By Adrienne Dellwo.
Hypervigilance is a state of constant tension, on guard, and exceptionally aware of one’s surroundings.
A small but growing body of research suggests that hypervigilance is a hallmark of fibromyalgia and may contribute to the common symptom of sensory overload.
The idea is that our brains become overly aware of things, which can include painful stimuli, noises, bright lights, and general activity.
This could explain why our body reacts so painfully to a sensation that most people wouldn’t experience as painfully (called allodynia), and also why we are sensitive to noise, light, chaotic environments, etc.
With hypervigilance, not only will you notice things more easily, but you may not be able to take your attention away from them. When something is playing in the other room, you’ll notice it right away, be very distracted, and probably agitated if it doesn’t go away.
The same goes for feeling the pressure of a belt or the way a cloth rubs against your skin. Our brain perceives it as a threat, our brain fixates on it, and our physiological response is much more extreme than it should be.
In many conditions, hypervigilance is linked to anxiety. However, a study in fibromyalgia suggested that we can be hypervigilant with or without anxiety.
The experience of hypervigilance
The human brain perceives a lot of information about our environment that we are never aware of.
There are too many signals bombarding our brains at any given time, so there is a filtering process: things that are considered unimportant filter out and we never discover them.
However, anything your brain considers a threat receives extra attention. This can be a highly personalized response, depending on what your brain has learned as a danger.
Take, for example, people with arachnophobia (fear of spiders). They will likely be the first person in the room to notice an insect on the wall or something small moving on the carpet across the room. Their brain is constantly on alert, especially in places where they have frequently seen spiders.
When they see a spider, they may panic, they may want to run away, they may want to curl up in a safe place and cry. With fibromyalgia, the response to overstimulating environments can be similar.
I have personal experience with this. I once stood in line to buy something in a small, chaotic store where an employee had turned on loud, blaring music with an extremely fast beat. Luckily, I was with my husband, and when I handed him my things and told him I had to get out of there, he understood.
Outside, I sat against a wall, closed my eyes, and breathed deeply until I was no longer in danger of a full-blown anxiety attack. As an arachnophobe, I can see the similarities between this and what happens when I see a spider.
Living with Hypervigilance
Most parents experience some degree of hypervigilance when it comes to our children. When you have a newborn, the slightest whimper can make you jump out of bed. Notice small hazards that others don’t see, like an exposed electrical outlet or a glass on the edge of a table.
So, while hypervigilance is normal in some situations, it’s not healthy to spend too much time in a hypervigilant state. Police officers and soldiers in combat zones often do this, putting them at risk for PTSD.
Hypervigilance can disrupt sleep, cause avoidance behaviors, and make you nervous and anxious. Being on high alert all the time is exhausting. It can make you irritable and prone to outbursts. Panic attacks are certainly possible.
Hypervigilance is an aspect of the condition, not a disease in itself. If you think hypervigilance is a problem for you, talk to your doctor. This can help shape the direction of your treatment.
Medications are not generally used to treat hypervigilance. Instead, coping techniques and treatment of the condition that caused it are recommended.
Coping techniques may include:
stress management,
yoga,
meditation,
mindfulness,
deep breathing.
It’s a good idea to remove yourself from situations or environments that increase your hypervigilance. However, if this leads to withdrawal or avoidance behaviors, you may benefit from counseling.
While you may feel hopeless at times, remember that with time and effort, hypervigilance can be overcome.
