Hypervigilance

Hypervigilance is a condition of the nervous system in which sensory information is filtered inaccurately and rapidly, producing an enhanced and sustained state of sensory sensitivity to the surrounding environment. It arises when the nervous system's stress-response signaling becomes dysregulated, firing in situations that do not warrant an alarm reaction. People experiencing hypervigilance remain consciously aware of their surroundings while showing exaggerated startle responses to sudden noise or movement, constant scanning for potential threats, disrupted sleep and difficulty in ordinary social interaction, a pattern that distinguishes it from dissociative states in which contact with reality is lost. Clinically, hypervigilance is closely associated with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, where prolonged threat-scanning can persist for years and contribute to exhaustion.