How to Know if You’re Emotionally Overloaded: Signs You’re Bottling Emotions Without Realising It
Are you feeling off, like something is bubbling just under the surface – but you can’t quite name it?
You’re snapping at people, feeling anxious, or maybe crying for no reason. You’ve had symptoms in your body, but tests come back clear. If this sounds familiar, you may be emotionally overloaded.
In this week’s episode of Spiritual Awakening with Shaz, I dive into how bottled-up emotions can silently run your life – and the key signs that you’re emotionally overloaded even when everything looks fine on the outside.
What Is Emotional Overload?
Emotional overload happens when you’ve stuffed down your feelings for too long. They don’t just disappear – they build up in the body and subconscious until they eventually erupt in unexpected ways.
Most of us were never taught to process emotions in a healthy way. Instead, we were told:
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“Stop crying.”
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“You’re too sensitive.”
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“Don’t make a scene.”
This early conditioning leads to chronic emotional suppression.
Spot the Signs You’re Emotionally Overloaded
Here are some of the most common symptoms of buried emotions rising to the surface:
🔹 You’re saying things you don’t mean.
What you want to say and what actually comes out of your mouth don’t match. You feel misunderstood or like your words are betraying you.
🔹 You’re emotionally triggered by “small” things.
Someone says something innocent, and suddenly you’re spiralling. These overreactions are usually emotional residue from past wounds you haven’t healed.
🔹 You feel physical symptoms – but doctors find nothing.
Your body may signal somatically stored emotions through symptoms like fatigue, digestive issues, a racing heart, muscle tension, or shallow breathing.
🔹 You want to cry or scream – but can’t say why.
Tears or rage bubble up out of nowhere. You feel overwhelmed, even though there’s no clear reason.
🔹 Your relationships are struggling.
Miscommunication and misunderstanding increase. You feel at cross-purposes with people you love.
🔹 You’re experiencing anxiety, panic, or shutdown.
Your nervous system signals overload through panic attacks, depression, or mental fog.
🔹 Your inner voice is cruel.
The itty-bitty shitty committee in your head pipes up, tearing you down with blame and brutal self-talk.
Why Friends Can’t Always Help
Most people reach out to friends and family when they feel overwhelmed – but if those loved ones aren’t equipped to hold space, they often dismiss the pain instead of helping to process it. Phrases like:
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“But that happened years ago…”
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“Just get over it.”
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“You’re overreacting.”
…can be deeply damaging when you’re trying to release trapped emotions.
This is why you need trained support—a coach, counsellor, or mental health professional—who understands how to guide healing without judgment.
Why This Happens (And What It’s Costing You)
We normalise trauma because it’s a survival mechanism. Your body stores unprocessed emotions in the fascia, nervous system, and energy field, and they eventually show up as:
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Relationship conflict
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Unexplained illness
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Burnout
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Mental and emotional exhaustion
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Spiritual disconnection
Suppressing emotions long-term can lead to more serious health issues and dis-ease in the body.
Somatic & Energetic Tools to Release Emotional Overload
You don’t have to rehash your entire past to heal. You just need to release the energy trapped in your body. Here are simple ways to start:
✦ Breathwork
Deep somatic breathwork helps clear emotional density without needing to talk.
Try this: Inhale deeply through your nose for 4, hold for 4, exhale through your mouth for 6. Repeat 3–5 times.
✦ EFT Tapping
Use tapping on the chest or collarbones to release fear, anger, or anxiety.
✦ Primal Scream
Yes, really. Scream into a pillow, in the car, or underwater. It’s one of the fastest ways to move rage and frustration out of the nervous system.
✦ Journaling
Prompt yourself with:
“What emotions am I afraid to feel?”
“What have I been telling myself I’m over, but clearly am not?”
✦ Movement & Voice Activation
Dance. Sing. Shake it out. Sound and movement are potent energetic releases for stuck emotions.
Your Emotions Are Real, Even If You Can’t Explain Them
Just because tests come back “normal” doesn’t mean nothing is wrong.
When you ask, ‘Why am I like this?’, remember – you’re not broken. Your body is speaking to you, asking you to listen and heal. It’s calling you to heal, not to spiral.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
Support is available. If you’re not ready for therapy, start with a coach or energy worker. Or try some of the tools above. Let’s start your healing journey together – book a free clarity call with me, and I’ll craft a personalised resource just for you.
Final Thought: Stop Repeating the Story -Start Rewriting It
You are not your trauma. You are the woman who survived it.
relive the story to heal – you just need to stop carrying it.
You’re not broken – you’re emotionally overloaded, and your body is asking for release, not repair.
Let’s change that.
Listen to the full episode of the Spiritual Awakening with Shaz podcast:
