Woman Focused Coaching

It is a state of being beset by intense emotion that is difficult to manage.  You might feel overcome or overpowered globally, or in specific areas of your life, while in other areas you feel BRILLIANT.

Emotional overwhelm may be caused by stress, loss, traumatic life experiences, relationship issues, your job, kids and much more.  If you feel emotionally overwhelmed for an extended period of time, you may benefit from Emotional Health Life Coaching.

If you’re overwhelmed, chances are you have experienced one or more of the following:

Feelings of shame, that there is something wrong with you.

Feelings of lack, that you don't have what you need.

Feelings of isolation, that you are alone.

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, and yet, in some areas of your life you may feel BRILLIANT and CAPABLE.  Other people may think you are completely in control and be amazed by how strong you are even though inside you are feeling overwhelmed.

Emotional overwhelm can make it difficult to take care of yourself.  You may forget meals, skip rest breaks, or struggle to fall asleep. These behaviors can in turn lower your ability to think rationally, making it even harder to cope with overwhelm.

If left unchecked, this cycle can lead to physical health problems. You may experience unexplained pain or develop persistent fatigue.  As negative emotions increase, your body's ability to fight off infection may decrease.  

Emotional overwhelm may also impact your social life. You may find yourself lashing out at others or avoiding conversation. These behaviors may strain your relationships with loved ones or professional colleagues. 

You may not be aware of the response and the health effects of feeling overwhelmed, but every cell in your body is going to respond to the threat.  Overwhelm is seen by the brain as a threat to one’s ability to survive!  

Every cell in your body responds to the call from the brain to go into survival mode!  You may not be aware of the underlying overwhelm, because you’ve lived with it for so long.  In turn, you aren’t aware of the slow changes to your health that are happening, until you’re deep into anxiety, depression, fatigue, chronic pain, or other chronic medical conditions.   
 

Emotional symptoms include:

• Becoming easily agitated, frustrated, and moody
• Feeling overwhelmed, like you are losing control, on edge or need to take control
• Having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind
• Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), lonely, worthless, and depressed
• Avoiding others
• Being more emotional than usual.
• Using alcohol or drugs to relieve your emotional stress.

Physical symptoms include:

• Low energy
• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal problems including, upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
• Heaviness in your chest, chest pain and rapid heartbeat
• Insomnia
• Frequent colds and infections
• Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear, cold or sweaty hands and feet
• Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
• Clenched jaw and grinding teeth
• Shoulder, neck or back pain; general body aches and pains
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Feeling tired, anxious, depressed
• Losing or gaining weight; changes in your eating habits
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Sexual difficulties

Cognitive symptoms include:

• Constant worrying
• Racing thoughts
• Inability to focus
• Poor judgment
• Being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side
• Trouble keeping track of things or remembering
• Trouble making decisions, solving problems, concentrating, getting your work done

Behavioral symptoms include:

• Changes in appetite -- either not eating or eating too much
• Procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities
• Increased use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes
• Exhibiting more nervous behaviors, such as nail biting, fidgeting, and pacing

Feeling overwhelmed every now and then is not something to be concerned about and it is part of being human.  Ongoing, chronic overwhelm, however, can cause or exacerbate many serious health problems, including:

• Mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorders
• Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks, and stroke
• Obesity and other eating disorders
• Menstrual problems
• Sexual dysfunction and loss of sexual desire
• Skin and hair problems, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and permanent hair loss
• Gastrointestinal problems, such as GERD, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and irritable colon