To explain overwhelmed in psychological terms, we can use the concept of stress. stress is the body’s reaction to a perceived threat or challenge. When we face a stressful situation, our nervous system activates the fight-or-flight response, which prepares us to cope with the situation. However, if the stress is too intense, frequent, or prolonged, it can exceed our coping resources and lead to feeling overwhelmed. Feeling overwhelmed means that we have difficulty managing our emotions, thoughts, and behaviours in response to the stressor. We may feel anxious, depressed, angry, or helpless. We may also experience physical symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, fatigue, or digestive problems.
