From overwhelm to depression what the search engines, science and our inner lives are revealing
As a life coach working with people around the world, one of the most common phrases I hear in sessions is:
I don’t know why I feel so heavy. I used to manage so much why not now?
In 2025, two of the most searched questions globally have been:
Why do I feel overwhelmed?
What are the signs of depression??
This isn’t just a digital trend obviously, it reflects a very real emotional atmosphere.
I have seen it across age groups, cultures and professions. There’s a shared under current of fatigue, fog and disconnection. Not from laziness or lack of ambition but from years of accumulated stress, uncertainty and emotional suppression.
The Weight of Modern Overwhelm
Today’s overwhelm is not just about having too much to do. It’s about carrying mental and emotional clutter with no rest or release.
A recent article in The Guardian describes modern overwhelm as:
...not the result of weakness, but of constant alertness—created by our screens, demands, and the expectation to be ‘always on.*
I see this often. Clients describe being physically present but mentally elsewhere. Many report chronic fatigue, tension in the chest, or a foggy inability to focus. These aren’t just mood swings they’re signals from the nervous system that it is over extended.
When Does Overwhelm Become Depression?
It’s a subtle shift. The to-do list turns into dread. Sleep stops restoring. Even joyful moments feel… muted.
According to new findings published by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics:
- In the last decade, depression rates in adults increased from 7.6% to over 13%. Among teens and young adults, that number is closer to 19%.
- And yet, only 29% of those affected receive treatment.
People are not “giving up” they are just exhausted, overstimulated and disconnected from their own rhythms, their intuition and much more.
From a coaching perspective, this shows up not only as sadness but as indecision, self-doubt and loss of joy in what once felt meaningful.
The Nervous System Can’t Heal on Command
One reason I often guide clients toward body-based mindfulness like breath, rest or gentle movement is because the nervous system needs safety, not pressure, to be able to reset.
Vogue Wellness reports:
A dysregulated nervous system leaves people stuck in hypervigilance or numbness unable to feel rest even when nothing is ‘wrong.**
True healing isn’t just about problem-solving. It’s about restoring trust in our own inner cues our hunger, our breath our rest signals and more that you might not be aware of at the moment.
How Retreats and Reconnection Help
Recent research confirms that immersive wellness retreats even short ones, can in fact create deeper and more lasting transformation than one-off sessions or weekly talk therapy alone.
Participants who attended a 6 days immersive wellness retreats had lower cortisol, improved emotional well-being and sustained behavioral change months later.
Some studies say that, these effects outlasted those of standard outpatient therapy (I am still searching for a reference to share with you here)
But yes, this aligns with what I observe in my own work. When people step away from overstimulation, reconnect with themselves, and feel truly seen in a safe space: something shifts!
A Life Coach’s Perspective
When clients ask me why they feel this way, I remind them:
- Your nervous system is not a machine.
- Feeling low, numb or overwhelmed doesn not necessarily mean something is wrong with you!
- It may mean your internal rhythms have been overwhelmed themselves by noise.
Coaching offers space to untangle that noise. But so do breath, nature and non-judgmental self-reflection.
Gentle Signs to Watch
If you are wondering whether you are “just tired: or edging into burnout or depression, here are a few compassionate markers I explore with clients:
- You feel like you are always “on” but not really present
- Joy feels unnatural or even dulled
- You sleep but still don’t wake up refreshed
- You are more irritable or withdrawn even around loved ones
- You feel unsure about everything, even things you once loved
None of these are definitive on their own. But together, they point toward the need for support, space and simply reset to reconnection. And mostly does not require a long, costly process, they can be as simple as listenting to yourself.
You Are Not Alone
Whether you’re functioning on autopilot or simply wondering why everything feels a little heavier than it should, you are not broken. Yes you are NOT broken.
There are tools. There is support. There is healing and much more!
If you are reading this, and any part of it resonates, take it as a small invitation: not to push harder, but to soften.Even just one exhale can be a good beginning.
Healing doesn’t always begin with answers. Sometimes it begins with noticing.
Before rushing to fix or figure things out, it can be helpful to simply pause and listen.
Not to the noise of the world, but to your own inner landscape. One gentle way to do this is through reflective journaling. Let this be less about doing it "right" and more about making space for what’s real.
Here’s a prompt I often share to navigate the feeling of being overwhelmed:
When I pause long enough to notice… what is my body feeling, without trying to fix it?
Let this question be a soft doorway. Write what comes, even if it’s messy unclear:
The act of noticing is already a step toward healing,
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts, please share them with me on rana@awaken-wellness.co
** https://www.vogue.com/article/dysregulated-nervous-system
With Love and Care,
Rana