How To Stop Yourself From Spiraling

Feeling overwhelmed? Girl, same. I would be surprised if you weren’t–you are human, after all. The digital age is a blessing, allowing us to be connected with loved ones and kept up-to-date, but it can also be wildly overstimulating to have constant access to everything, everywhere, all at once. They call it a doomscroll for a reason! 

If you’re feeling agitated, hopeless, distraught or scared, this is entirely normal and perhaps a symptom of being inundated and overwhelmed. I’m sharing a few actionable steps you can try taking if any of these feelings arise:

1. Put down the phone, turn off the TV | I saw a lot of content on my phone this week that was, frankly, not within my consent. I didn’t ask to see graphic videos and images depicting violence, and yet, there they were. Just inches away from my face and only minutes after it happened in real life. Sometimes you need to unplug for your mental health! That doesn’t mean you don’t care or you’re ignoring reality, it simply means you’re taking care of yourself. 
2. Breathe | I’ve talked about box breathing in a previous post (you can find that blog post here). Essentially what you’re doing is forced meditation–breathing in for four counts, holding for four counts, breathing out for four counts. This slows your nervous system down and helps you switch out of fight or flight mode. 
3. Go outside | Fresh air will do you some good! You don’t need a forest preserve or a mountainscape to reconnect with nature, you can do it from your neighborhood–try going for a walk, sitting in a park, or playing fetch with the pup in the backyard. There’s something really healing about hearing the wind in the trees! 
4. Do something with your hands and body | Make yourself a meal, draw a picture, tidy a room, write a postcard to a friend, lift weights…if you’re me, ride a horse! Horseback riding has always been my outlet. 

Here’s a few other resources with tips on managing stress:

• National Council for Mental Wellbeing
• National Institute of Mental Health
• The Mayo Clinic
• Harvard Health