Cognitive Overload & Capacity Limits
Understand the signs and causes of cognitive overload.
When Thoughts Press Inward
Thoughts press inward, narrowing awareness and reducing distance between ideas.
The feeling is subtle but persistent.
This moment does not widen the walls or seek escape.
It simply notices the inward pull, allowing compression to be named without correction or fear.
Stay with compression using DojoWell.
Explore DojowellFrom Art to Science
Articles exploring the psychology behind these patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I feel like my thoughts are "pressing inward" on me?
This is Inward Mental Force. It happens when your Threat system turns your own thoughts into "critics" or "obligations" that attack your identity. It feels like the mind is "closing in." Recognizing this "force" allows you to "push back" structurally. You aren't fighting the thoughts; you are re-establishing your "internal perimeter." You are the "containment field", and you have the right to "push" the thoughts back into a manageable distance.
How do I stop the thoughts from "pressing in"?
You "Orient Outward." When you feel the inward press, intentionally focus on the furthest sound you can hear or the furthest object you can see. This "widening of the field" breaks the inward momentum. In the Meaning Density Model™, we balance "inward integration" with "outward orientation." By expanding your awareness to the environment, you create the "external room" needed for your internal state to decompress and settle.