Being emotionally flooded can leave you feeling overwhelmed, tired, and uncomfortable. This article puts you through on what it feels like to be emotionally flooded. It also talks about what you can do to manage your emotions.
People, especially highly sensitive persons (also known as HSPs), can suffer from emotional flooding from time to time. But what does this mean? This is when you are overwhelmed emotionally. This can lead to mental and even physical exhaustion.
Why does this happen to Highly Sensitive Persons? Generally, it’s how they are wired. If you are a highly sensitive person, you are predisposed to being highly responsive to things around you. These simulations do not always have to be other people. They can be things you hear and see.
Highly sensitive people are more prone to being empaths and they see things completely different from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, in most cases they suffer greatly for it.
This response can leave them uncomfortable, sad, weak, or confused. It is safe to say then that they are emotionally flooded.
The HSP Mind
Highly sensitive people have minds that are ready to react to any given situation. This reaction can be physical or emotional in nature. This can easily be confused with anxiety but HSPs are always ready to respond.
It is without question that responding to so many things at the same time can lead to being overwhelmed. As mentioned earlier, there are a number of things HSPs react to. Some of these include loud or semi loud noises, bright lights, change in someone attitude/mood/feelings, temperate of an area, and unexpected events.
These triggers can easily be linked to anxiety and PTSD which many HSPs suffer from.
Symptoms of Emotional Flooding
HSPs suffering from emotional flooding can experience some of the following symptoms.
- Anxiety and mental withdrawal due to the overwhelming nature of current events around you.
- Intense fear and panic for both the known and the unknown (this is due to anxiety).
- Difficulty focusing on specific tasks due to overthinking and analyzing a plethora of information.
- Overriding emotions as you might not be certain on what you’re feeling and why.
- Intense desire to shut down due to your flight or fight response to things. Overthinking the outcomes and what suits the situation best.
- Fear of safety due to paranoia even when there is no significant sign of physical danger.
- Physical symptoms such as a headache, lightheadedness, sweaty handles, blurry vision etc.
How To Calm Yourself When You Are Emotionally Flooded
When you are emotionally flooded, it is important to identify the source of your emotions and stay calm. Look for ways to help you get through a temporal but significant moment is important.
These 5 tips will help you in handling emotional flooding a lot better.
1. Take A Deep Breath
Every once in a while, we need to take a deep breath and watch everything fall into place. Even if they don’t, you’ll feel better. That’s step one. Taking a deep breath is a common advice when going though an anxiety attack and for good reasons too.
Sometimes breathing in such a situation can be difficult but once you can catch your breath, you start gaining control. It might seem impossible at first, but it’s rewarding when you get the hang of it.
Deep breaths provide your brain with oxygen and calms your heart rate down eventually. It may seem like they have little to no impact at first but you’ll be surprised.
2. Identify The Cause and Work Around It
Identifying what makes you emotionally flooded is important. You can take control and leave when you have to. If it is a person triggering this response, or a room or a situation, leave.
Identifying the problem means you have to evaluate your surrounding. If a situation is making you feel anxious, then you can quietly leave, go to a more friendly environment, and take a breather.
If you feel you need to leave, then take an excuse to. It could be a bathroom break, or insinuating you need to do something else. Take that moment to gain control.
3. Practice Meditation and Journaling
Practice meditating and being one with yourself. There are tons of ways you can meditate and one of them is through yoga. When you practice meditation, it helps you stay focused.
Not only does it help you mentally and emotionally, but it can also help you physically. Other ways for self reflecting is through the use of journaling. Identify your triggers and what kind of meditation works for you.
Journals are a great reminder of where you were, where you are, and where you are headed. It helps you keep track of your progress.
4. Practice Relief Methods
HSPs that find themselves being emotionally flooded can practice some relief merits such as counting and tapping. This can seem childish but it goes a long way in calming anxiety.
Counting backwards for example leaves you fixated on the numbers instead of your current situation. This gives your brain a break.
Another relief method can be tapping. Tapping is gently tapping certain areas of your body to distract your anxiety from acting up. Remember that these are light and harmless taps and anything that could pass off as self harm is not advised.
5. Talk To Someone
Another way to handle emotional flooding is talking to someone. This can be a therapist who can offer you professional help and suggest ways to cope with being emotionally flooded.
You can choose to talk to a close friend as sometimes all we need is a listening ear. Understanding what it involves being a highly sensitive person is important in order to navigate through your emotions.
Remember to prioritize yourself and not get lost in putting other people’s needs before yours.
Conclusion
If there’s one thing you should know about emotional flooding is that you can take control. It could seem like you can’t. However, with practice and precautionary measures, you’ll be just fine.
