Hi there, What you’re describing, that heavy, almost “can’t move” feeling, the brain fog, the mistakes, the gut issues. That actually lines up really closely with a stress overload response. A lot of people call it a “freeze” state, where your system basically hits capacity and starts shutting things down to cope. It usually means you’ve been pushing hard for a long time without enough true recovery, and your body is forcing a reset.
One of the tricky parts (which you’ve already picked up on) is that “rest” can turn into guilt/avoidance, which keeps the stress loop going. Sometimes it helps to redefine rest as something
intentional and contained. For example, short, planned breaks where you fully step away, rather than unstructured time where your mind keeps running.
With study, instead of trying to tackle everything, it can help to shrink things right down. Even something like:
- open the book
- read one page
- do one question
It sounds almost too simple, but when you’re in that frozen state, lowering the entry point can help your brain re-engage without triggering more overwhelm.
Also, the fact that you’re worried about whether you’re “cut out” for medicine says more about how much you care than your actual capacity. People who do well in those fields aren’t the ones who never struggle, they’re the ones who learn how to work
with their limits over time.
If this keeps building, it could really help to loop in someone at school (like a counsellor or trusted teacher) just so you’re not carrying it all alone, especially with that workload. You’re not broken or falling behind, this is your system asking for a different pace, not an end point.
Kind regards,
Sophie M
