Neurobiological Cascade
Once the brain is overloaded, a chain reaction begins. Stress hormones like cortisol stay high, neurotransmitters like dopamine and glutamate become imbalanced, and the brain’s ability to filter out unnecessary information (called sensory gating) weakens. This can lead to misinterpretations of sights and sounds, emotional outbursts, and eventually symptoms like hallucinations or delusions. The body’s stress systems stay in overdrive, making recovery harder without help.
Once the brain’s threshold is breached, the body doesn’t simply “reset.” Instead, it enters a prolonged state of internal stress. Stress hormones, brain chemicals, sensory filters, and emotional controls all begin to misfire.
This creates a self-sustaining cycle — a neurobiological cascade — where overload deepens into dysfunction. For people like Maya, this is the point where everything feels like it’s unraveling from the inside out.
Neurobiological Cascade
How Overload Triggers Brain Imbalance
Cortisol Keeps the Body on Alert
Once the system is overwhelmed, stress hormones like cortisol stay elevated. Instead of helping in the short term, they now keep the brain and body stuck in a state of tension.
Example: The person may feel jumpy, restless, or unable to relax — as if danger is always near, even when it’s not.
Maya’s Experience:
"Even when nothing was wrong, Maya felt wired. Her muscles were tight, her heart raced at the sound of her phone buzzing, and she startled easily. It felt like her body was expecting something bad to happen — constantly."
Chemical Imbalance Begins
Dopamine, Glutamate, and Others Shift
The overload disrupts the normal balance of brain chemicals. Dopamine and glutamate, which help with focus, motivation, and perception, can become too high or too low in the wrong places.
Example: This imbalance can make thoughts feel scattered or strange — and in some cases, can trigger hallucinations or unusual beliefs.
Maya’s Experience:
"Her thoughts began to feel strange — disconnected, yet urgent. She struggled to focus and sometimes felt like ideas were forming faster than she could control. Eventually, she started to hear things faintly — whispers she couldn’t trace."
Sensory Gating Weakens
The Brain Struggles to Filter Input
The brain’s usual ability to block out unimportant sights, sounds, or sensations breaks down. Too much gets through, adding to confusion and stress.
Example: Background noises or flashing lights that most people can ignore may seem overwhelming or impossible to tune out.
Maya’s Experience:
"Walking down the street, Maya heard every sound at once: traffic, dogs barking, someone’s shoes scraping. The sunlight felt sharp against her eyes. Her brain couldn’t decide what to focus on — so it focused on everything. It was exhausting."
Emotions Spiral Out of Control
Feelings Become Harder to Manage
With stress high and the brain’s filters failing, emotional reactions may become extreme or unpredictable.
Example: Someone might go from calm to angry or tearful very quickly, or feel deep fear without knowing why.
Maya’s Experience:
"Maya found herself crying uncontrollably in the grocery store — over nothing she could name. Hours later, she felt a surge of anger when someone spoke too loudly. Her emotions didn’t feel like hers anymore — they just happened to her."
The Body Stays in Overdrive
Recovery Gets Harder Without Support
The body’s systems remain stuck in high gear, draining energy and making it difficult to recover. Without help or relief, this state can fuel long-term mental or physical illness.
Example: Sleep problems, fatigue, or physical tension may become constant, wearing the person down even further.
Maya’s Experience:
"She was constantly fatigued but couldn’t sleep. Her body ached, her digestion was off, and rest never felt restorative. No matter what she did, she couldn’t come down — as if her body had forgotten how to relax."
By this point, the mind and body are no longer simply stressed — they are under siege. The system, once overloaded, now begins to display outward signs of breakdown. In the next section, we explore how these internal changes give rise to real-world symptoms that others can observe — and that individuals struggle to explain.