world. And as a person, I return to these same principles myself.
Slowing down.
Coming back to basics.
Letting today be enough.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, perhaps the invitation is not to eliminate overwhelm entirely, (for that may not be realistic) but instead to change how we relate to and interact with it.
To meet it with understanding, rather than resistance.
To ground ourselves in what is steady and present.
And to trust that, step by step, day by day, we can find our way back to balance.
You do not have to carry everything at once.
Today is enough.
