When everything feels like too much

Some days everything piles up at once: work, family, money, health, a relationship, and a body that will not stop buzzing. When it all feels like too much, the goal is not to solve everything. It is to get through the next hour, and then the next.

If you are in danger right now

If you are thinking about ending your life or hurting yourself, please call one of the numbers at the bottom of this page now, or go to the nearest hospital, or tell someone near you. You do not need to be sure, and you do not need the right words. “I am not safe right now” is enough.

Getting through the next hour

Slow your breathing. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, and out through your mouth for a count of six. Repeat ten times. A longer out-breath tells your body it can settle.

Come back to the room. Name five things you can see, four you can hear, three you can touch. It sounds simple, and it pulls your attention out of the spiral.

Do one small physical thing. Drink a glass of water. Wash your face. Step outside for a few minutes. Eat something.

Reduce what is coming in. Put your phone face down or on silent for an hour. Close the news and the group chats.

Getting through the next day

Write it all down, then choose one thing. Empty your head onto the page: every worry, task and fear. Then circle the one thing that matters most today, or the one that is easiest. Do just that. The rest will wait.

Tell one person. Not to fix it, just so you are not carrying it alone. “I am having a really hard time today” is enough.

Lower the bar. On days like this, a basic meal, a shower and getting to bed count as success.

When to get help

If feeling overwhelmed has gone on for weeks, or you have stopped sleeping, eating or functioning, or you feel hopeless, please talk to a doctor or a counsellor. In India, Tele-MANAS offers free mental health support around the clock; the number is below. Reaching out is not overreacting. It is the right thing to do.

Write about it

What is the smallest thing that would make the next hour slightly easier?