What Does Overwhelm Look Like? Exploring Difficult Emotions Through Expressive Arts

When You Have Too Many Feelings and Not Enough Words

Have you ever had a day when everything felt like too much?

Your thoughts keep moving. Your responsibilities seem endless. Small inconveniences feel unusually frustrating, and even answering a simple question such as “How are you feeling?” becomes difficult.

You know something is happening inside you, but finding the right words feels almost impossible.

Perhaps you say you are tired when you are frustrated. You might describe yourself as stressed when several different emotions are competing for your attention.

This experience can be particularly difficult for teenagers and adults who find emotional expression challenging.

One way to begin exploring these experiences is through creative expression.

Expressive arts offer an opportunity to explore feelings using colour, lines, shapes and textures. You do not need to be an artist, and you do not need to produce a beautiful drawing.

You simply need a willingness to experiment.

In this article, we will explore how a simple mark-making exercise can help you investigate the experience of overwhelm and develop greater emotional awareness.

What Does Overwhelm Feel Like?

Overwhelm can occur when the demands placed on us feel greater than the resources or capacity we have available to respond to them.

It can emerge from different experiences, including:

Having too many responsibilities at work or school.
Managing several difficult situations simultaneously.
Experiencing uncertainty about an important decision.
Dealing with changes in relationships or personal circumstances.
Feeling under pressure to meet expectations.
Having difficulty switching off from persistent thoughts.

Overwhelm can affect people differently.

For some, it appears as irritability or frustration. Others experience mental fatigue, difficulty concentrating, restlessness or a desire to withdraw from demanding situations.

You might find yourself moving between several emotions without being able to identify exactly what is happening.

This is where creative exploration can provide another starting point.

How Can Expressive Arts Help You Explore Difficult Emotions?

Expressive arts involve using creative processes to explore experiences, thoughts and feelings.

Drawing, painting, movement, collage and other creative approaches can provide alternative ways of communicating experiences that may be difficult to describe verbally.

For this exercise, we will focus on mark-making.

Mark-making involves creating different visual marks using drawing tools. These could include straight lines, curves, dots, repeated patterns, scribbles, overlapping shapes or broad strokes.

Each mark becomes an opportunity to explore your experience.

For example:

You might use tightly packed lines to explore a feeling of mental clutter.
You might experiment with sharp angles when exploring tension.
You might use overlapping shapes to represent competing demands.
You might choose contrasting colours to explore different feelings occurring together.
You might leave parts of the paper empty to investigate your need for space.

These are possibilities for personal exploration rather than fixed interpretations. A particular colour or shape does not have a universal emotional meaning.

The meaning comes from your own associations and reflections.

Why use art instead of words?

Talking about feelings requires us to identify and organise our internal experiences into language.

That process can be difficult when emotions feel confusing or intense.

A creative activity offers another route into reflection. It gives you something concrete to observe and respond to.

Looking at your marks may help you notice patterns, contrasts or associations that you had not considered before.

Creative expression can also make emotional exploration feel less demanding for people who find direct conversations about feelings uncomfortable.

Try This Expressive Arts Exercise: What Does Overwhelm Look Like?

You can try this activity independently as a creative self-reflection exercise.

It is suitable for teenagers and adults who want to explore their emotional experiences through visual expression.

Time required: 10–15 minutes

Materials required:

A sheet of blank paper or a sketchbook.
A black pen or marker.
Coloured markers, crayons or coloured pencils.
A comfortable space where you can work without interruptions.

You do not need expensive art materials. Basic stationery is sufficient.

Step 1: Pause and Notice

Before you begin drawing, take a moment to notice how you feel.

Ask yourself:

What has been occupying my thoughts recently?
Am I carrying several concerns simultaneously?
Does my body feel tense, restless or tired?
What feels particularly demanding right now?

You do not need to answer every question.

Simply notice what comes to mind.

Step 2: Choose Your Colours

Look at the colours available to you.

Choose the colours that you feel drawn to at this moment.

You might select a single colour or several contrasting colours.

Avoid searching for the correct colour for an emotion. There is no universal colour chart for feelings.

Instead, consider:

“What colours would I choose to represent my experience today?”

Step 3: Let Your Hand Make the Marks

Begin making marks on your paper.

Try experimenting with:

Quick, repeated lines.
Overlapping circles.
Sharp zigzag patterns.
Dense clusters of marks.
Curved or flowing lines.
Large shapes that occupy different areas of the page.

Allow your marks to develop without planning the finished result.

You can change colours, switch drawing tools or move across the paper as you wish.

If your page becomes crowded, allow it to become crowded.

If you find yourself making gentle, repetitive marks, follow that direction instead.

There is no artistic standard to meet.

Step 4: Observe Your Artwork

When you feel ready, put down your drawing tool and look at the page.

Take a moment to observe what you have created.

Consider:

Which areas of the page attract your attention?
Are there sections that feel particularly crowded?
Have you used similar marks repeatedly?
Which colours did you return to?
Are there areas with very little happening?
Did your approach to drawing change as you continued?

Try to describe what you see without immediately judging it.

Step 5: Give Your Experience a Name

Look at your artwork again.

If you could give this page a title, what would it be?

It could be a word, a short sentence or even a question.

Examples might include:

Too Much Happening.
I Need Some Space.
Everything at Once.
Somewhere Between Tired and Frustrated.
I Cannot Switch Off.

Write your chosen title beneath the drawing.

You can also write a sentence about what you discovered during the activity.

For example:

“I realised that I have been carrying several different concerns, and I have not given myself enough time to process them.”

The purpose is to create an opportunity for reflection rather than force yourself to reach a particular conclusion.

Reflection Questions: What Did Your Artwork Help You Notice?

Once you have completed the exercise, consider exploring these questions in a journal.

About your emotional experience

What was happening in my life when I started this activity?
Was it easy or difficult to choose colours?
Did I notice any particular feelings emerging during the process?

About your creative choices

Which marks did I find myself making repeatedly?
Did I prefer filling the page or leaving open spaces?
Did my drawing change as I continued?

About what I might need

What feels particularly demanding in my life right now?
Is there something I need to communicate to someone?
What small change could make my current situation feel more manageable?

You do not have to answer every question.

Choose the prompts that feel relevant to your experience.

What If You Do Not Know What to Draw?

This is a common concern among people who are new to expressive art activities.

You might look at a blank sheet of paper and feel uncertain about where to begin.

Here are a few ways to make the starting point easier.

Start with one continuous line.

Place your pen on the paper and move it without lifting it. Allow the line to change direction naturally.

Use only two colours.

Choose two colours that appeal to you. Experiment with how they look when placed beside or on top of each other.

Fill a small section of paper.

You do not need to cover the entire page. Begin with a small area and see where your marks take you.

Change your drawing tool.

If a fine-tip pen feels restrictive, try a thick marker or crayon. Different tools create different textures and visual effects.

Use a simple prompt.

Try asking yourself:

“If my current experience were a collection of lines, what would those lines look like?”

Allow yourself to begin without knowing what the finished drawing will become.

Art Materials to Support Your Creative Practice

You can begin with materials already available at home. If you would like to build a small creative self-reflection kit, the following supplies can be useful.

1. Mixed Media Sketchbook

A mixed media sketchbook provides a surface for experimenting with different drawing materials. Look for paper that can accommodate markers, coloured pencils and light paint applications.

2. Coloured Marker Set

Markers make it easy to experiment with bold colours, overlapping lines and different shapes. A set with several colour options gives you flexibility without requiring complicated techniques.

3. Coloured Pencils

Coloured pencils are useful for layering, shading and creating softer marks. They also allow you to control the pressure and intensity of your drawing.

4. Oil Pastels

Oil pastels create thick, expressive marks and allow you to experiment with blending and layering. They are particularly useful when you want to explore texture and bold colour application.

5. Fine-Tip Drawing Pens

Fine-tip pens are useful for creating detailed lines, repeated patterns and small shapes.

6. Watercolour Paint Set

Watercolours offer another way to explore colour through washes, overlapping layers and variations in intensity.

A buying tip: Start with a sketchbook, a black pen and a small set of colours. You can expand your materials as you discover which creative approaches you enjoy.

Affiliate disclosure: Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, EducateAble may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support the creation of educational resources and creative activities.

When Creative Self-Reflection May Need Additional Support

Creative activities can provide an accessible starting point for exploring emotions. However, an individual drawing cannot establish a mental health diagnosis or reveal a person’s emotional state with certainty.

If you regularly experience intense overwhelm that interferes with your relationships, work, studies or everyday functioning, consider speaking with a qualified mental health professional.

Expressive arts can also be incorporated into counselling sessions, where a trained professional can help you explore your experiences within an appropriate therapeutic setting.

You do not have to interpret every mark or find a hidden meaning in every colour.

The process of creating and reflecting can be enough for a self-guided exercise.

If an activity brings up distressing memories or uncomfortable feelings, you can pause, stop or seek support.

Watch: What Does Overwhelm Look Like?

Would you like to see this exercise demonstrated?

I have created a short video for the EducateAble YouTube channel as part of the series Feelings Without Words.

In this episode, you will see how tangled lines, contrasting colours and simple mark-making can be used to explore the experience of overwhelm.

[WATCH THE YOUTUBE SHORT: WHAT DOES OVERWHELM LOOK LIKE?]

Take a pen and paper, follow along and see what your own creative expression looks like.

If you enjoy this approach, subscribe to EducateAble on YouTube for more expressive arts ideas and emotional wellness resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can drawing help with emotional expression?

Drawing can provide an alternative way to explore and communicate feelings, particularly when verbal expression feels difficult. Visual marks, colours and shapes can offer starting points for personal reflection.

2. Do I need artistic skills to try expressive arts activities?

No. Expressive arts activities do not require formal drawing or painting skills. The emphasis is on the creative process and your personal experience rather than producing technically accomplished artwork.

3. What colours should I use to represent emotions?

There are no universally correct colours for emotions. Your associations with colours may depend on personal experiences, memories and cultural influences. Choose colours that feel meaningful to you.

4. Is expressive arts therapy suitable for adults?

Yes. Creative approaches can be incorporated into therapeutic work with adults as well as children and teenagers. Activities may be adapted according to individual preferences, needs and therapeutic goals.

5. Can I use this activity when I feel anxious or stressed?

You can use the activity as a self-reflection exercise when exploring everyday stress or difficult feelings. Pay attention to your comfort level and stop if the process becomes distressing. It should not replace professional support when that is needed.

6. How often should I practise emotional art journaling?

There is no prescribed frequency. You could try it whenever you want to explore an experience or reflect on your emotional state. Some people enjoy keeping a regular creative journal, while others prefer occasional sessions.

Final Thoughts: Give Your Feelings a Little Space

We often expect ourselves to explain exactly how we feel, even when our experiences are complicated.

Finding the right words can take time.

Creative expression offers another way to approach those experiences. A page filled with lines, shapes and colours can become a starting point for asking questions about what is happening within us.

You do not need to produce a perfect drawing. You do not need to understand every mark.

Give yourself permission to explore.

Your feelings deserve attention, even when you cannot find the words to describe them.

Continue Exploring with EducateAble

If you enjoyed this exercise, explore more resources from EducateAble:

Watch more videos: Subscribe to our EducateAble YouTube channel for expressive arts ideas and emotional wellness content.
Explore parenting support: Find practical guidance and counselling support through https://topmate.io/namita_das11
Share this article: Send it to someone who might appreciate a different way of exploring their emotions.

What would overwhelm look like if you could draw it? Share your thoughts in the comments. We would love to hear how you approached the exercise.