This Autism Journey

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately. I just have too much on my mind. I am tired of the daily grind of life, all the appointments, IEP meetings, and school-related activities for my kids, and my own life. It all piles up.

Feeling this way is subtle but manifests in physical ways. For example, I spent 10 minutes looking for my phone to realize that it was in my hand. I walked into the grocery store wandered around for a few minutes and then left because I realized I was at the wrong store. Don’t even get me started on word recall!! It just doesn’t exist. All of this is happening because my brain is tired and I am feeling overwhelmed.

It feels like being in the ocean and seeing a massive wave approaching. It’s too late to try to jump over it, so I must dive under it. When I was younger, I used to let the big waves hit me and carry me back to the shore. But now, if I did that, I’m pretty sure I’d be sore.

Being overwhelmed is not always avoidable, but it is something that can be managed. Instead of being bowled over by this feeling, I try to lessen its impact. I take deep breaths, go for walks, and decide what is the hardest thing to do. Then I ignore it. Just kidding, I don’t but the hardest isn’t necessarily the first thing I want to spend my energy on. I feel like being overwhelmed comes down to what I prioritize.  

Prioritizing what is truly important helps me dial down that feeling of being overwhelmed. Sometimes I do have to throw up my hands and say “Oh well! Not today!!”. What is not possible is avoiding the circumstance. Trying to avoid something only leads to more stress and difficulty in dealing with it. I hope you have found some ways to deal with the feeling of being overwhelmed. If so, let me know.

If all else fails, drink some water and go to bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.

Take care.