The Psychology of Feeling Overwhelmed

Thank you for listening and supporting This Might Help.In this episode, we're diving into something so many of us are feeling right now - overwhelm. A lot of us are feeling overstimulated and overwhelmed, and we discuss what's happening in your brain when you experience this feeling and why modern life, from information overload and constant connectivity, is making it harder than ever to feel calm. Plus, we explore practical strategies to help close mental tabs, widen your window of tolerance, and actually signal to your body that it's safe to relax. You can find us on socials @thismighthelppodcast - ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠TikTokThe full video version of this episode is available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@thismighthelppodcastSome of the key research we chat about can be found below:Begeti, F. (2024). The phone fix: The brain-focused guide to building healthy digital habits and breaking bad ones. Apollo.Dael, N., Meister, A., & Krings, F. (2025). Reaching point break: Understanding the lived experience of being overwhelmed. Frontiers in Organizational Psychology, 3, 1590159. https://doi.org/10.3389/forgp.2025.1590159Nagoski, E., & Nagoski, A. (2019). Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. Ballantine Books.Newman, N., Fletcher, R., Robertson, C. T., Ross Arguedas, A., & Nielsen, R. K. (2024). Reuters Institute digital news report 2024. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024/dnr-executive-summarySiegel, D. J. (1999). The Developing Mind: Toward a Neurobiology of Interpersonal Experience. Guilford Press.Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285.Zeigarnik, B. (1938). On finished and unfinished tasks. In W. D. Ellis (Ed.), A Source Book of Gestalt Psychology (pp. 300–314). Kegan Paul.Some additional resources can be found here:https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/making-the-whole-beautiful/202205/what-is-the-window-of-tolerance-and-why-is-it-so-importanthttps://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/stress-in-americaAdditional support can be found through:Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636 LifeLine - https://988lifeline.org/get-help/ 13 11 14 Headspace - https://headspace.org.au 1800 650 890 (for those aged 25 or under)