Managing Overwhelm in Uncertain Times for Neurodiverse Mums

Lately it feels like the world is pressing in a little too closely.

You might notice it in the quiet moments. Scrolling headlines late at night. A passing comment about the economy. A story about fuel, conflict, climate, or uncertainty. Something lands, and suddenly your mind is off and running.

Thinking about your children. Their future. Your family. Everything that could happen and one thousand ideas things we "should" do to protect them.

And it is not just a passing thought. It stays. It loops. It builds.

If this is you, you are not alone. And more importantly, there is nothing wrong with you. This is a very human response to a very heavy world.

For many neurodiverse mums, overwhelm linked to world events can feel especially intense. Not because you are overreacting, but because your brain is doing exactly what it is wired to do. It is noticing, processing, feeling, and trying to make sense of uncertainty.

And right now, there is a lot of uncertainty to make sense of and a lot of data to process. All. the. time.

Our brains often engage deeply with the world. You may find that you:

• Notice patterns and possibilities quickly

• Think ahead and consider multiple outcomes

• Feel emotions strongly and empathise deeply

• Struggle with uncertainty or lack of clear answers

• Find it hard to “switch off” once something has captured your attention

There is also something called monotropism, which describes how attention can lock onto a topic and stay there. When the topic is something uncertain or concerning, like world affairs, it can be difficult to shift away.

This is not a flaw. It is a strength in many areas of life. But when combined with constant exposure to news and information, it can lead to a kind of mental and emotional overload.

Your brain is not trying to overwhelm you. It is trying to protect you, prepare you, and understand what is happening. The problem is that global issues are often complex, ongoing, and outside of your control. There is no neat resolution. So your brain keeps searching.

Many mums describe this as feeling stuck in a loop of “what if” thinking

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It might look like this:

• You see or hear something about a world event

• Your brain tries to understand and predict what it means

• There is no clear answer, so it generates possibilities

• Your body starts to feel anxious or tense

• Your brain tries to solve the feeling by thinking more

• And the loop continues

It can feel productive, like you are trying to prepare or stay informed. But often, rumination is not problem solving. It is your brain stuck in “unsolved mode”.

Naming this can be powerful. You might gently notice, “I am in the what if loop again” or “my brain is trying to solve something that cannot be solved right now”. This small shift can create a little space between you and the spiral.

There is no way to completely remove overwhelm, especially when the world feels uncertain. But there are ways to support your nervous system and your mind so you are not carrying it all at once.

The aim is not to disconnect from the world, but to stay connected in a way that is sustainable.

You do not have to absorb everything, all the time, to care.

Consider gently containing your exposure to news and social media. This might look like checking updates once a day, or choosing a specific time to engage. Or only looking at specific sites. Apps like screen zen are a great option to help manage this (for free or a small one time donation).

Outside of that time, you can remind yourself that you have already checked in, and you are allowed to step back.

Caring does not require constant vigilance.

When your mind starts to spiral, try naming the thought rather than getting pulled into it.

For example, “I am having the thought that something bad will happen” or “this is my brain doing the what if spiral”. Give it a name and a persona of it's own if that helps (mine is called Brenda after the character on 90210). "I hear you Brenda, thanks but I've got this.

This approach, drawn from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, helps create distance. You are not denying the thought, but you are also not fully stepping inside it.

This gets easier and easier with time and practice.

Overwhelm is not just a thinking experience. It is a nervous system experience.

When your body feels activated, your mind will often follow.

Simple grounding can help bring you back to the present moment:

• Place your feet firmly on the floor and notice the pressure

• Name five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear

• Hold something warm or cool and focus on the sensation

• Take a slow breath in and out, without trying to change anything

These are not about forcing calm. They are about reminding your body that, in this moment, you are safe.

When the world feels big, it can help to gently come back to what is within your reach.

You might imagine two circles. The outer circle holds global events, things you care about but cannot directly control. The inner circle holds your actions, your home, your relationships, and your choices.

Ask yourself, “What is mine to hold today?”

It might be making dinner, sending a message to a friend, or sitting with your child while they tell you about their day. These small, grounded actions matter.

Neurodivergent brains often do not like unfinished thoughts. If something feels important, your brain will keep returning to it. Many of us are also external processors meaning we need to externalise thoughts (speaking, drawing, journaling, mind mapping - even singing) to make sense of them.

You can support this by giving your thoughts a place to land.

Try setting aside a short “worry window” each day. Externalise your thoughts, questions, or concerns in a way that works for you. Let your brain go there fully for a set time, then shut it down.

This sends a signal that the thought has been acknowledged, and it does not need to be carried constantly - and often when we put it out there, we can put it in perspective.

There can be an unspoken pressure to stay constantly informed, especially as a parent. It can feel like stepping back means you are ignoring something important.

But you are allowed to care about the world and still create pockets of calm in your own life. You are allowed to laugh, rest, enjoy a quiet moment, or focus on something small and meaningful. You are allowed to set boundaries with others to say 'I am not discussing that as there is nothing I can do to control the outcome and it just causes stress'.

These moments are not avoidance. They are nourishment.

You are raising children in this world, not responsible for holding the weight of it alone.

Your nervous system matters. Your capacity matters. The way you care for yourself shapes the environment your children grow up in.

When you find ways to soften the overwhelm, even slightly, you are not only supporting yourself. You are creating steadiness for your family.

So if the world feels too loud right now, you might gently remind yourself:

Right now, in this moment, I am here.
My family is here.
And that is enough.