Our bodies, minds and nervous systems are limited in their capacity to process information, and as such may be overwhelmed and experience strong physiological responses when it all gets to be ‘too much’ for us when this capacity is exceeded instead of being respected.

When our nervous system is thus fully activated, we might find that our experience of our own emotions (as they are felt in the body) can be overwhelming as well. Our breathing, heart rate, appetite and other rhythms would likely communicate to us that our more primitive systems are currently in overdrive.

The pattern that may unfold as a result of this possibly traumatizing experience, is that we end up getting stuck in an acutely activated state that fails to return to a relatively relaxed and grounded state. When the body is thus burdened by a nervous system in chaos, we are unable to experience the full spectrum of our lives and emotions, including joy and hope.

Over time, we may likely dissociate from the current moment (as it continues to feel like ‘too much’), and may even wish to remain dissociated, or be numb for a time (which can lead to addictions and dependencies of various kinds). It’s possible to cope with overwhelm differently, if one can learn how to reconnect with their bodies in a manner that promotes the sort of comfort and ease that living with trauma, dissociation and overwhelm often diminish.

Need some help in reconnecting with your body? Or maybe this description simply feels relevant to you for some reason: please know, that you needn’t go through this process of healing alone – reach out to us to schedule a free call to a therapist for professional assistance on your mental health journey.