At certain times, hypervigilance staying highly alert is useful. But when it happens all too often, you may start to feel depleted. Heres why and how to cope.<\/p>\n
Tense muscles. Room scan. A feeling that something bad is about to happen and youre unable to relax in your environment. Sound familiar? <\/p>\n
Living with hypervigilance can not only make it difficult to enjoy the present moment, but it can also take away from your relationships, work, school, and overall quality of life.<\/p>\n
The good news is that support and treatment options are available, once you identify the causes of this symptom. Professional resources and self-care may help you cope.<\/p>\n
Put simply, hypervigilance is a biological adaptation to stress. Its your brains method of trying to keep you out of harms way by being highly alert and aware of your surroundings.<\/p>\n
According to a 2016 review, researchers have found that it generally shows up in two scenarios. <\/p>\n
The first is a looming threat, common with anxiety disorders. The second is a reminder of a previous threat, common with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma manifestations.<\/p>\n
Hypervigilance is not a diagnosis on its own. Its a symptom. This means that its part of a set of other symptoms.<\/p>\n
Some common diagnoses associated with hypervigilance include:<\/p>\n
Hypervigilance looks different for everyone, but there are some signs that many people share. These include: <\/p>\n
Trauma can rewire the brain to put you on high alert.<\/p>\n
Research from 2019 suggests that those with trauma experience increased activity in their amygdala, the part of your brain that sends out the code red signal. <\/p>\n
This means that your brain will alert the other systems in your body to get ready for an incoming threat even if theres no direct danger present.<\/p>\n
Some cues may include:<\/p>\n
Researchers are still trying to pin down why anxiety disorders manifest with hypervigilance. <\/p>\n
Research from 2014 suggests that anxiety spurs selective attention in your brain. Then, it creates a feedback loop: You look for a specific threat and you get more anxious, which causes you to look for more threats. On and on it goes.<\/p>\n
Research from 2015 suggests hypervigilance may result from miscommunication between two parts of the brain, the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST).<\/p>\n
Some triggers may include:<\/p>\n
Sometimes. It all depends on where its coming from.<\/p>\n
If youve experienced a recent event that shook you up, like a near-miss car accident, your hypervigilance may go away on its own within a few hours or a couple of days if you didnt develop PTSD. <\/p>\n
But for many, hypervigilance sticks around. If this is your case, its highly advisable to reach out for support and determine the underlying cause.<\/p>\n
Hypervigilance is a natural feature of your limbic system, which manages your fight-or-flight response. It comes in handy in several scenarios, including: <\/p>\n
Because it protects you in precarious situations, a small dose of hypervigilance is actually a good thing from time to time.<\/p>\n
Your treatment for hypervigilance will depend on the underlying condition. In other words, you would treat the cause of your symptom, instead of just the symptom itself.<\/p>\n
A mental health professional may recommend several types of therapy to treat mental health conditions that have hypervigilance as a symptom. <\/p>\n
These include: <\/p>\n
A doctor may recommend medication as part of your treatment for anxiety or PTSD. These medications will depend on your other symptoms and your specific needs. <\/p>\n
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is gaining traction in the Western medicine model. <\/p>\n
Some supplements and herbs may help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety, including hypervigilance. More research is still needed, though. <\/p>\n
Ask your doctor about:<\/p>\n
If your hypervigilance is the result of stress, some self-care strategies may help. These include: <\/p>\n
Hypervigilance is a natural biological process. In small doses, its useful.<\/p>\n
However, for those who live with trauma, anxiety, or other mental health conditions, ongoing hypervigilance may take away from your relationships, work, and more.<\/p>\n
In this case, a professional will be able to provide you with an accurate diagnosis and work with you on a treatment plan. Self-care strategies for relaxation may also help.<\/p>\n
Remember, the overactive guard dog in your mind doesnt run the household you do. Its possible to take your power back. Youve got this.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
See original here: <\/p>\n
What Is Hypervigilance and What Causes It? - PsychCentral.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At certain times, hypervigilance staying highly alert is useful. But when it happens all too often, you may start to feel depleted. Heres why and how to cope. Continue reading