I knew something was wrong when even silence felt overwhelming.

It was 9:47 PM. No phone. No TV. No noise. And yet my mind was racing like I’d forgotten something important.

That was the night I stopped blaming myself for “not knowing how to relax.”

The fear no one talks about

Overstimulation doesn’t always feel loud.

Sometimes it feels like:

• Irritation for no reason • Needing background noise just to sit still • Feeling guilty for being tired “too early” • Avoiding people because you’re already maxed out

I didn’t feel stressed. I felt *fried*.

The sentence that changed everything

A therapist friend looked at me and said:

“Your problem isn’t lack of focus. It’s constant input.”

Not anxiety. Not discipline. Not motivation.

Too many decisions. Too much stimulation. For too long.

Why one black pen finally worked

I didn’t need meditation apps.

I needed something that asked *nothing* of me.

No color choices. No creativity pressure. No right or wrong.

Just black ink. One shape at a time.

My breathing slowed without effort. My shoulders dropped. My mind stopped scanning.

Others felt it too

What happens if nothing changes

Most people don’t notice overstimulation until:

• They snap at people they love • They avoid quiet moments • They feel tired but wired • They can’t enjoy simple things anymore

And by then, rest feels foreign.