What Are Your Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal PTSD Symptoms?

This is my list which is in no particular order.

Going to sleep is like letting down my guard. I call it the broken boxer syndrome. I fight and fight it until I absolutely have to go lay down. It’s like throwing in the towel. There is huge fear that once I lay down the end of my fight or flight response takes place. My attacker is in my dreams and I’ve simply given in and accepted my fate. This makes me angry.

I seem to be aware of people around me and remember where they are or where they moved from. At the carnival a few months back this symptom was driving me crazy. I realized I was keeping track of everyone around me. I mentally recorded their physical appearance automatically. I felt ashamed of it. I’d be the perfect eye witness because I can record so much detailed information and have it right on.

I hear my dog breathing in stereo and it angers me. I’m triggered by it and sometimes I actually accuse him of panting as loudly as possible which is just stupid but my mind is racing and running from the past. I see danger in the way he’s breathing because it usually leads to a flashback of having someone on top of me panting like that.My eyes catch the slightest movement.
I’m sensitive to noise and light.
Sometimes I’m very jumpy.
I can sometimes hear the tiniest sound.

I think the PTSD symptoms of hypervigilance and hyperarousal are hardest to deal with because they’re constant. They don’t have to increase to be a bother; the same level of intrusion day after day is enough to make a girl scream. I won’t though, because I’d add something else to the already noise polluted room and possibly drown out real danger. LOL

What symptoms of Hypervigilance do you experience? Describe as many as you’d like to describe in as much detail as you’d like to give. This may help me and others to identify better with our own symptoms. Your participation is much appreciated. Links to information are appreciated as well. Because of my moderation system links in comments automatically go to the moderation hub. I’ll snatch them out ASAP.

Please take time to read the comments that have come in. There is a lot of helpful information there as well as comments that you may be able to relate to. Comments are part of this entry. Comment as often as you’d like and with as much detail as you like.

This is my painting called PTSD. The full entry that explains it can be found on my art site.

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PTSD

Joan of Arc

What Are Your Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal PTSD Symptoms?-Monday, July 07, 2008-1:13AM EST