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Do you know that feeling when an emotion suddenly overwhelms you – as if someone flipped a switch? It's not just about anger, fear, sadness, or emptiness. Even positive feelings like joy, euphoria, or an extreme high can become so intense that they tip over into overwhelm. From the outside, it often looks good. But inside, the tension increases. That's exactly what we'll be talking about today: recognizing early warning signs – before emotions take over.

This text is deliberately very specific. Not because there's one right solution, but because everyday skills are most helpful when they're tangible. Many of the things I use seem small or inconspicuous from the outside. But for my nervous system, they often make a crucial difference. Perhaps some of you will recognize yourselves in certain situations. Perhaps someone will only take away one idea. Both are perfectly fine.

For me, the morning is a particularly important moment: the start of the day, a chance to consciously arrive and begin my day in a structured way. This wasn't always the case. Today, I've established a routine that gives me stability and in which I practice mini-skills – small exercises that help me start the day mindfully and present. My morning begins with getting up, going to the toilet, and taking a few minutes to really wake up.

Hello, my dears Some of you may have heard the word "skills" in connection with mental illness, or perhaps not. Here I would like to briefly explain what this is all about. Skills might sound dry at first, but for me it's the exact opposite: small tools that help me avoid drowning in chaos. Whether a storm of emotions crashes over me or I experience a moment of dissociation – skills are my anchor, bringing me back to my body and into the present moment. Sometimes I'm sitting