But overwhelm does not always look dramatic.

10 things to notice about overwhelm

1. You’ve slept, but still wake up tired. You struggle to even pull back the covers. It takes all your energy just to get up.

2. You can’t even decide what to eat, so you skip meals or grab what’s available. Decision fatigue means you make no choice, or choices that don’t really help you feel better.

3. You put off little jobs that need doing, like paying a bill or replying to a message. They’re probably not even that big of a task, but the thought of doing it makes you avoid it even more.

4. You can’t tolerate being around people. Social events you had planned fill you with dread. You think of reasons and excuses not to go.

5. You become snappy over little things. The smallest inconvenience can suddenly feel huge, because you are already carrying so much.

6. You sit down to relax, but your mind still races. Even when your body is still, your brain feels like it’s constantly switched on.

7. You feel emotional over things that normally wouldn’t bother you. You might cry more easily, feel irritated, or just feel like everything is getting on top of you.

8. You struggle to concentrate. You read the same message three times, forget what you walked into a room for, or lose track of what someone is saying.

9. You stop doing the things that normally help you. You cancel plans, stop exercising, avoid hobbies, and tell yourself you’ll get back to them when you feel better.

10. You keep telling yourself to “just get on with it”, even though deep down you know you are exhausted and need support.

Overwhelm isn’t always a breakdown. It can slowly chip away at you and become the new norm.

Sometimes it just looks like someone trying to hold it all together.

I had never really thought about overwhelm until I did my training. I never even thought I had experienced it myself.

I thought overwhelm was something that only happened to people in the middle of a mental health crisis, and I felt so far away from that.

Yes, I had days where I really did not want to function. Days where even the smallest task felt like too much. But little did I know, these were often the tell-tale signs that something was beginning.

Our bodies are very good at giving us signs. We just are not always very good at reading them.

As a mum, an employee, and someone who has so many people relying on them, there often feels like there is no room to put anything down.

Who will do it if you decide to have a break?

“Don’t be silly. You can manage”

That is what we tell ourselves.

We tell ourselves we just need to get through to the weekend. But then the weekend comes, and the housework needs doing, there is a pile of washing or paperwork waiting, family are coming for dinner, and the kids need dropping off or picking up from whatever party, football match or activity they have committed to.

Maybe Saturday night you get a takeaway, pour yourself a glass of wine, or try to switch off for a few hours, hoping it will be enough to make you feel better.

But one night off is not always enough to fix what has been building up for weeks, months, or even years.

Then Sunday comes, and before you know it, you are already thinking about Monday again.

We can find ourselves stuck in a constant loop of putting everyone else first, worrying about letting people down, while quietly letting ourselves down in the process.

So what do we do?

Do we start saying no to everyone, go back to bed and pull the covers over our heads?

What if I told you there is a much better way.

Not something that gives you just a few minutes of respite, but something that can give you a lifetime of awareness and understanding.

When I ask my clients at the end of their sessions what they are taking away with them, they often say the same thing.

They can see things differently.

They realise life does not have to feel so hard.

They understand themselves better, they recognise the signs sooner, and they know what they need to do to get themselves back on track.

And they can do all of that knowing that putting themselves first does not mean they are letting everyone else down.

Hypnotherapy can help you recognise these patterns, understand where they come from, and focus on what is important again.