Maybe it’s just the Longest January in History still happening in real time but life is just really... a lot right now, isn’t it? 

In fact, it’s not even just January. It’s been going on for quite some time and if you’re feeling the same, know that you’re not alone.

According to research by the mental health experts at Priory Group, 74% of adults have felt so stressed at some point over the past year that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.

Feels familiar, right?

Why you feel so overwhelmed right now

The stress experts at Calm explain overwhelm using water as a metaphor, saying: “Feeling overwhelmed is a bit like having a cup that’s filled to the brim with water.

“Every task, worry, or challenge you face is another drop of water added to the cup. When there’s too much water—or in this case, too much stress—the cup overflows. This overflow is what we experience as overwhelm.”

Yes, this really makes sense.

They also outlined that these are the common signs of overwhelm:

• Racing thoughts and difficulty concentrating

• Feeling confused or forgetful

• Physical symptoms like a racing heart, breathlessness, headaches, or stomach aches

• Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up tired

• Constant worry and rumination

• Low energy and wanting to withdraw from people or activities you usually enjoy

• Irritability, sadness, or anxiety

Be kind to yourself, none of these symptoms are easy to cope with.

How to feel less overwhelmed

Of course, many of us are acutely aware that life is rarely simple enough that we can just ‘stop being stressed’ or even reduce the things that make us so stressed out, but there are things we can do to manage our stress levels.

The UK’s leading mental health charity, Mind, recommends taking the following steps:

• Try a breathing exercise. Keep your shoulders down and relaxed, and your hand on your stomach as you breathe in and out
• Take a break — even just reading for a few minutes can help
• Picture yourself somewhere you feel calm
• Find one thing you can see, touch, hear, smell and feel to ground yourself

Additionally, if it gets too much and you don’t feel safe, call the Samaritans on their 24 hour helpline: 115 123.

Help and support:

• Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
• Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
• CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
• The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
• Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.