What Kind of Overwhelm Keeps You Stuck - & How to Start Calming It

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  When you think about overwhelm, how does it feel in your body?

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  • A.
    Like your heart is racing faster than a cheetah
  • B.
    Numb like you could drink 5 espresso shots and take a nap
  • C.
    Heavy and exhausted like carrying a backpack full of rocks
  • D.
    Like you are the Energizer bunny and can just keep going
• 2.
  When you think about your ideal day, what do you want to feel?

  • A.
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    Energized and motivated to hit the farmers market
  • B.
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    Relaxed and blissful: hello cucumber eye mask & bubble bath
  • C.
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    Clear-headed, focused and ready to plan my week ahead
• 3.
  On a scale of 1-100 how much tension do you feel in your body?

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  • A.
    1-25: Yoga is my stress-busting jam; my muscles are loose and limber
  • B.
    25-75: You wake up stiff, but a brisk walk & cracking your knuckles gets things going
  • C.
    75-100: It’s a wonder you can even get out of bed in the morning
• 4.
  If your sleep matched your bedding, what would it be?

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  • A.
    Itchy wool sheets: falling asleep is nearly impossible until you’re physically exhausted & your brain is worn out
  • B.
    Egyptian cotton: you fall asleep once you hit the pillow & don’t wake up until your alarm is going off
  • C.
    Patchwork quilt: you’re restless and wake up often and barely piece together six hours
• 5.
  If your body were to throw a party when you're stressed, this is how it would go down:

  • A.
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    A rockin’ ragger with loud music and headbanging that leaves you hung over and vomiting the next morning
  • B.
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    A date at home with your cat, a pint of ice cream, a bag of chips and your favorite tear-jerker movie
  • C.
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    A comedy act staring you as the headliner revealing embarrassing teenage memories to an audience of your co-workers
• 6.
  If your stressed mind was a tv show, what type would it be?

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  • A.
    A comedy: you can laugh off your mistakes, share them with friends and keep rolling
  • B.
    A tragedy: you turn into a puddle of sobbing tears & can’t even get a word out
  • C.
    A horror: Replaying your worst memories on repeat with your ex-boyfriends watching
• 7.
  When you’re feeling overwhelmed, how is your appetite?

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  • A.
    Endless as a teenager: pass the candy and chips please!
  • B.
    What appetite? Your minds too busy to think about food
  • C.
    Disgusted. TMI but your body revolts and empties as fast as it can. Thank you double ply toilet tissue & antacids
  • D.
    No problemo. You have guts of steel.
• 8.
  When you’re overwhelmed, how hot are you?

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  • A.
    Hot sweats: hello instant sauna
  • B.
    Cold sweats: where is my sweater?
  • C.
    Like a desert: You could star in a deodorant commercial
• 9.
  When stress hits, what does your breathing do?

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  • A.
    Stays smooth and even
  • B.
    Gets fast and shallow, like you’re gearing up for a sprint
  • C.
    You hold your breath, like you forgot how to breathe
• 10.
  Dreaming about your mentally calm new life, what do you want your thoughts to be like?

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  • A.
    An encouraging parent: proud of all you have accomplished
  • B.
    A personal trainer: pushing you to keep going, cause you know you can do even bigger and better
  • C.
    A cheerleader: enthusiastic and cheering you on your next big move

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  Your Overwhelm Type is Activation

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  Overwhelm TypesOverwhelm and stress reactions exist on a spectrum with the Activation or fight/flight on one end and the Shut Down or freeze/faint on the other. Activation is when our nervous system perceives a threat (in our environment or in our mind) that activates our body to respond. Back in the day, those “threats” were tigers and people from other groups, but a ‘threat’ in this day and age can be anything from your partner not doing the dishes again, or getting a negative comment on your social media feed. Shut-down happens when the activation (fight/flight) response is ineffective or the threat is too overwhelming, the nervous system shuts down. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘playing possum’ and it refers to this innate defense mechanism of shut-down that this cute marsupial does to protect itself. Unfortunately, it’s not too cute when our body reacts this way and makes us shut-down. When the “freeze or faint” reaction kicks in, it feels like decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and limp or stiff muscle tone with a paralyzed or dissociated feeling.Under most circumstances, once the threat has passed, the body returns to the calm and safe state allowing for social engagement, connection, and communication with others again. However, when women experience chronic overwhelm our bodies can stay stuck in one end of the stress reaction spectrum or a mix of both even after the threat has passed for several days, weeks or months. This happens as instinct responses are naturally triggered by cues in the environmental or internal reminders of what happened. Coping Options for Activation:When we experience overwhelm as active “fight or flight” response, our bodies need to reset and rest. Thankfully, many coping strategies are available to help shift the nervous system from overwhelm to calm. One strategy is the cold water splash. Cold Water SplashWhy it works: Our face contains 100s of nerves sending instant signals to our brains. ‘Shocking’ these nerves with cold water resets our nervous system quickly to a state of calm. How to do it: Splash or submerge your face in cold water for a few seconds. Feel the shocking cold sensation and allow it to reset your body. When to do it: Anytime you start to feel overwhelmed, stressed, or those pesky body sensations start bothering you.Hi, I'm Dr. MarlindaI'm so glad you joined me today on the first step to reclaiming your mental clarity and calm. I am a psychologist and nothing makes me happier than to know that you are one step closer to having less stress and more joy in your life. I've been working in the mental health field for over 10 years and this overwhelm type and stress-response information has been crucial in helping my clients, women just like you towards dramatic changes in their lives. I hope knowing this information and coping strategy can help propel your life in a direction that you have always wanted to go.
• 2.
  Your Overwhelm Type is Shut Down

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  Overwhelm TypesOverwhelm and stress reactions exist on a spectrum with the Activation or fight/flight on one end and the Shut Down or freeze/faint on the other. Activation is when our nervous system perceives a threat (in our environment or in our mind) that activates our body to respond. Back in the day, those “threats” were tigers and people from other groups, but a ‘threat’ in this day and age can be anything from your partner not doing the dishes again, or getting a negative comment on your social media feed. Turns out, the “fight or flight” reaction hasn’t changed much in the last couple of centuries. So it kicks in and makes those uncomfortable body sensations and feelings of anxiety like increased breathing rate, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, blushing, and muscle tension. Shut-down happens when the activation (fight/flight) response is ineffective or the threat is too overwhelming, the nervous system shuts down. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘playing possum’ and it refers to this innate defense mechanism of shut-down that this cute marsupial does to protect itself. Unfortunately, it’s not too cute when our body reacts this way and makes us shut-down. When the “freeze or faint” reaction kicks in, it feels like decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and limp or stiff muscle tone with a paralyzed or dissociated feeling.Under most circumstances, once the threat has passed, the body returns to the calm and safe state allowing for social engagement, connection, and communication with others again. However, when women experience chronic overwhelm our bodies can stay stuck in one end of the stress reaction spectrum or a mix of both even after the threat has passed for several days, weeks or months. This happens as instinct responses are naturally triggered by cues in the environmental or internal reminders of what happened. Coping OptionsWhen we experience overwhelm as shut-down or “freeze or faint” response, our bodies need to be anchored to reset and start moving again. These coping strategies shift the nervous system from tense and detached feelings to relaxed and grounded in the present moment awareness.Why it works: engaging the 5-senses helps our nervous system to detect cues of safety in our surroundings. It brings us back to this present moment in time. How to do it: The 5-4-3-2-1 technique. Identify 5 things you can see4 things you can hear3 things you can touch2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. Try building a kit of items you can bring with you wherever you go that bring feelings of calm and ease (e.g., peppermint gum or a fidget toy, or scented lotion) Hi, I'm MarlindaI'm so glad you joined me today on the first step to reclaiming your mental clarity and calm. I am a psychologist and nothing makes me happier than to know that you are one step closer to having less stress and more joy in your life. I've been working in the mental health field for over 10 years and this overwhelm type and stress-response information has been crucial in helping my clients, women just like you towards dramatic changes in their lives. I hope knowing this information and coping strategy can help propel your life in a direction that you have always wanted to go.
• 3.
  You're Socially Engaged

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  Overwhelm TypesOverwhelm and stress reactions exist on a spectrum with the Activation or fight/flight on one end and the Shut Down or freeze/faint on the other. Activation is when our nervous system perceives a threat (in our environment or in our mind) that activates our body to respond. Back in the day, those “threats” were tigers and people from other groups, but a ‘threat’ in this day and age can be anything from your partner not doing the dishes again, or getting a negative comment on your social media feed. Turns out, the “fight or flight” reaction hasn’t changed much in the last couple of centuries. So it kicks in and makes those uncomfortable body sensations and feelings of anxiety like increased breathing rate, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, blushing, and muscle tension. Shut-down happens when the activation (fight/flight) response is ineffective or the threat is too overwhelming, the nervous system shuts down. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase ‘playing possum’ and it refers to this innate defense mechanism of shut-down that this cute marsupial does to protect itself. Unfortunately, it’s not too cute when our body reacts this way and makes us shut-down. When the “freeze or faint” reaction kicks in, it feels like decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and limp or stiff muscle tone with a paralyzed or dissociated feeling.Under most circumstances, once the threat has passed, the body returns to the calm and safe state allowing for social engagement, connection, and communication with others again. Social Engagement is a state of psychological safety and security. This state allows for people to feel open, connected, confident and calm. People who remain in this state more often than not enjoy the mental and physical benefits of good sleep, healthy appetite and digestion overall. Keep up the great work taking care of your emotional, physical and psychological wellbeing! Hi, I'm MarlindaI'm so glad you joined me today on the first step to reclaiming your mental clarity and calm. I am a psychologist and nothing makes me happier than to know that you are one step closer to having less stress and more joy in your life. I've been working in the mental health field for over 10 years and this overwhelm type and stress-response information has been crucial in helping my clients, women just like you towards dramatic changes in their lives. I hope knowing this information and coping strategy can help propel your life in a direction that you have always wanted to go.