40. Too Complex to Function - Overthinking, Labels, AI & Why Understanding Yourself Isn’t Fixing It

40. Too Complex to Function - Overthinking, Labels, AI & Why Understanding Yourself Isn’t Fixing It

Ever felt like you’re too complex to function like everyone else? Yeah. Us too. In this episode of Too Much Apparently, we (Carly and Alice — two therapists who know what it’s like to overthink yourself into a corner) get real about what happens when trying to understand yourself actually leaves you feeling more stuck, more broken, and further away from who you are. We talk about the endless loop of self-analysis — books, labels, diagnoses, AI, late-night Googling — and why more information doesn’t always bring clarity. Sometimes, it just creates more noise. This time we talked about: 🎙️ We’ve felt this thing too (and we still do): Hello 2am deep dives, collecting labels, over-analysing every thought, and still feeling like you don’t quite make sense. 👀 What it looks like in real life: Endless researching, asking AI for answers, replaying conversations, trying to “figure yourself out”, and feeling more confused the more you try. 🧠 Why our brains do it: Trauma, self-doubt, a need for certainty, and the belief that if you can just understand yourself enough, you’ll finally fix what feels wrong. 🧍🏽‍♀️🧍🏻 The different ways it shows up: Over-identifying with labels, feeling boxed in by diagnoses, relying on external answers, and losing connection with your own sense of self. 🧰 Coping mechanisms: Researching, intellectualising, using AI for reassurance, analysing your patterns, and trying to “solve” yourself. 🌱 How to make peace with it: Maybe the answer isn’t more understanding — maybe it’s learning to be with yourself without needing to fix anything. Thanks for listening            💛💜🩷🩵🧡 💬 New episodes every Monday. 🎧 Follow now to join the conversation. 🧡 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Podcast socials: → Instagram: @toomuchapparently [https://www.instagram.com/toomuchapparently] → TikTok: @toomuchapparently [https://www.tiktok.com/@toomuchapparently?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] → YouTube: Too Much, Apparently [https://www.youtube.com/@toomuchapparently] → Website: http://www.toomuchapparently.com/www.toomuchapparently.com [http://www.toomuchapparently.com] → Substack: Too Much, Apparently [https://substack.com/@toomuchapparently] 👩‍💻 Carly Radford: → Website: www.carlyradford.com [http://www.carlyradford.com] → Instagram: @the_sensitivity_therapist [http://www.instagram.com/the_sensitivity_therapist] 👩🏻‍💻 Alice Tew: → Website: www.alicetew.com [http://www.alicetew.com] → Instagram: @reparentingwithalice [https://www.instagram.com/reparentingwithalice] 📩 Email us: toomuchapparently@gmail.com 🗓️ New episodes every Monday This is a podcast that says: bring your too-muchness… we’re here for it. Disclaimer: Just a quick note to say this podcast isn’t therapy, and it’s not a substitute for professional support. We’re here to share ideas and experiences, but if you’re struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or a support service near you. -------------------------------------------------------------------- sensitivity podcast, overthinking podcast, therapy podcast, mental health podcast, self discovery podcast, anxiety podcast, emotional podcast, neurodivergent podcast, trauma podcast, burnout podcast, Too Much Apparently podcast

39. Too Sensitive For This Body - Chronic Illness, Sensitive Nervous Systems and Fighting to be Believed

Ever felt like your body is too reactive, too unpredictable, too sensitive to just get on with life? Yeah. Us too. In this episode of Too Much Apparently, we (Carly and Alice — two therapists and recovering perfectionists with squishy brains) get real about what it's actually like to live in a sensitive body. The chronic illness nobody connects to your nervous system, the medical appointments that leave you feeling dismissed, and the exhausting gap between how you look and how you actually feel. We unpack our own experiences, spiral in real time, and talk honestly about what it's like to know something is wrong and not be believed. This time we talked about: 🎙️ We've felt this thing too (and we still do): Hello hanging your head out the car window because of someone's hairspray, breaking your foot by standing up, and spending years with back pain you never mentioned to a doctor because what's the point 👀 What it looks like in real life: sensory sensitivities, medication reactions, temperature changes, gut issues, fatigue that doesn't lift, and bodies that just respond to everything more 🧠 Why our brains do it: the nervous system doesn't live in your mind, it runs through your entire body, and a sensitive nervous system means a sensitive everything 🧍🏽‍♀️🧍🏻 The different ways it shows up: fibromyalgia, hypermobility, EDS, POTS, MCAS, chronic fatigue, ME/CFS, PCOS, PMDD, pain sensitivity, proprioception, and more conditions that cluster in neurodivergent and sensitive people than medicine likes to admit 🧰 Coping mechanisms: believing yourself first, advocating in appointments, pacing, spoon theory, working with your body instead of against it, and knowing when to push for more 🌱 How to make peace with it: your body isn't the problem, it's trying to communicate with you, and learning to respond with curiosity instead of criticism changes everything Thanks for listening 💛💜🩷🩵🧡 💬 New episodes every Monday. 🎧 Follow now to join the conversation. 🧡 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Podcast socials: → Instagram: @toomuchapparently [https://www.instagram.com/toomuchapparently] → TikTok: @toomuchapparently [https://www.tiktok.com/@toomuchapparently?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] → YouTube: Too Much, Apparently [https://www.youtube.com/@toomuchapparently] → Website: www.toomuchapparently.com [http://www.toomuchapparently.com/] 👩‍💻 Carly Radford: → Website: www.carlyradford.com [http://www.carlyradford.com] → Instagram: @the_sensitivity_therapist [http://www.instagram.com/the_sensitivity_therapist] 👩🏻‍💻 Alice Tew: → Website: www.alicetew.com [http://www.alicetew.com] → Instagram: @reparentingwithalice [https://www.instagram.com/reparentingwithalice] 📩 Email us: toomuchapparently@gmail.com 🗓️ New episodes every Monday This is a podcast that says: bring your too-muchness… we’re here for it. Disclaimer: Just a quick note to say this podcast isn’t therapy, and it’s not a substitute for professional support. We’re here to share ideas and experiences, but if you’re struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or a support service near you.

38. Too Invalidated to Trust Myself - Chronic Invalidation, Self-Doubt and Learning to Trust Your Feelings Again

Ever felt like you’re too uncertain to trust your own feelings?Yeah. Us too. In this episode of Too Much Apparently, we (Carly and Alice — two therapists who know what it’s like to question everything you feel) get real about chronic invalidation — what happens when you’ve been told, directly or subtly, that your thoughts, feelings, and experiences aren’t quite right. We explore how that drip, drip, drip of being dismissed, corrected, or misunderstood can slowly erode your ability to trust yourself — and why so many sensitive and neurodivergent people end up over-analysing everything, checking with others, and wondering if they’re “allowed” to feel the way they do. This time we talked about: 🎙️ We’ve felt this thing too (and we still do): Hello second-guessing everything, asking “am I allowed to feel like this?”, and needing other people’s opinions to figure out your own. 👀 What it looks like in real life: Feeling confused in conversations, going into shutdown or overwhelm when you’re not understood, replaying interactions, and carrying a quiet sense of “maybe I’m wrong.” 🧠 Why our brains do it: Chronic invalidation, gaslighting-like experiences, trauma, and years of being told — in big and small ways — that your internal experience can’t be trusted. 🧍🏽‍♀️🧍🏻 The different ways it shows up: People-pleasing, over-analysing, withdrawing from relationships, struggling to speak up, or feeling disconnected from your own intuition and gut. 🧰 Coping mechanisms: Seeking reassurance, scanning for the “right” answer, suppressing emotions, or trying to override your feelings with logic. 🌱 How to make peace with it: You feel how you feel — and learning to trust yourself again starts with letting your experience be real. Thanks for listening      💛💜🩷🩵🧡 💬 New episodes every Monday. 🎧 Follow now to join the conversation. 🧡 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Podcast socials: → Instagram: @toomuchapparently [https://www.instagram.com/toomuchapparently] → TikTok: @toomuchapparently [https://www.tiktok.com/@toomuchapparently?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] → YouTube: Too Much, Apparently [https://www.youtube.com/@toomuchapparently] → Website: http://www.toomuchapparently.com/www.toomuchapparently.com [http://www.toomuchapparently.com] 👩‍💻 Carly Radford: → Website: www.carlyradford.com [http://www.carlyradford.com] → Instagram: @the_sensitivity_therapist [http://www.instagram.com/the_sensitivity_therapist] 👩🏻‍💻 Alice Tew: → Website: www.alicetew.com [http://www.alicetew.com] → Instagram: @reparentingwithalice [https://www.instagram.com/reparentingwithalice] 📩 Email us: toomuchapparently@gmail.com 🗓️ New episodes every Monday This is a podcast that says: bring your too-muchness… we’re here for it. Disclaimer: Just a quick note to say this podcast isn’t therapy, and it’s not a substitute for professional support. We’re here to share ideas and experiences, but if you’re struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or a support service near you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- sensitivity podcast, therapy podcast, mental health podcast, self doubt podcast, emotional validation, trauma podcast, neurodivergent podcast, overthinking podcast, trust yourself, gaslighting effects, Too Much Apparently podcast

37. Too Nostalgic to Let Go - Comfort Rewatches, Childhood Memories & Why Nostalgia is a Good Thing

Ever felt like you're too nostalgic to just let the past be the past? Yeah. Us too. In this episode of Too Much Apparently, we (Carly and Alice - two therapists and recovering perfectionists with squishy brains) get real about nostalgia - why some of us feel it so much more intensely than others, what it's actually doing for us, and why we think it deserves to be taken seriously rather than quietly grown out of. We unpack our own nostalgic soft spots, spiral into Postman Pat and Paramore in real time, and share what it's like to miss things that were complicated, long for feelings you can't quite get back, and wonder whether that makes you stuck or just someone who feels things fully. This time we talked about: * 🎙️ We've felt this thing too (and we still do): Hello classic Corrie for the mismatched mugs, Normal People on repeat, and being ambushed by a smell before you've even registered what it is * 👀 What it looks like in real life: rewatching the same shows during stressful weeks, songs that belong to specific chapters of your life, going back to places from childhood and feeling like you're stitching something back together * 🧠 Why our brains do it: sensitive and neurodivergent people don't just remember — they re-experience emotion through memory, which is why nostalgia hits harder and why that's actually the point * 🧍🏽‍♀️🧍🏻 The different ways it shows up: longing for a feeling rather than a time, feeling nostalgic for things that were complicated or imperfect, and the shame of admitting what still gets to you * 🧰 Coping mechanisms: using nostalgia deliberately rather than waiting for it to ambush you — the comfort rewatch, the playlist, the perfume, the food that takes you somewhere that feels like safety * 🌱 How to make peace with it: stop treating your nostalgia as a character flaw and start listening to what it's telling you about what you need right now Thanks for listening            💛💜🩷🩵🧡 Resources mentioned Nostalgia article [https://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2024/03/i-want-my-country-back-whats-in-phrase.html] 💬 New episodes every Monday. 🎧 Follow now to join the conversation. 🧡 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Podcast socials: → Instagram: @toomuchapparently [https://www.instagram.com/toomuchapparently] → TikTok: @toomuchapparently [https://www.tiktok.com/@toomuchapparently?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] → YouTube: Too Much, Apparently [https://www.youtube.com/@toomuchapparently] → Website: www.toomuchapparently.com [http://www.toomuchapparently.com/] 👩‍💻 Carly Radford: → Website: www.carlyradford.com [http://www.carlyradford.com] → Instagram: @the_sensitivity_therapist [http://www.instagram.com/the_sensitivity_therapist] 👩🏻‍💻 Alice Tew: → Website: www.alicetew.com [http://www.alicetew.com] → Instagram: @reparentingwithalice [https://www.instagram.com/reparentingwithalice] 📩 Email us: toomuchapparently@gmail.com 🗓️ New episodes every Monday This is a podcast that says: bring your too-muchness… we’re here for it. Disclaimer: Just a quick note to say this podcast isn’t therapy, and it’s not a substitute for professional support. We’re here to share ideas and experiences, but if you’re struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or a support service near you.

36. Too Sensitive to Run a Business - Values, Burnout & Building a Business That Actually Feels Good

Ever felt like you’re too sensitive to run a business?Yeah. Us too. In this episode of Too Much Apparently, we (Carly and Alice — two therapists trying to build something meaningful without losing themselves in the process) get real about what it’s like to run a business when you care deeply about people, ethics, and doing things in a way that actually feels right. We explore the tension between authenticity and self-promotion, the pressure to market in ways that feel uncomfortable, and what it’s like to try and build something sustainable when your nervous system isn’t built for hustle culture. This time we talked about: 🎙️ We’ve felt this thing too (and we still do): Questioning if you’re cut out for business, feeling icky about marketing, and wondering if you’re just “too much” or not tough enough for it. 👀 What it looks like in real life: Trying to juggle all the roles of running a business, comparing yourself to people doing more, feeling pressure to say yes to everything, and struggling with the vulnerability of essentially “selling yourself.” 🧠 Why our brains do it: Strong values, empathy, fear of rejection, people-pleasing, trauma patterns, and living in a system that often rewards profit over people. 🧍🏽‍♀️🧍🏻 The different ways it shows up: Undercharging, overworking, avoiding visibility, burnout, conflict around money, and feeling torn between helping people and needing to earn a living. 🧰 Coping mechanisms: Setting boundaries, making intentional decisions, learning to say no, finding ethical ways to market, and building a business that works with your energy rather than against it. 🌱 How to make peace with it: Maybe you’re not too sensitive for business — maybe you just need to do business differently.  Thanks for listening      💛💜🩷🩵🧡 💬 New episodes every Monday. 🎧 Follow now to join the conversation. 🧡 CONNECT WITH US 🎙️ Podcast socials: → Instagram: @toomuchapparently [https://www.instagram.com/toomuchapparently] → TikTok: @toomuchapparently [https://www.tiktok.com/@toomuchapparently?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc] → YouTube: Too Much, Apparently [https://www.youtube.com/@toomuchapparently] → Website: www.toomuchapparently.com [http://www.toomuchapparently.com/] 👩‍💻 Carly Radford: → Website: www.carlyradford.com [http://www.carlyradford.com] → Instagram: @the_sensitivity_therapist [http://www.instagram.com/the_sensitivity_therapist] 👩🏻‍💻 Alice Tew: → Website: www.alicetew.com [http://www.alicetew.com] → Instagram: @reparentingwithalice [https://www.instagram.com/reparentingwithalice] 📩 Email us: toomuchapparently@gmail.com 🗓️ New episodes every Monday This is a podcast that says: bring your too-muchness… we’re here for it. Disclaimer: Just a quick note to say this podcast isn’t therapy, and it’s not a substitute for professional support. We’re here to share ideas and experiences, but if you’re struggling, please reach out to a mental health professional or a support service near you.