What Is Hypervigilance?
Hypervigilance is a heightened state of sensory sensitivity accompanied by an exaggerated intensity in behaviours designed to detect threats. It’s like your brain is stuck in “survival mode,” even in ordinary situations. People experiencing it aren’t just anxious—they’re on constant alert, scanning everything around them for danger, often without realising they’re doing it.
It’s More Than Being Alert
Unlike simple awareness or caution, hypervigilance is involuntary and exhausting:
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It floods your nervous system with cortisol and adrenaline.
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It hijacks focus, diverting mental energy to threat detection.
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It reshapes perception, making neutral events feel hostile or unsafe
Imagine trying to relax, but your mind refuses. You might:
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Feel like something “bad” is about to happen, without knowing why.
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Be unable to tune out background sounds, movements, or facial expressions.
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Replay past stressful scenarios or mentally rehearse new ones in case they occur.
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“Sense” threat even when there’s no logical reason for it—it’s instinctual.
It’s exhausting, isolating, and often misunderstood. People may appear anxious, irritable, or controlling but it’s really the brain doing its best to protect.
Hypervigilance typically involves over activation of the amygdala (the threat detector) and under activity of prefrontal regions that calm and rationalise. In trauma survivors, this imbalance can be persistent—even long after danger has passed.
Common Symptoms
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Persistent scanning of surroundings for possible danger
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Difficulty relaxing or sleeping, often feeling exhausted
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Overreactions to noise, movement, or unexpected events
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Feeling unsafe in safe environments
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Intense emotional responses, such as irritability or fear
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Physical tension, headaches, or gastrointestinal issues
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Cognitive Overload
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Constant internal dialogue assessing risks and outcomes
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Difficulty concentrating due to relentless scanning for danger
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Memory disruptions, especially around traumatic events
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Exaggerated startle reflex — even small noises trigger intense reaction
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Heightened sensory sensitivity: light, sound, textures can feel unbearable
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Chronic muscle tension, jaw clenching, and frequent headaches
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Rapid heart rate or shallow breathing, even at rest
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Gastrointestinal distress — often linked to fight-or-flight activation
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Avoidance behaviours, especially around unfamiliar or crowded places
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Hyper-control tendencies, including over planning and micro managing
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Over-monitoring others’ moods, scanning faces for possible threats
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Need for constant reassurance, even when situations are objectively safe
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Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships, due to mistrust
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Feeling emotionally numb, while being physically on edge
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Irritability or emotional outbursts triggered by small stressors
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Feeling unsafe even with loved ones — safety never feels guaranteed
Ready to Feel Safer in Your Own Mind?
If the symptoms of hypervigilance feel familiar, if you're constantly scanning, struggling to relax, or feeling overwhelmed—you're not alone, and you don't have to face it alone.
Speaking to someone who understands trauma, anxiety, and emotional fatigue can be the first step toward healing. We offer a safe, judgement-free space to begin that journey.
Whether it’s a one-time conversation or the beginning of ongoing support, your wellbeing matters.
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