Why the World Feels So Emotionally Overwhelming Right Now: Nervous System Overload

What is Doomscrolling?

Doomscrolling: the compulsive urge to continue consuming distressing information online even when it increases anxiety, hopelessness, or feelings of being overwhelmed.

I have many clients that share with me that they consider themselves doomscrollers. When asked why they feel the need to continue scrolling “I just can’t help it” is what I often hear. So let’s take a deep dive and explore how and why doomscrolling equates to nervous system overload.

Why Doomscrolling Increases Anxiety and Hypervigilance

At first glance, doomscrolling may appear to be a bad habit or lack of self-control. But psychologically, it often reflects something deeper: hypervigilance.

Hypervigilance is what I like to call an early life type of “programming” that creates a heightened state of alertness in which the nervous system continuously scans for potential danger or threat. This state is very connected to our early roots as a hunter gatherer society where real danger literally lurked around each turn. Research on stress and trauma has shown us that when the brain perceives consistent and chronic uncertainty, it tends to prioritize threat detection in an attempt to maintain safety. As the amygdala becomes more active, the nervous system struggles to return to a calm baseline. Hence nervous system overload happens. So basically, “If I stay informed enough, maybe I can stay safe enough.”

How Social Media Impacts the Nervous System

Some of the information I gather before working with a client is a self-reporting Self-Care Assessment that gives me a snapshot of daily habits and beliefs regarding personal individual self-care. This tool is incredibly useful because many people don’t even realize these habits are in place and are hurting their overall wellness. Picture this--someone wakes up and immediately reaches for their phone before even getting out of bed. What starts as a quick check of messages and notifications turns into forty minutes of reading about economic instability, climate disasters, political conflict, or fears surrounding artificial intelligence replacing jobs. By 8am the body is already tense, the mind overstimulated, and the nervous system activated before the day has really begun! This is absolutley digital burnout!

The ongoing problem and challenge is that the nervous system was never designed to absorb an endless stream of global crises every hour throughout the day. Human beings and how they evolved to respond to immediate environmental threats has not caught up to the information dumping that we inflict upon ourselves in this current era. The old fight or flight system that kept human beings alive for many millennia has now caused nervous system exhaustion because it remains unmanaged for many people.

So over time, what does nervous system overload look like?

• emotional exhaustion

• irritability

• sleep disruption

• anxiety

• concentration problems

• emotional numbness

• physical tension

• digestive issues

• burnout

• chronic aches and pains

Are You Surviving or Thriving?

Practical Ways to Regulate the Nervous System

Let’s look at some easy and practical tools that can support nervous system stabilization in everyday life:

1. Delay Input in the Morning

Try avoiding social media or news consumption for the first 15–30 minutes after waking. Give your nervous system time to wake up before orienting to the world’s stress.

• Go get a drink of water

• Open the curtains and let the sun in

• Stretch your body

• Focus on gratitude and what feels good in your life

2. Practice “Body-Based” Grounding

Once you plug into the world and begin to feel overwhelmed, gently reconnect to physical sensation:

• place both feet on the floor

• soften your jaw

• lengthen your exhale

• notice three things you can physically see around you

Grounding helps communicate safety to the nervous system.

3. Create Information Boundaries

Being informed does not require constant exposure. Consider designated times for news or social media rather than continuous checking throughout the day.

• Remove apps from your handheld devices to restrict ease of access

• Take in small bits of information

• Put yourself on a timer when consuming information

• Ask yourself “why do I need to know this” before consuming

• Curate and include more “positives” into your feed

4. Complete Stress Cycles

Stress hormones are designed to move through the body. Walking, stretching, shaking out tension, deep breathing, and even crying can help discharge accumulated activation.

• Walking while reading or listening to media can help integrate emotions and thoughts together

• Try and focus on your sphere of control only rather than trying to solve big world problems

• Focus on gratitude and what IS working in your world today

5. Reintroduce Small Moments of Safety

Many people wait until they are “fully calm” to feel safe again. But does that ever really happen? Instead, focus on creating tiny moments of regulation:

• warm tea

• sunlight

• music

• connecting with a trusted person

• petting an animal

• mindful breathing

• laughter

• find spaces of joy

• indulge in frequent expressions of creativity

Take Responsibility for Your Healing

In a world that profits from demanding your attention and promoting a constant sense of urgency with beeps, bells and buzzers, choosing to slow down is the ultimate act of nervous system care. Awareness matters. Intention matters. Staying informed matters. But so does protecting the part of yourself that still deserves rest, steadiness, and emotional safety. 

Healing often happens through repetition, not intensity. I encourage clients to take just one small step initially and  then do that one thing consistently for two weeks. It could be as simple as charging your phone overnight in another room so you don’t wake up to the notifications first thing in the morning. This provides a space of “success” and celebration that encourages the brain to keep going. Notice what happens and how you feel with that initial small step.

If you’d like to explore ways to begin thriving, please email me at info@wendyhawkins.net to schedule your 30-minute complimentary phone consultation to explore your healing journey. I also have a free Wellness Audit for you to download that will give you an idea of the areas of life you need to work on.

You’re in control of your mental wellness journey!

wh

The Benefits of Whole Person Healing

Let’s connect!

When someone reaches out to me for therapeutic services the very first thing we do is connect and talk!! Taking time to have a consultation is essential so I can learn more about the person, discover what they want to accomplish with therapy and if we’re a good fit to work together. I ask lots of questions so I can understand what is happening not just with their mental health but within their life! This consultation time allows someone to get to know me as well! In fact, I have some suggestions on questions you should ask in your therapy consultation that you can find here. This is the beginning phase of whole person healing.

Mental health support requires consideration of all aspects of who a person is and what’s happening in their life. This is extremely relevant to the process. I inquire about quality of sleep, water intake, work schedules and much much more. But why would water, sleep and schedules be important for mental health treatment. Let me tell you!!

I work within a Whole Person Framework. This means I take all aspects of a person’s life into consideration as I collaborate with the client to develop a treatment plan with specific goals that the client has established. What are these different aspects and why are they important?

Emotional Wellness
People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their thoughts, emotions and behaviors. There is an ability to successfully cope and manage life stressors. Emotional reactivity is minimal which reduces conflict and contributes to better quality relationships.

Physical Wellness
We’ve all heard more than once that physical activity is essential to an improved overall quality of life. Regular and consistent physical activity can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Lots of feel-good chemicals are released in the brain as well as the reduction of overall stress and anxiety.

Spiritual Wellness
At some point, we all try and figure out the meaning of life. We’re looking for “the point of it all” type of answers. Most want to be connected to a feeling of belonging as we look to a higher power of some kind. Understanding our values and beliefs acts as a compass that leads us to live what we believe through our actions in everyday life.

Intellectual Wellness
Curiosity is important to motivate each of us to try new things, develop a better understanding of self as well as within our interpersonal relationships and the world around us. Having a desire to learn helps us to be more well-rounded and contribute to the environment we live in.

Social Wellness
Human beings are social beings. We’ve come to understand that the stronger support system that a person is invested in that they experience a longer life, have a greater feeling of contentment, and enjoy better quality of life. Healthy relationships contribute to overall improved physical health.

Environmental Wellness
The place in which we live dictates the quality of life we will have. This includes within the family, community and globally. Adequate food, water and shelter is the foundation for each person to live.

Occupational Wellness
Feeling independent, valued and having a purpose are essential to an overall sense of well-being and health.

Financial Wellness
Having the resources to take care of individual personal life needs requires having an income of some sort as well as a general understanding of how to manage money affairs. Financial independence is critical for maintaining a sense of independence and autonomy.

Using this visual of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, let’s dig deeper into why whole person healing is essential. If a person is struggling to meet their physical and physiological needs they are basically in survival mode. Nothing else matters but survival so my job is to direct the dialogue and provide resources for this person to solve their issues regarding those basic needs. To add an extra layer, if someone has experienced trauma and not processed those experiences the brain might continue to interpret being in survival mode and working on anything else will be next to impossible.

When I meet with a new client and begin to peel back the different areas of their life and discover they are struggling to meet those bottom level needs, there is an aha moment for the client when I describe this as survival mode. It’s impossible to do work on anxiety, self-esteem or even trauma when the brain is in survival mode. Basic needs have to be met and I focus on getting clients somewhat stabilized prior to digging in too deep regarding issues and goals.

Benefits of Whole Person Healing include:

• Improved interpersonal relationships

• More frequent use of healthy communication

• Better work-life balance

• Self-discovery and personal growth

• Increased ability to regulate emotions and stress management

• More consistent use of self-care behaviors

• Improved physical wellness

• Increased self-awareness

The interconnection of life

As you know and experience on a daily basis, each of these realms is very interconnected to one another. Think about this. There are eight people standing on a trampoline. If everyone is being still then there’s balance and harmony but what happens when one of those people begins to jump? Now there’s imbalance and chaos. If only one person moves everyone on the trampoline feels it! That’s exactly what happens within our life as well. When one area of our life is jolted and impacted by life events there is a ripple effect to other areas within our lives. When clients begin to connect those dots we call them aha moments!

As a therapist that practices whole person healing, understanding each area of a person’s life is essential for me to provide the support, resources and dialogue that is necessary for individual growth to happen. So when I ask about your water intake, sleep quality and work schedule, now you understand why!

Growth never stops! I encourage my clients to consistently evaluate these areas of their lives because knowing what isn’t working means you’re one step closer to understanding how to find the joy we all desire within our day-to-day lives! I practice what I teach and am constantly looking at my life trampoline to see what needs some balancing.

If you’d like to talk more about this concept, I’d love to chat with you in a complimentary 30-minute consultation to figure out if my practice and philosophies are a good fit for you. Click here or email me at info@wendyhawkins.net. Wishing you great things in life. Take care!!

wh