What Is Overwhelm, Really?
Overwhelm is more than just “having a lot on your plate.” It’s a physiological and emotional response to stress, sensory input, or internal pressure that exceeds your nervous system’s current capacity. For neurodivergent individuals—especially those with ADHD or bipolar disorder—this response can be heightened, frequent, and harder to recover from. For individuals with ADHD, overwhelm can feel like a tidal wave—an intense flood of emotions, thoughts, and sensory input that exceeds the brain’s capacity to process and respond. This often leads to a state of mental paralysis or shutdown. In moments of overwhelm, it may become difficult to focus, prioritize tasks, or make decisions. Even minor demands can feel insurmountable. Emotional reactions—whether frustration, anxiety, or even joy—can become amplified and may appear out of proportion to the situation. Triggers for overwhelm in ADHD vary, but common culprits include sensory overload, emotional stress, or the gradual build-up of everyday responsibilities without enough time or support to manage them.
Overwhelm can look like:
- Emotional flooding or shutting down
- Difficulty initiating tasks or making decisions
- Irritability, tearfulness, or panic
- Sleep disturbances or fatigue
- Physical tension or dissociation
While overwhelm is common in the general population, it often shows up differently and more intensely in people with neurodivergent brains.
The Neurobiology of Overwhelm in ADHD
ADHD isn’t just about attention—it’s about regulation. The ADHD brain struggles with executive functioning, which includes planning, time management, emotional regulation, and impulse control. This makes it harder to buffer against stressors.
People with ADHD often experience sensory and emotional overwhelm due to:
- Working memory overload
- Sensory sensitivity
- Rejection sensitivity dysphoria
- Task paralysis
Evidence: Research in Current Psychiatry Reports (2021) shows heightened emotional reactivity in ADHD.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33666806/
Bipolar Disorder and the Rollercoaster of Internal Overwhelm
Bipolar disorder involves cycling between depressive and manic or hypomanic states. Each of these states brings its own form of overwhelm:
- During mania/hypomania: racing thoughts, overstimulation, impulsivity
- During depression: difficulty with basic tasks, fatigue, sensory shutdown
Evidence: Dysregulation in the limbic system contributes to emotional stress processing in bipolar disorder.
Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/13995618
What Overwhelm Can Feel Like in a Neurodivergent Body
Overwhelm isn’t just mental—it lives in the body. Common physical experiences include:
- Tight chest, shallow breathing
- Numbness or sensory overload
- Clenched jaw, stomach discomfort
- Fidgeting, pacing, or freezing
- Dissociation or feeling 'checked out'
Somatic and Creative Strategies to Soothe Overwhelm
1. Orientation to the Present Moment
2. Movement-Based Expression
3. Creative Play to Reset
4. Structured Rest
5. Safe Containment with a Therapist
Why It’s Not “Too Much”—It’s a Different System
If you’re neurodivergent and often feel like you're “too sensitive” or “too emotional,” it’s important to reframe this. Your brain and body are processing more input more quickly. Your overwhelm is valid—it’s not a flaw.
How Dance Therapy and Expressive Arts Support Neurodivergent Brains
At Balanced Life Movement, we offer neurodiversity-affirming therapy grounded in somatic and creative approaches to help you regulate and restore.
For neurodivergent individuals, traditional talk therapy can sometimes feel limiting. When thoughts move faster than words or emotions feel too complex to articulate, the body and creative process can offer another way in. That’s where dance/movement therapy and expressive arts therapy shine.
1. Accessing Nonverbal Communication:
Neurodivergent people often process the world differently—through movement, rhythm, sensory experiences, and creative expression. Dance therapy allows for emotional release and self-expression without relying solely on words. Movement becomes a language of its own, helping individuals express feelings like overwhelm, frustration, or joy in a way that feels natural and intuitive.
2. Regulating the Nervous System:
Many neurodivergent individuals, especially those with ADHD, autism, or mood disorders, experience chronic dysregulation—feeling constantly overstimulated, anxious, or shut down. Movement-based and arts-based therapies directly engage the nervous system, offering tools for grounding, soothing, and self-regulation. Repetitive, rhythmic movement can calm the body, while creative expression can organize chaotic inner experiences.
3. Enhancing Executive Function and Focus:
The structured-yet-flexible nature of expressive arts activities—like dance improvisation, painting to music, or storytelling through movement—engages executive functioning in a gentle, supportive way. These practices encourage planning, sequencing, and decision-making without the pressure of “getting it right.”
4. Building Self-Awareness and Confidence:
In neurodivergent individuals, especially those who’ve been misunderstood or pathologized, creative therapies help build a positive relationship with one’s own mind and body. Dance and art can restore a sense of agency, helping clients reconnect with themselves in ways that are affirming and empowering.
5. Supporting Sensory Integration:
Neurodivergent brains often process sensory input differently. Dance therapy and expressive arts create a safe space to explore sensory experiences—such as texture, sound, pressure, and movement—while building tolerance, awareness, and adaptive responses to sensory stimuli.
Ready for Support?
If you’re navigating overwhelm with ADHD or bipolar disorder, we offer trauma-informed care both in-person and online.