Answer two questions about what you are feeling right now. Find out which state you are in, what is happening in your body, and what to do about it.
What this tool does
The Scenario Finder is a free triage tool built on the Velelle three-state framework: Overwhelmed, Burned Out, and Scattered. Answer two questions about what you are feeling right now. The tool identifies your state and gives you a full explanation of what is happening, what to do, and what to skip.
Not sure what is happening to you?
Most people cannot tell the difference between Overwhelmed, Burned Out, and Scattered. They feel similar from the inside. They require completely different responses.
Answer the questions below. Find your state. Then use the tools for that state.
The Velelle three-state framework
Overwhelmed
You cannot think. Your body has taken over.
Chest tight, heart beating faster, thoughts fast. Everything feels equally urgent. You cannot sort through any of it.
Burned Out
You have stopped feeling much at all.
Flat, heavy, empty. You are still showing up. There is nothing behind it.
Scattered
You can think. Nothing sticks.
You start five things and finish none. The energy is there. The direction is missing.
What best describes what you are feeling right now?
Something physical: tight chest, heart beating faster, cannot sit still
Overwhelmed
Something mental: spinning thoughts, cannot decide, brain fog
Scattered
Flat or empty: numb, exhausted, nothing left
Burned Out
Angry or resentful: at the situation, at someone, at yourself
Overwhelmed
What set this off?
Another person: a conversation, a conflict, being talked over or ignored
Work or responsibilities: too much to do, a deadline, decisions piling up with no clear answer
Time: the week ahead, waking at 3am, the dread before the day starts
Yourself: guilt, comparison, the feeling of falling behind
What is happening
Why it feels this way
What to do now
What to skip
Tools for this state
Questions
What is the difference between Overwhelmed, Burned Out, and Scattered?
Overwhelmed is your body in alarm. Your heart is beating faster, thinking is harder, and reaction takes over. Burned Out is the reverse. Your system has gone quiet and flat with nothing left to give. Scattered sits between them. You can think, but you cannot hold a thought long enough to act on it. All three feel like stress. Each one has a different cause and a different fix.
Why does it matter which state I am in?
Overwhelmed and Burned Out call for opposite responses. Rest helps Overwhelmed and does little for Burned Out. The slow breathing that calms an overwhelmed body feels activating to a burned-out one. Scattered responds to fewer inputs, which helps neither of the others. Knowing your state is how you use the right tool the first time.
I do not know which state I am in.
Start with Burned Out if you feel nothing. Start with Overwhelmed if you feel everything. Start with Scattered if you feel stuck between the two.
Is this a clinical assessment?
This is a self-identification tool built on the Velelle three-state framework, grounded in polyvagal-inspired research. It does not replace professional mental health support. If you are in crisis, contact a qualified healthcare provider or a crisis line.
Know your state. Use the right tools.
The Velelle Free Library has tools for each state. Free. No login required.
These tools are not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you are in crisis, contact a qualified healthcare provider or a crisis line.
Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.