By Alison DiPinto, MA LPC
Overwhelm synonyms: submerge, engulf, bury, deluge, flood, inundate, clog
I was thinking of the word overwhelm recently as it seems to be used quite often to describe current states of being with both my clients, as well as friends and family. So, in preparation for writing this I looked it up. I was surprised (and not so surprised with further thought) of the synonyms that were listed beside it.
What beneficial information can be provided to us if we take overwhelm as an emotional state of being and consider its synonyms? Words like submerge, engulf, inundate, bury and flood conjure up imagines of being overtaken by something that feels uncontrollable, such as fire, quicksand, or water.
We may feel overwhelmed by anger because of illness or loss. We may feel submerged in feelings of worry and uncertainty, and we may feel like we are drowning in a sea of sadness. These words and images help us to clarify how we feel, but not so much about what to do about it.
Let us consider the physical state of overwhelm to help us find solutions. Consider how does it feels in your body to be engulfed by anger. Some words that come time mind are tense, contracted, overheated. How does it feel to be buried by feelings of uncertainty or drowning in sadness? We may have some difficulty taking a deep breath, or a feeling of being disconnected or unmoored, resulting in difficulty focusing or sleeping.
Clog was another synonym for overwhelm and to me that has a different feel to it. It suggests a “stuckness” or an inability to move. That we may feel like our emotions are clogged up inside of us with nowhere to go.
Attending to the physical sensations that pair with our emotional states is a pathway to coping and healing. Let us explore some ways to attend to some of the sensations discussed above.
First, it is important to identify what you are feeling in your body that feels like overwhelm Find a moment or two of stillness and ask yourself how you feel with the focus being on body sensations that seem connected to emotions. See if you can let go of any judgement here and be curious about any information you are receiving.
Maybe the prominent sensation is muscle tension. A simple way to release tension is to do a tense and release exercise with each muscle of the body. You can do this seated, lying down or even standing. You can start at your feet and create tension in the muscle, hold for several seconds and then completely let the muscle relax. Then move up the body to the next muscle group (lower legs, upper legs and so on). It always amazes me how good the muscle feels when it gets to release all that tension.
This physical exercise reminds us that after a contraction there is always an expansion and that sometimes we contract around our pain to protect ourselves but if we allow and not resist the inevitable expansion, we can find relief in allowing our feelings to have the space to be felt.
We can couple the above exercise with attending to our breath. Sometimes we can have a tough time finding a deeper breath. It is important not to force it or “over focus” on how we are breathing. I know for me, that has led to feelings of a more labored breath. But if we pair it with a simple tense and release exercise our brain has something else to focus on. Try, on an inhale making a fist with both hands, then try a slower exhale as you slowly release your hands. Do this at least 5 times. During this exercise you could identify what you are letting go of as you exhale and release the fist: “I let go of my anger in this moment” or something we want to expand and nurture: “I expand around gratitude and love”.
If there is a feeling in the body of drowning or drifting and feeling untethered, we can simply turn our focus to our feet. We can become aware of how the distinct parts of the feet connect to the floor, feeling all ten toes, the outer and inner edges of the feet and the surface of the heel. For additional sensations of “groundedness”, try standing outside with your bare feet directly on the earth. (Maybe we wait for spring!) It can help to imagine the exchange between your unique energy and the energy of the earth.
If the body sensation of overwhelm feels more like clogged or stuck emotions, consider moving your whole body like dancing to a favorite song or “shaking out” stuck energy, (think Hokey Pokey) If dancing or shaking is not your thing consider journaling or talking to a trusted friend or counselor. The important thing is to externalize the trapped feelings somehow.
It seems that if you feel all those emotions and you’re short on time, the suggested exercises could be done all at once! Here’s an example: Stand or sit and notice your feet on the ground, then do the tense and release with your fists and breath 5 times, then shake out your whole body. Repeat as necessary.
Most times it takes a little awareness of not only how we feel but where we feel to start the process of feeling unburdened and less overwhelmed.
Alison DiPinto MA LPC
Alison is a licensed clinician at Ann’s Place. Alison also is a certified yoga instructor, certified Grief Yoga® instructor, and a certified Healthy Steps® instructor all of which she shares with the Ann’s Place community.