It’s wild how, surprisingly, no one really talks about therapy hangovers. Sure, everyone says “therapy’s great,” but almost nobody warns you that right after your session, your brain and body might throw a full-on tantrum.

But you know what? you’re not broken or doing it wrong. Rather, your nervous system is just throwing a little tantrum because it’s been poked awake after a long nap in the deep trauma cave.

And that foggy, emotionally messy state? Well, it’s your brain’s way of processing the emotional upheaval you just unpacked. Think of it like your mind’s version of sore muscles after a workout; only this time, it’s your heart and soul getting stretched.

So many times after my weekly session I would be exhausted and not able to think straight, and it was all because of these therapy hangovers.

What is a therapy hangover?

It’s that foggy, emotionally raw, post-session daze that can last hours, or even days. You might feel:

• Tired (like… soul tired)

• Irritable for no reason

• Anxious or overexposed

• Detached or floaty

• Like all your inner children are suddenly mad at you

This happens because therapy, especially deep trauma work like CPTSD, IFS, or EMDR, really digs in. You’re not just “talking about your feelings.” Instead, you’re confronting old wounds, challenging survival patterns, and sometimes pulling the pin out of emotional grenades you buried 20 years ago. (If you want to dive deeper into that emotional excavation, check out my post: When Therapy Turns Into an Emotional Excavation.)

Naturally, your system goes into full WTF mode afterward. But don’t mistake this for regression, it’s actually recalibration.

So, what do you do when the therapy hangover hits and you feel like your brain’s been scrambled in an emotional blender? Over the years, I’ve found a few go-to moves that helped me ride it out without totally losing my mind:

5 Things That Actually Help

Here’s what can help for when the post-therapy spiral kicks in:

1. Silence & Soft Things

Your nervous system is overstimulated. Skip the group chat, mute notifications, and go full potato mode. Weighted blankets, cozy socks, dim lights, yes, you’re allowed to be a cliché. It helps.

2. Gentle Grounding

Nothing intense. Just basic stuff to get back in your body:

• Hold a warm mug with both hands

• Rinse your face with cold water

• Touch something with texture (a stone, a fuzzy pillow, a judgmental cat)

The goal isn’t to feel “great,” just a little less like you’re drifting out of your own skin.

3. Eat Something That Doesn’t Hurt You

This is not the time for kale. It’s the time for something warm, easy, and nostalgic. Soup? Yes. Toast? Ideal. An entire sleeve of graham crackers while watching “Great British Bake-Off”? That’s your business.

4. Label It Without Judging It

Instead of spiraling into “Why do I feel like this?”, try telling yourself,

“Oh, this is just the therapy hangover. My brain’s processing a lot. That’s allowed.”

Sometimes naming the thing steals its power. It helps you move from panic to compassion.

5. Future You Prep (If You Can)

If you know therapy hits you hard, try scheduling something kind after it next time. A walk. A nap. Absolutely nothing. I learned to treat post-therapy time like I’m recovering from minor surgery. Because emotionally? I was.

Final Thought: You’re Not Doing It Wrong

The therapy hangover isn’t a sign of weakness or failure. Instead, it’s a signal that you’re reaching parts of yourself that stayed hidden for a reason. Now that those parts are coming up to be seen, they need care, not criticism.

So yeah. You’re tired. Maybe a little weepy. Maybe your inner 9-year-old is sulking in the corner. And you know what? That’s totally fine.

That’s healing.

And healing is weird.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash