I have PTSD and one of the symptoms is hypervigilance. The best way I could explain it to people is like when you see a spider in your room and then it disappears and you have no idea where it is, so you have that extremely uneasy feeling and are super jumpy and unable to relax/feel safe. Hypervigilance is like that, but all the time over everything.
@@hyperspacejester7377 yeah I've microdosed with mushrooms and LSD many times in the past. I microdose when I'm really triggered and locked up in my trigger. It helps me emotionally unlock a little bit so I can take an objective step back and look at my situation from a more rational standpoint.
I have super high hypervigilance, more than my therapist has really seen in a lot of people. It came from having to grow up in a home where I had to think of everyone else before myself. We were a stressed out family due to one child having mental illness early on, and I became the 'good child' to ease the strain. I became hypervigilant in detecting people's emotions and doing whatever possible to prevent hurt and ensure happiness...to the point that I now feel guilt over resting or needing help because of my physical disabilities. I'm working with a therapist to learn how to actually relax, and it's slowly getting there. It'll take a while to undo a lifetime's worth of trauma.
I relate to this so much I came from a toxic religion house hold where I was always doing something to ensure no one would get upset yes I have this feeling in my stomach 24/7 like I’m on alert and I don’t know how to relax but I’m getting better I’m in a much healthier household now and I’m forever grateful for my aunt and uncle for helping me
Thank You for letting us know about how childhood can make us suffer in adulthood - sometimes for the rest of our lives. Fortunately, nowadays it has become much more known to people, that the reason IS childhood conditions for all of us - and that we can do something to stop our suffering, though it takes a lot of time and Hard work....The other side of the coin so to speak, is that it has not become normal like going to the doctors, to go to a psychologist or therapist - because f.ex here in Denmark it STILL cost a lot of money ! Some people in special situations at work.or traumatic accidents and so on, can get up to 10 hours of psychotherpy ! And I know from own experience, it is never quite enough ! It is STILL not to easy to talk about these aspects of human life amongst people. But I am happy for You, that You were able to do something for Yourself.Hoping You are well and present🙏🌻🐦
This one thought was a huge revelation for me. It never occurred to me that worry could be a temporary state. Being alive & being afraid all the time seemed like the same thing to me.
The single best way to avoid worrying and stress is very simple. Simply stay away from other people. The single biggest source of stress and worry are other people in your life. Simply delete everyone from your life and you would not believe how little you will worry and how little stress your life will have. I did this in 2000. My life is very stress free and worry free. Yes, there is loneliness but that is a very mild emotion when compared with stress and worry. Also, the emotions humans can inflict upon us can be cripplingly horrible. Loneliness will never cripple you. Loneliness is the lesser of the two evils by far. I have lived socially isolated since 8 August 2000. I have very little stress and worry in my life.
I was emotionally abused as a child, by one of my parents. The other parent was extremely kind and loving and made me feel safe. I have PTSD and I still get flashbacks. For me hypervigilence is waking up in a panic from a deep sleep because I heard a loud noise outside, and I can't stop shaking. I'm 35 years old and I don't feel safe ever. I feel like something is always going to come along and pull the rug out from under me and tear my life apart. But I'm beginning to have the confidence that whatever comes along I can handle. Goodluck and sleep well.
I relate so strongly to this. The feeling that something terrible is about to happen can be crippling. I'm in bed right now sick with fear and nothing has really happened yet.
Hypervigilance gets the best of me. I live alone in my unit, and whenever I hear a strange noise like a scratch or thump, I feel like someone's gonna murder me. another case is when I hear people laughing or talking loudly, I feel like it's about me being up to no good. Also, I have a compulsive habit of checking the outside of my house from the windows, esp. at night to check if there's a terrorist or something. funny, right? but it's true.
@ John Vincent : no. not funny. it's traumatic experiences in either your recent ordistant past. it is horrendous. many of us live with this if we have bad friends or family.
OH MY GOSH... THIS IS WHAT I DO...THIS IS HYPERVIGILANCE ? I ALSO DO THIS REGARDING MY SON WHEN I CAN'T REACH HIM RIGHT AWAY ‼️ WOW...I LITERALLY CAN NEVER RELAX ASIDE FROM WHEN I READ MY BIBLE AND TALK TO MY LORD JESUS... OTHERWISE IT'S CONSTANT... EVEN GET NERVOUS BEFORE WORK....GOD BLESS YOU 🙏
I have the exact same thing about being murdered or rather a break in happening. I get up atleast 3 times and check downstairs. I can only sleep is I literally just collapse in bed….
Please thank the animators that was amazing. It enhanced what was being said beautifully and was so fluid and perpetual. To even come up with a concept to show "worry" visually let alone execute, and for it to look sooo simple. Hats off xxxx
I literally called my fiancé home from work because I thought someone was breaking in our apartment. I’m 19 and i was abused almost my whole life. I just found this video and it made me cry. Thank you so much for making me feel like I’m not alone.
I have lived with hypervigilance for the past five years of my life and I can say that it is both a blessing and a curse, a curse in the sense that my exaggerated awareness helps me be more attentive in my professional domain as I tend to grasp upon every detail of my work, but in the destructive sense, I am in constant evaluation of my behavior and speech, the thing which restrains me from being totally natural. I think that hypervigilance as ptsd is one of the worst traumatic repercussions possible because when nothing feels worse than having your own self and nature repressed!
It is so incredible. School of Life always manages to put my deepest feelings into words. I didn't know hypervigilancy even existed, but it sounds so much how I feel. Especially the first part. Waking up terrified, spending the whole day in toned down dread and it being so exhausting you wish for all of it to just be... Over. Thank you, School of Life. Finally I at least have a name. And giving the monster a face helps in the first steps of getting better...
Many people joke about this, or misunderstand this as "anxiety". Hypervigilance is a bit more dreadful as it is often linked to certain mental disorders and is only a symptom of something far more complex and hard to understand.
@@Yas.min3000 lm 62 and just anxiety but it wasn’t as simple.you’re made to feel as if you’re imaging how you feel.Always a cause and I hope you are able to be seen by dr and not brushed aside.x
Great point about our need to forgive ourselves! I think one of the hardest things to do in life is to forgive ourself and to forgive others for what has been done. The thing though is that we must forgive in order to be able to move on with our own lives.
Yes we can forgive ourselves. But I may disagree! Sometimes that there are those who hurt you since childhood that deserve no forgiveness at all. Even at there time of death it's best to express that pain and anger on the many things what this person has done to you. It's like some sort of relief. It's okay to forget but not forgive the one who damaged you.
I think your point is valid and we needn't "forgive" anyone who doesn't deserve it. Yet it's VERY important that we find a way to extinguish the coal we carry in our hearts that burns us fresh daily from the agony of the memory. Letting go of anger doesn't mean forgiveness or forgetting; but it's a crucial part of ending the pain horrible people have left us carrying so long after they themselves have left the scene. It's right to let go of such lingering torment...it's not always easy and we owe ourselves such peace by any therapeutic means necessary.
Josaphat Pineda forgiveness is not the same as condoning what happened. Forgiveness is for your own peace of mind. As long as you carry the anger and suffering you are likelier to project it onto another, just like the original person was acting from a place of suffering. The cycle has to end or the suffering continues, and as long as there is no forgiveness you remain a victim of that person or incident, and give your energy and power over to it. I hope you find healing 🙏🏻
@@SusanHopkinson Doesn't this sound good? Now if only someone could disclose the miraculous means through which one can actually do what is being described... Just imagine how many people would benefit if this magical knowledge would be shared by whoever purportedly holds it...yet I keep getting the old trope that the traumatized hypervigilant person is to blame for his/her failure to magically heal, that they actually enjoy suffering (how cruel can people be?), etc.
i would love a video about a fear of “growing up.” your target audience is most likely made up of adults, but this would help any teenagers like me. i have intense fears about living a life which i sustain for myself, and giving away my already minimal autonomy in an endless persuit of working until i die.
Find a purpose in life. Something you really care about, something that makes you feel valued and that you would be happy doing even if you were not paid. Then channel your energy into doing that to the best of your ability. That way your adult life will have meaning.
I had extreme hypervigilance but now it's mild 90% of the time because I've been taking medication. I tried everything from extreme exercise, eatting well sleeping well and nothing worked, but now I'm taking Zoloft. It's melow and I love it.
Being hypervigelant at this time on the planet add society isolating and me being alone constantly. That is a normal stance to take I'm not paranoid I'm cautious. Point: anyone feeling this way don't shame yourself instead managing the potential for danger and attempting to basically fend for yourself with disciplining oneself to at least sleep! Is a worthy goal
After years of PTSD, I ended up on a position where I felt a sense of dread/doom all the time. Going as far as to kill my appreciating for life, making it feel like life is all about surviving with no reward. Luckily, medication made it a lot more bearable and therapy helped. Now, the problem isn't fixed but It's notably improved and I feel genuine hope to get better again.
U got 9 months further in life. How are u is it fixed? Because i go true this and tell me what i can expect or should do I got to my first theraphy session
@@Moesie I've had therapy for about 3-4 years, and this last year when I finally gave in and decided to try the antidepressants they recommended, life has gotten so much easier! It not only helped ease my depression and take away that constant dark cloud of bad feelings, but also really helped make my anxiety so much less!
@@englahimla cpd oil helps with anxiety and panic But i'd be carefull with antidepressent If doesnt fix only shots down temporarly ur feelings Meditation, nature, clean sleep excsrsize diet helps it Reasing qatching comedy yoga Cold shoqer coloring books Plants in ur room
@@Moesie Ah, no, the antidepressants help balance out the chemical imbalance in my brain that was a big part of my depression! I don't think we're speaking of the same type of medicine? But absolutely, healthy lifestyle choices and making your surroundings more healthy is great advice!
I guess at some point I just broke. And from that point on I said, fuck it! Come what may it can't be worse than living in perpetual fear. So I just decided, as an experiment, to just give up the fear. Live the way I want to live and deal with whatever comes as best I can. So far so good. As I said, realizing that nothing is worse than constant, gnawing, soul-sucking anxiety is very freeing!
"just give up the fear." i will try to do this because im so tired and i cant even rest bc of hypervigilance things. just give up fear and anger about my narcissist mom. yes. i hope i can do is
@@tylerslynes599 We’re all diff. You may need more time and diff path. Millions on the path w/you all ages and walks of life. Some just hide it. Baby steps can lead to health. Try mediation (under rated), write out feelings and toss paper or delete file, use bedtime stories for grownups on YT (just search) and hypnosis videos (try Michael Sealy) to fall asleep. Even in sleep words/music still work. Set up playlist. Practice being aware of what you feel as you feel it (curious vs judgement or analysis), sit with it for a bit then find way to change the msg to know your safe incl telling yourself ‘in this moment I’m safe’ with all senses to be present now vs the past. Be patient yourself and say ‘hey I did it’ for sml victories. Going back steps just temp. Hope any of this helps. Never give up on you. Peace and health. ✌️
I just recently developed this and only a week of this makes me just empty and weak now. I barely sleep but this does make me feel a bit better, I just want to start feeling normal again.
Hope ur doing ok ive been dealing with this for 3 years now no help or therapy, and it does get worse everyday, you need to get help and maybe medication, i wish i had that now. My life has done an enitre 180, i was always just confused at my differences from everyone else, untill i met my girlfriend 3 years ago. Ever since ive chose to make sure her and i stay together, but thats been way harder than it should be, i live every moment in fear of loosing her and i probably will lose her and the two kids we have together, i have no faith in finding aid. Ive tried so hard to find someone to care and take it serious but no one does, you have time to make that choice still. I sincerely hope you do.
Fight, flight, freeze. The physiological response to a threat. Hyper-vigilance , the physiological response to anticipating a threat before, during or after an event preparing you to fly, fight or freeze. Trouble is there is no threat so you can’t get past it and wind it down. I never understood trauma until I lived it.
I like what you said about finding others to share our fears and anxieties with in order to reduce the burden of own own hyper vigilance. Now the only question is who do you trust to share your vulnerabilities with?
someone's been hurt here i see,that's okey,not everyone is like that :) but if you've lived through something like that it's understandable of you to think so
Your local memeboi indeed I have. I speak from experience a lot on my channel about how to build healthy long term relationships... so making mistakes isn’t all bad as long as you can learn and grow from em.
I'm so happy I learned about the School of Life. I can't tell you all how much your articles and videos have helped me. At times your works have given me insight into states of mind I find so mysterious and confounding. Other times they've provided just the slightest bit of solace on a panicky day. You all do great work. I just wish you had a school in the northeastern US. Bless you
I just got like this because of a co-worker. I'm looking for a different place to work. ~3 hours sleep a night, lost appetite & 7 pounds & everything startles me. I've never experienced this before. I feel like a stranger to my body & mind.
I was 12yrs old and I just transferred to a new school for 8th grade. I was constantly harrassed and humiliated in public because I didn't act like them. They thought I was too proper, a teacher's pet. Come 9th grade, I still held on to feelings of anger towards those that tormented me, I became anti-social, distrusting and rude towards my tormentors and other new people because I thought they were enemies. I wouldn't realize until I was older that a lot of classmates I was rude towards, we're never trying to hurt me. Its been 8yrs since high school, I often feel ashamed that I ruined many potential friendships and I feel ashamed that I held on to 8th grade grudges for so long. When public humilation is burnt into your mind and flares up at various random moments, it can be hard to let it go.
I've been in this state for almost a year and especially the being awake one at 4 am. It was horrible, i didn't know what to do, at one point I was even afraid to go to bed because I would have a dream about my ex at 4 am and not being able to get back to sleep again. Thankfully the worst is over now and I'm sleeping much better now. And feeling much better about my life. I want to share my story because when i was in this state i desperately wanted a way to handle it and know if other people were having such problems as well. So if your reading this, know that it can be overcome, that you can live with it even if it is only partly. Keep on going in life even if you don't want to. Go to the gym and lift wheigts, using a sleeping mask during sleeping helped me a lot as well. And if you cant bare it anymore, you can use sleeping pils once in a while to have a good nights rest. And talk with people you can trust! Hang in there!
It may be. I wouldn't be surprised. I feel the same way too especially when I'm having extreme anxiety attacks. Have you sought counselling? It's helped me a bit, but I realized I won't be completely "cured" if I don't learn to consistently unworry from the inside. It's been quite the challenge.
That is totally happening to me when I am watching movies: I keep on waiting for something bad to happen so I can't even enjoy the film itself. It is sooooo annoying! And since I try to watch movies that are not the predictable Hollywood style, it is even harder to relax and enjoy, I am too anxious for something bad to happen. Anyone else like that out there? :)
I annoy my wife because I always get so over the top pissed off when movies show cops abusing their power, women being sexually exploited, or children being hurt. So I don't know if it's helpful, but you're not the only one.
Interesting. All of those reasons for hypervigilance that you mentioned have happened to me in one way or another. The last one, being institutionalized, was the last straw that actually ended up doing away with my ability to even feel fear for almost twenty years. While some of it finally came back, the anxieties that once plagued me constantly now no longer have any influence on me. I can even get up in front of a crowd of strangers and give a speech off the top of my head, if necessary. If I had any classic anxiety dreams (such as being chased) I came up with solutions during the dream itself and never had it again. I would love to know exactly how I managed to pull plugs on an emotion as primal as fear. As they say, "If you could bottle that, you'd be rich". The important thing is, though, to remember what it's prudent to respect even if you can't feel fear.
Great video. The only small part I didn't like was the idea that we should accept that our anxieties "might knock us out for a month". For a great many people they have no choice but to endure, especially for employment reasons. Many employers wouldn't give an employee the opportunity to be knocked out for a month. And if you lose your job in the UK now, the resultant anxiety from how the Department of Work and Pensions treats you will likely put into perspective any of the worries you had before you became unemployed. In fact being under the regime of the DWP means that hypervigilance would be justified, because the DWP will victimise you.
100% this. This is me to a capital "T" stemming from my childhood experiences & the subsequent trauma that followed. I have essentially been in a "fight or flight" response for decades - literally. The overwhelming emotion is exhaustion/despair/hopelessness in a way & on levels I cannot even describe.
breathing has helped me a lot for coping with panic attacks, but i can still relate very much with the difficulty to relax, sleep or being touch, and this i don't know how to deal with.
Been smoking heavily and did a binge-drinking session the other day. Been smoking weed almost everyday. I just can't handle myself too well. This video is the story of my life.
With a pretty voice and artwork, he is basically saying he doesn't know how to handle it except by talking to someone you trust, remind people if our boundaries and sleep when you can
I can NEVER relax!. When I had anasthetic I felt rescued and so relieved to drift away I didn't want to wake up again and was so depressed that o woke up... that was the most rest I felt
I think this is what I get when I’m around a women I don’t want to lose. I tried to think back to its roots and I think it’s from being broken up with for the first time. Whenever I’m around that trigger it causes me to be hyper vigilant and super aware to where my brain Fogs up and I can’t really think straight because I’m thinking so much about doing the right thing and what my partners thinking and probably not trying to lose them so I can’t just relax around them. Idk which came first but as soon as I felt anxiety strip me of my abilities it made me be fearful of showing that weakness. Which has brought me down mentally but I feel it’s a combination that sucks in a relationship it’s difficult for me to just chill because I’m always in that state. I can’t be myself because I’m not relaxed and it’s like they aren’t seeing the “real” me so I think about what the “real” me would do and it’s like a loss of identity when I get in this state idk just pray for me idk what I have but it sucks and I’m trying to get out of it because I want to connect the best way I can with my son without being like this. We got this being vulnerable is strong
We’re in the exact same boat. Overthinking and always blaming myself in relationships with girls. Please let me know how you’re doing and what is helping, if anything.
Never a definite answer with the mind. Only consolation, temporary peace similar to an afternoon nap. Would it be so bad? To have something to take responsibility, take blame and be liable for the emotions, feelings, thoughts of death and defeat. Yes, truly it is comforting to worry less about a self prophesied apocalypse.
Good video. One of the antidotes to hypervigilance is realize you're not a weak child or youth anymore. You're an adult! (Say "I'm not a little kid anymore! I'm an adult!"). And become a capable and competent adult. If you experienced danger or extreme anger, abandonment early in life, that is unfair and not your fault. You should look at it as having to learn a lesson earlier in life than most and see it almost like secret knowledge that you have that most people do not. Suffering is noble. You have seen the darker sides of life. Understand what happened to you and why as completely as you possibly can and then form a plan for how you would deal with it now. Do that, and you'll be much better off. I can promise you that.
So much easier said than done! And of course adults can "escape" bullies - tipically by giving up on something dear/desired. So much for adulthood "power". No wonder the hypervigilance loop keeps getting boosted!
My partner pointed out to me that (I know I’m hypervigilant) that maybe I have some type of PTSD. I literally jump out of my skin at the most stupid things… A butterfly taking off in front of me or something falling onto the floor behind me.. I jump out of my skin at the very most ridiculous sounds. I was assaulted from behind in 2014 and unfortunately it has never left me and in fact recently it has increased anxiety yet I’m not an anxious person.
The biggest fear of being wrong when you know deeply that you are right. Having the egoistic feeling that everyone else arent as accurate as you are in term of explaining somethin that you are comprehended with.
I knew this term because teachers are always “on” Now as a homeless person, I even have to be “on” at night. If I have to use the bathroom, I have to drive somewhere, sometimes multiple times a night. It’s so cool to see the roads completely empty tho. The worst part of day is the evenings when everyone’s headlights are blaring in my eyes. In the past, this has given me severe migraines and still threatens to do so. I even have to tell myself not to be scared when I see a giant truck with lots of headlights. In primal times, that many lights might have warned people of true danger. Now it just warns you of assholes. 🙄 So I tell myself that it’s not a monster and I’m not truly in great danger, and talking myself down really helps. In the past I’ve had to talk myself off a ledge, so that’s why I know this works. It was a good video, but I don’t think it really helped me in any way, besides reminding me that I don’t really have to be awake at 4:30 a.m. and if I am, I can try to back to bed. It might not work, but I can try. 🤷♀️
One time i was asked if in alright, because i was,holding my arm realky tense in a stress position, i disnt even notice, but every now i am clenched tense or frowning its worrying. Has anyone found their anxiety of benefit in a situation and what was tge context? Anyone else also often referred to as calm when actually you've just perfected,nasking your emotions? no doubt this makes it worse if you internalise it and also makes me unabke to show genuine emotions very readily. Although a version of it seeping out in gestures tension and irritability. Being kind to yourself is very hard!
I’m 34 and I just realized that I have add. Thought loops, anxiety, focus issues, but also something I can’t describe well. I’d be interested in hearing if anyone feels the same- it’s almost like a very intense claustrophobia feeling but in regards to the place I am. I’ve been moving around my entire adult life. I’ll fell fine for a few weeks then I’ll get the claustrophobia anxiety feeling and only feel alright when I’m in transition again. I can’t describe it too well but it’s honestly a worse feeling than any depression or sadness I’ve ever had. Because the feeling is so frantic and pressing like it’s an emergency that I have to leave. My worst fear is being a wanderer for life but I struggle so badly with this. Any insights would be greatly appreciated
Jay you have a lot of "thought energy" that you need to redirect You can take this advice with a pinch of salt if you want... But get yourself a gym membership Go and release that energy in a positive way, it WILL change your life, I promise you.
I suffer from complex PTSD. the state of constant hipervigilance is absolutely draining. For me it feels like I'm constantly in the presence of highly aggressive person, who throws sh*t around the room and I can't stop but feel like i'm next and my life is in danger.
Becoming an adult changes nothing. You simply can avoid everything then, and you do. So in fact, it just gets worse, because now you’ve become 100% cognizant of how you’re missing everything always... 😔
Same. Thankfully I have my sister to jog my memories of my childhood and some pictures... Reading has become my absolute vice... perhaps for this reason. At least we can absorb new information
I fall in love with a guy that leaded me on for year. I found out all his friend were making fun of me. So my selfesteem is so down. I feel so disappointed in myself. all i think about is all the thing that is wrong with me. Like my skin color, my weight. My height. I wish you can make a video that can help me. I will love you forever mr. Bottom. Thank you.
I had an experience like this at a workplace where I thought everyone was like family. Some staff members were spreading false rumours and, worse, a friend I confided in made a fool of me behind my back. I was hypervigilent for a while. I was suspicious of people. It was quite cruel. I was young and gullible. I have learned how to trust again and move on. One of my favourite lyrics of a song, from a few years ago : "Yesterday's a closing door. You don't live there anymore."
The question is not what is wrong with you but what is wrong with them. That guy and his friends have some serious issues. Try to find some decent, sincere people to hang out with.
This was so helpful it helped me understand myself and I showed it to ther people so they can better understand other people with ptsd or cptsd thank you so much❤️
Every day I feel like catastrophe is just out of sight waiting to strike, like a plane might crash through my living room ceiling at any moment. Whatever I'm doing, I've always got this voice in the back of my head saying, "LOOK OUT!!!! LOOK OUT LOOK OUT LOOK OUT!!!!!!!!!!" I've gotten used to it, I even like some things about it - two days ago I might have been hit by a truck, it tore off half a traffic light right where I had been standing to cross the road, but I saw it coming and got out of the way - but my sleep is terrible. I wish I could feel safe in my own home, or sleep like a normal person.
I'm diagnosed schizoaffective and I have this characteristic. I thought snipers in camoflauge were in my debri piles, & thought people were in my attic pointing shotguns at me through each vent. Also auditory hallucinations of mere torment and agony. There's no cure.
My girlfriend knows if I’m sleeping to not come into the room because no matter how quiet you are, I will sense your presence and immediately wake up. She knows it’s my hyper vigilance that does this, she doesn’t know the reason is because my Dad used to come home drunk late at night and beat me while I was sleeping. If you really want to fuck someone up for life, abuse them when they are at their most vulnerable, they’ll never be able to relax for the rest of their life.
I’m so sick and tired of feeling this way. I can never rest, my stomach churns, I feel terrified with no logical danger around. I’m constantly crashing out from simply being alive every day. How will I ever be able to catch a breath and operate on a normal level and be a functioning adult? I feel like I’m drowning in the kiddie pool, knowing damn well I can stand here
I love this, and all your videos. I have a query/thought though. I balk somewhat at the use of the word disease to describe the defensive behaviours that we have learned to protect ourselves from hostile environments. Whilst these defensive behaviours don't serve us, in the most part they are/were logical responses to situations in our pasts that we were unequipped to handle. I think my issue with the word disease is that it suggests something that is separate from ourselves, something that we 'caught', and is therefore something that we aren't responsible for: 'It's not me, it's my disease'. Whilst I know that is comfortable, it doesn't seem to help in the long run, as taking responsibility for these behaviours, and changing them over time is the route to feeling better. I think this boils down to one thing. Instead of asking ourselves 'what is wrong with me?' we can ask 'what has happened to me, that I feel like this?' That seems to be much more compassionate, to self and others. Am I missing something here thought? Would love others/ School of Life's thoughts.
I'm okay with "disease", despite those troubling connotations, because it at least reminds me that the irrational worries are produced by a separate thing going on inside me having nothing to do with my present circumstances. It's not a perfect metaphor, and maybe "condition" would be better, but then we'd lose the power of the "disease" symbol. My own hypervigilance really does seem to operate like a tumor, pumping out irrational levels of urgency, suggesting things like I'm gonna get fired today for a mistake at work (irrational because I am clearly valued at my job and probably have more margin for error than anyone in the building). Any symbol or metaphor for this thing that keeps it in front of me that my dread is irrational really does help me push back against fears and relax to a normal state of alertness and not treat every obstacle as impending doom.
I don’t know who I am outside of who I had to become. I spent my entire childhood in survival mode… so now as an adult who’s trying to break generational cycles, I don’t know who I am. I’ve been using survival tactics since I was 8 years old…. And it became my entire personality. I don’t know who I am, outside of who I had to become.
I have PTSD and one of the symptoms is hypervigilance. The best way I could explain it to people is like when you see a spider in your room and then it disappears and you have no idea where it is, so you have that extremely uneasy feeling and are super jumpy and unable to relax/feel safe. Hypervigilance is like that, but all the time over everything.
Have you seen the recent studies using psychedelics to treat PTSD?
@@hyperspacejester7377 yeah I've microdosed with mushrooms and LSD many times in the past. I microdose when I'm really triggered and locked up in my trigger. It helps me emotionally unlock a little bit so I can take an objective step back and look at my situation from a more rational standpoint.
Good to hear/read... it's disconcerting to see a lot of people suffering unnecessarily just because of the stigma surrounding psychedelics!
Sho Yep! So me! 😥
Hyperspace Jester what about those studies? Are they safe?
I have super high hypervigilance, more than my therapist has really seen in a lot of people. It came from having to grow up in a home where I had to think of everyone else before myself. We were a stressed out family due to one child having mental illness early on, and I became the 'good child' to ease the strain. I became hypervigilant in detecting people's emotions and doing whatever possible to prevent hurt and ensure happiness...to the point that I now feel guilt over resting or needing help because of my physical disabilities. I'm working with a therapist to learn how to actually relax, and it's slowly getting there. It'll take a while to undo a lifetime's worth of trauma.
You got this
I relate to this so much I came from a toxic religion house hold where I was always doing something to ensure no one would get upset yes I have this feeling in my stomach 24/7 like I’m on alert and I don’t know how to relax but I’m getting better I’m in a much healthier household now and I’m forever grateful for my aunt and uncle for helping me
Same
Wow same, to the tea. You're not alone 💖
Thank You for letting us know about how childhood can make us suffer in adulthood - sometimes for the rest of our lives. Fortunately, nowadays it has become much more known to people, that the reason IS childhood conditions for all of us - and that we can do something to stop our suffering, though it takes a lot of time and Hard work....The other side of the coin so to speak, is that it has not become normal like going to the doctors, to go to a psychologist or therapist - because f.ex here in Denmark it STILL cost a lot of money ! Some people in special situations at work.or
traumatic accidents and so on, can get up to 10 hours of
psychotherpy ! And I know from own experience, it is never quite enough ! It is STILL not to easy to talk about these aspects of human life amongst people.
But I am happy for You, that You were able to do something for Yourself.Hoping You are well and present🙏🌻🐦
"We can worry when we need to, not just because we exist"
-School of life
This really touched me .. on a deep personal level
easier said then done
IKR?
🤔
This one thought was a huge revelation for me. It never occurred to me that worry could be a temporary state. Being alive & being afraid all the time seemed like the same thing to me.
The single best way to avoid worrying and stress is very simple. Simply stay away from other people. The single biggest source of stress and worry are other people in your life. Simply delete everyone from your life and you would not believe how little you will worry and how little stress your life will have. I did this in 2000. My life is very stress free and worry free. Yes, there is loneliness but that is a very mild emotion when compared with stress and worry. Also, the emotions humans can inflict upon us can be cripplingly horrible. Loneliness will never cripple you. Loneliness is the lesser of the two evils by far. I have lived socially isolated since 8 August 2000. I have very little stress and worry in my life.
Thanks Dad.
That the true amen
Lol
He does have a relaxing voice.
I thought you were thanking your dad for making you hypervigilant
ianthia that is the silver lining. If one became a detective as a result...
I’m crying. It’s me, all about me and now I have answers. I feel hopeful again. Thank you, thank you.
I was emotionally abused as a child, by one of my parents. The other parent was extremely kind and loving and made me feel safe. I have PTSD and I still get flashbacks. For me hypervigilence is waking up in a panic from a deep sleep because I heard a loud noise outside, and I can't stop shaking. I'm 35 years old and I don't feel safe ever. I feel like something is always going to come along and pull the rug out from under me and tear my life apart. But I'm beginning to have the confidence that whatever comes along I can handle. Goodluck and sleep well.
hope you doing fine these dayz. :)
hi its me
I relate so strongly to this. The feeling that something terrible is about to happen can be crippling. I'm in bed right now sick with fear and nothing has really happened yet.
I’m sorry that happened to you. You didn’t deserve that, and you still don’t deserve to feel like that. I truly hope one day you can be at peace
Hypervigilance gets the best of me. I live alone in my unit, and whenever I hear a strange noise like a scratch or thump, I feel like someone's gonna murder me. another case is when I hear people laughing or talking loudly, I feel like it's about me being up to no good. Also, I have a compulsive habit of checking the outside of my house from the windows, esp. at night to check if there's a terrorist or something. funny, right? but it's true.
Same about the laughing loudly stuff 🤣,
@ John Vincent : no. not funny. it's traumatic experiences in either your recent ordistant past. it is horrendous. many of us live with this if we have bad friends or family.
OH MY GOSH... THIS IS WHAT I DO...THIS IS HYPERVIGILANCE ? I ALSO DO THIS REGARDING MY SON WHEN I CAN'T REACH HIM RIGHT AWAY ‼️ WOW...I LITERALLY CAN NEVER RELAX ASIDE FROM WHEN I READ MY BIBLE AND TALK TO MY LORD JESUS... OTHERWISE IT'S CONSTANT... EVEN GET NERVOUS BEFORE WORK....GOD BLESS YOU 🙏
I have the exact same thing about being murdered or rather a break in happening. I get up atleast 3 times and check downstairs. I can only sleep is I literally just collapse in bed….
This you described is it really "hypervigilance"? I think " paranoia " is the right word for such things.
Please thank the animators that was amazing. It enhanced what was being said beautifully and was so fluid and perpetual. To even come up with a concept to show "worry" visually let alone execute, and for it to look sooo simple. Hats off xxxx
I literally called my fiancé home from work because I thought someone was breaking in our apartment. I’m 19 and i was abused almost my whole life. I just found this video and it made me cry. Thank you so much for making me feel like I’m not alone.
Fiance at 19😅
GOD LOVES YOU ❤️💯🙏HIS NAME IS JESUS CHRIST THE LORD👑
U r not alone bb♡♡♡
I have lived with hypervigilance for the past five years of my life and I can say that it is both a blessing and a curse, a curse in the sense that my exaggerated awareness helps me be more attentive in my professional domain as I tend to grasp upon every detail of my work, but in the destructive sense, I am in constant evaluation of my behavior and speech, the thing which restrains me from being totally natural. I think that hypervigilance as ptsd is one of the worst traumatic repercussions possible because when nothing feels worse than having your own self and nature repressed!
This is what ive felt for a long time. Actually amazed how well i connect to this feeling of being constantly alert of everything im saying. Thank you
It is so incredible. School of Life always manages to put my deepest feelings into words. I didn't know hypervigilancy even existed, but it sounds so much how I feel. Especially the first part. Waking up terrified, spending the whole day in toned down dread and it being so exhausting you wish for all of it to just be... Over. Thank you, School of Life. Finally I at least have a name. And giving the monster a face helps in the first steps of getting better...
Many people joke about this, or misunderstand this as "anxiety". Hypervigilance is a bit more dreadful as it is often linked to certain mental disorders and is only a symptom of something far more complex and hard to understand.
Anxiety is as well
I think I have this
I'm tired of being told "it's just anxiety"
People with panic disorder, ocd, cptsd/ptsd, generalized anxiety disorder tend to suffer from this.
@@Yas.min3000 lm 62 and just anxiety but it wasn’t as simple.you’re made to feel as if you’re imaging how you feel.Always a cause and I hope you are able to be seen by dr and not brushed aside.x
This was so helpful. I'm learning to be kind to myself after a diagnosis of CPTSD from narcissistic abuse. Thank you for this information.
This man who is narrating has no idea how soothing his words wisdom and voice are !!
Great point about our need to forgive ourselves! I think one of the hardest things to do in life is to forgive ourself and to forgive others for what has been done. The thing though is that we must forgive in order to be able to move on with our own lives.
Yes we can forgive ourselves. But I may disagree! Sometimes that there are those who hurt you since childhood that deserve no forgiveness at all. Even at there time of death it's best to express that pain and anger on the many things what this person has done to you. It's like some sort of relief. It's okay to forget but not forgive the one who damaged you.
I think your point is valid and we needn't "forgive" anyone who doesn't deserve it. Yet it's VERY important that we find a way to extinguish the coal we carry in our hearts that burns us fresh daily from the agony of the memory. Letting go of anger doesn't mean forgiveness or forgetting; but it's a crucial part of ending the pain horrible people have left us carrying so long after they themselves have left the scene. It's right to let go of such lingering torment...it's not always easy and we owe ourselves such peace by any therapeutic means necessary.
Josaphat Pineda forgiveness is not the same as condoning what happened. Forgiveness is for your own peace of mind. As long as you carry the anger and suffering you are likelier to project it onto another, just like the original person was acting from a place of suffering. The cycle has to end or the suffering continues, and as long as there is no forgiveness you remain a victim of that person or incident, and give your energy and power over to it. I hope you find healing 🙏🏻
@@SusanHopkinson Doesn't this sound good? Now if only someone could disclose the miraculous means through which one can actually do what is being described... Just imagine how many people would benefit if this magical knowledge would be shared by whoever purportedly holds it...yet I keep getting the old trope that the traumatized hypervigilant person is to blame for his/her failure to magically heal, that they actually enjoy suffering (how cruel can people be?), etc.
@@mandyg9119 I will figure out who wrote that awful comment.
i would love a video about a fear of “growing up.” your target audience is most likely made up of adults, but this would help any teenagers like me. i have intense fears about living a life which i sustain for myself, and giving away my already minimal autonomy in an endless persuit of working until i die.
Hell's yeah
That is an excellent suggestion
Find a purpose in life. Something you really care about, something that makes you feel valued and that you would be happy doing even if you were not paid. Then channel your energy into doing that to the best of your ability. That way your adult life will have meaning.
love it, this speaks to me on a personal level. “we can worry when we need to, not just because we exist”
I had extreme hypervigilance but now it's mild 90% of the time because I've been taking medication. I tried everything from extreme exercise, eatting well sleeping well and nothing worked, but now I'm taking Zoloft. It's melow and I love it.
Being hypervigelant at this time on the planet add society isolating and me being alone constantly. That is a normal stance to take I'm not paranoid I'm cautious. Point: anyone feeling this way don't shame yourself instead managing the potential for danger and attempting to basically fend for yourself with disciplining oneself to at least sleep! Is a worthy goal
After years of PTSD, I ended up on a position where I felt a sense of dread/doom all the time. Going as far as to kill my appreciating for life, making it feel like life is all about surviving with no reward. Luckily, medication made it a lot more bearable and therapy helped. Now, the problem isn't fixed but It's notably improved and I feel genuine hope to get better again.
U got 9 months further in life.
How are u is it fixed?
Because i go true this and tell me what i can expect or should do
I got to my first theraphy session
@@Moesie I've had therapy for about 3-4 years, and this last year when I finally gave in and decided to try the antidepressants they recommended, life has gotten so much easier! It not only helped ease my depression and take away that constant dark cloud of bad feelings, but also really helped make my anxiety so much less!
@@englahimla cpd oil helps with anxiety and panic
But i'd be carefull with antidepressent
If doesnt fix only shots down temporarly ur feelings
Meditation, nature, clean sleep excsrsize diet helps it
Reasing qatching comedy yoga
Cold shoqer coloring books
Plants in ur room
@@Moesie Ah, no, the antidepressants help balance out the chemical imbalance in my brain that was a big part of my depression! I don't think we're speaking of the same type of medicine? But absolutely, healthy lifestyle choices and making your surroundings more healthy is great advice!
@@Moesie thank you so much! Such a natural and possitive way of life.
Something in need to work on. This hypervigilence is exhausting I ever knew I was panicked all the time but now I can least be aware of it. So helpful
I guess at some point I just broke. And from that point on I said, fuck it! Come what may it can't be worse than living in perpetual fear. So I just decided, as an experiment, to just give up the fear. Live the way I want to live and deal with whatever comes as best I can. So far so good. As I said, realizing that nothing is worse than constant, gnawing, soul-sucking anxiety is very freeing!
"just give up the fear." i will try to do this because im so tired and i cant even rest bc of hypervigilance things. just give up fear and anger about my narcissist mom. yes. i hope i can do is
Please help me with this I’m struggling so bad to beat this 😢
I'm tired of living in fear too
@@tylerslynes599
We’re all diff. You may need more time and diff path. Millions on the path w/you all ages and walks of life. Some just hide it. Baby steps can lead to health. Try mediation (under rated), write out feelings and toss paper or delete file, use bedtime stories for grownups on YT (just search) and hypnosis videos (try Michael Sealy) to fall asleep. Even in sleep words/music still work. Set up playlist. Practice being aware of what you feel as you feel it (curious vs judgement or analysis), sit with it for a bit then find way to change the msg to know your safe incl telling yourself ‘in this moment I’m safe’ with all senses to be present now vs the past. Be patient yourself and say ‘hey I did it’ for sml victories. Going back steps just temp. Hope any of this helps. Never give up on you. Peace and health. ✌️
There is freedom in surrender 💜 very brave
great to hear people open up about a VERY prevalent issue that plagues SO MANY PEOPLE..including myself. we hurt together, we get better together.
I just recently developed this and only a week of this makes me just empty and weak now. I barely sleep but this does make me feel a bit better, I just want to start feeling normal again.
Hope ur doing ok ive been dealing with this for 3 years now no help or therapy, and it does get worse everyday, you need to get help and maybe medication, i wish i had that now. My life has done an enitre 180, i was always just confused at my differences from everyone else, untill i met my girlfriend 3 years ago. Ever since ive chose to make sure her and i stay together, but thats been way harder than it should be, i live every moment in fear of loosing her and i probably will lose her and the two kids we have together, i have no faith in finding aid. Ive tried so hard to find someone to care and take it serious but no one does, you have time to make that choice still. I sincerely hope you do.
This was so specific, i'm crying right now... Thank you, i feel loved
Life is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.
This channel is hope.
A comedy? I don't think so...
Fight, flight, freeze. The physiological response to a threat. Hyper-vigilance , the physiological response to anticipating a threat before, during or after an event preparing you to fly, fight or freeze. Trouble is there is no threat so you can’t get past it and wind it down.
I never understood trauma until I lived it.
When do u know a threat is real or not? Do u also have that paranoia?
I like what you said about finding others to share our fears and anxieties with in order to reduce the burden of own own hyper vigilance. Now the only question is who do you trust to share your vulnerabilities with?
Moses Emmet nobody..people use your weaknesses and vulnerabilities against you
someone's been hurt here i see,that's okey,not everyone is like that :) but if you've lived through something like that it's understandable of you to think so
Your cat
Your local memeboi indeed I have. I speak from experience a lot on my channel about how to build healthy long term relationships... so making mistakes isn’t all bad as long as you can learn and grow from em.
Mjnoon 360 I really love cats, but my wife is allergic to em... time to get rid of the wife then?
I'm so happy I learned about the School of Life. I can't tell you all how much your articles and videos have helped me. At times your works have given me insight into states of mind I find so mysterious and confounding. Other times they've provided just the slightest bit of solace on a panicky day. You all do great work. I just wish you had a school in the northeastern US. Bless you
GOOD MORNING!!! I just woke up and now watching this at 4 a.m.
I never understood why I couldn't touch others, especially my parents. This is a big break for me. Thanks a lot
My anxieties are just that. I have bad sleep, I have horrible digestive issues, and I cannot touch others. Wow.
stephlikescats same. I’ve spent years like this
I just got like this because of a co-worker. I'm looking for a different place to work. ~3 hours sleep a night, lost appetite & 7 pounds & everything startles me. I've never experienced this before. I feel like a stranger to my body & mind.
I was 12yrs old and I just transferred to a new school for 8th grade. I was constantly harrassed and humiliated in public because I didn't act like them. They thought I was too proper, a teacher's pet. Come 9th grade, I still held on to feelings of anger towards those that tormented me, I became anti-social, distrusting and rude towards my tormentors and other new people because I thought they were enemies. I wouldn't realize until I was older that a lot of classmates I was rude towards, we're never trying to hurt me. Its been 8yrs since high school, I often feel ashamed that I ruined many potential friendships and I feel ashamed that I held on to 8th grade grudges for so long. When public humilation is burnt into your mind and flares up at various random moments, it can be hard to let it go.
Who ever did the reading for this had a very comforting voice
I've been in this state for almost a year and especially the being awake one at 4 am. It was horrible, i didn't know what to do, at one point I was even afraid to go to bed because I would have a dream about my ex at 4 am and not being able to get back to sleep again. Thankfully the worst is over now and I'm sleeping much better now. And feeling much better about my life.
I want to share my story because when i was in this state i desperately wanted a way to handle it and know if other people were having such problems as well. So if your reading this, know that it can be overcome, that you can live with it even if it is only partly. Keep on going in life even if you don't want to. Go to the gym and lift wheigts, using a sleeping mask during sleeping helped me a lot as well. And if you cant bare it anymore, you can use sleeping pils once in a while to have a good nights rest. And talk with people you can trust! Hang in there!
When you have PTSD, you are always hypervigilant.
You're right. I wish it was easy to unworry. Even after months of therapy, I'll likely worry myself to death.
@@jeanisabelle Use your anger to fight the demon. Anger is power, fear is weakness.
@I'mposs ible actually, it is common.
I'mposs ible Very common. It's the 'fight' aspect of the fight, flight or freeze response
It may be. I wouldn't be surprised. I feel the same way too especially when I'm having extreme anxiety attacks. Have you sought counselling? It's helped me a bit, but I realized I won't be completely "cured" if I don't learn to consistently unworry from the inside. It's been quite the challenge.
Pandemic has had me hypervigilant for nearly a year and it's been exhausting
Oh my goodness... I've never heard anyone explain it. This is the answer i have looked for, for so long. Thank you, again.
Same. 15 therapists and none of them proved as useful as this 5 min video.
"We can worry when we need to, not just to exist"
-the school of life
I've never felt more understood
Wow, I’ve had hyper-vigilance pretty much always up until fairly recently… thank you for this video
"We can learn the skill of being calm, not through special teas and slow breathing," ❤️
Finally, i get it, the state that haunted me for years to this day ,this life jorney for inner peace seems to look more bearable each day
That is totally happening to me when I am watching movies: I keep on waiting for something bad to happen so I can't even enjoy the film itself. It is sooooo annoying! And since I try to watch movies that are not the predictable Hollywood style, it is even harder to relax and enjoy, I am too anxious for something bad to happen.
Anyone else like that out there? :)
Yeah just can't watch Korean psychological thriller with light off
I do that with books. Not movies
I annoy my wife because I always get so over the top pissed off when movies show cops abusing their power, women being sexually exploited, or children being hurt. So I don't know if it's helpful, but you're not the only one.
Interesting. All of those reasons for hypervigilance that you mentioned have happened to me in one way or another. The last one, being institutionalized, was the last straw that actually ended up doing away with my ability to even feel fear for almost twenty years. While some of it finally came back, the anxieties that once plagued me constantly now no longer have any influence on me. I can even get up in front of a crowd of strangers and give a speech off the top of my head, if necessary. If I had any classic anxiety dreams (such as being chased) I came up with solutions during the dream itself and never had it again. I would love to know exactly how I managed to pull plugs on an emotion as primal as fear. As they say, "If you could bottle that, you'd be rich". The important thing is, though, to remember what it's prudent to respect even if you can't feel fear.
Great video. The only small part I didn't like was the idea that we should accept that our anxieties "might knock us out for a month". For a great many people they have no choice but to endure, especially for employment reasons. Many employers wouldn't give an employee the opportunity to be knocked out for a month. And if you lose your job in the UK now, the resultant anxiety from how the Department of Work and Pensions treats you will likely put into perspective any of the worries you had before you became unemployed. In fact being under the regime of the DWP means that hypervigilance would be justified, because the DWP will victimise you.
100% this. This is me to a capital "T" stemming from my childhood experiences & the subsequent trauma that followed. I have essentially been in a "fight or flight" response for decades - literally. The overwhelming emotion is exhaustion/despair/hopelessness in a way & on levels I cannot even describe.
CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!!!! -Mad-Eye Moody
breathing has helped me a lot for coping with panic attacks, but i can still relate very much with the difficulty to relax, sleep or being touch, and this i don't know how to deal with.
Been smoking heavily and did a binge-drinking session the other day. Been smoking weed almost everyday. I just can't handle myself too well. This video is the story of my life.
With a pretty voice and artwork, he is basically saying he doesn't know how to handle it except by talking to someone you trust, remind people if our boundaries and sleep when you can
I can NEVER relax!. When I had anasthetic I felt rescued and so relieved to drift away I didn't want to wake up again and was so depressed that o woke up... that was the most rest I felt
I think this is what I get when I’m around a women I don’t want to lose. I tried to think back to its roots and I think it’s from being broken up with for the first time. Whenever I’m around that trigger it causes me to be hyper vigilant and super aware to where my brain Fogs up and I can’t really think straight because I’m thinking so much about doing the right thing and what my partners thinking and probably not trying to lose them so I can’t just relax around them. Idk which came first but as soon as I felt anxiety strip me of my abilities it made me be fearful of showing that weakness. Which has brought me down mentally but I feel it’s a combination that sucks in a relationship it’s difficult for me to just chill because I’m always in that state. I can’t be myself because I’m not relaxed and it’s like they aren’t seeing the “real” me so I think about what the “real” me would do and it’s like a loss of identity when I get in this state idk just pray for me idk what I have but it sucks and I’m trying to get out of it because I want to connect the best way I can with my son without being like this. We got this being vulnerable is strong
We’re in the exact same boat. Overthinking and always blaming myself in relationships with girls. Please let me know how you’re doing and what is helping, if anything.
The imagery in this installment is great, very beautiful.
thank you making me feel normal
Never a definite answer with the mind. Only consolation, temporary peace similar to an afternoon nap. Would it be so bad? To have something to take responsibility, take blame and be liable for the emotions, feelings, thoughts of death and defeat.
Yes, truly it is comforting to worry less about a self prophesied apocalypse.
Good video. One of the antidotes to hypervigilance is realize you're not a weak child or youth anymore. You're an adult! (Say "I'm not a little kid anymore! I'm an adult!"). And become a capable and competent adult. If you experienced danger or extreme anger, abandonment early in life, that is unfair and not your fault. You should look at it as having to learn a lesson earlier in life than most and see it almost like secret knowledge that you have that most people do not. Suffering is noble. You have seen the darker sides of life. Understand what happened to you and why as completely as you possibly can and then form a plan for how you would deal with it now. Do that, and you'll be much better off. I can promise you that.
"Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but you get nowhere doing it"
So much easier said than done! And of course adults can "escape" bullies - tipically by giving up on something dear/desired. So much for adulthood "power". No wonder the hypervigilance loop keeps getting boosted!
Thank you for understanding...
Having good people around helps at being more confident about all of our insecurities :'1
big thanks to my mom and dad
You guys are the best, I can't describe how good it makes me to watch some of your videos. I am more than grateful always.
My partner pointed out to me that (I know I’m hypervigilant) that maybe I have some type of PTSD. I literally jump out of my skin at the most stupid things… A butterfly taking off in front of me or something falling onto the floor behind me.. I jump out of my skin at the very most ridiculous sounds. I was assaulted from behind in 2014 and unfortunately it has never left me and in fact recently it has increased anxiety yet I’m not an anxious person.
The biggest fear of being wrong when you know deeply that you are right. Having the egoistic feeling that everyone else arent as accurate as you are in term of explaining somethin that you are comprehended with.
I see it all. My guard up forever
Wow so much effort has gone into this. Thank you 😊
I knew this term because teachers are always “on”
Now as a homeless person, I even have to be “on” at night. If I have to use the bathroom, I have to drive somewhere, sometimes multiple times a night. It’s so cool to see the roads completely empty tho. The worst part of day is the evenings when everyone’s headlights are blaring in my eyes. In the past, this has given me severe migraines and still threatens to do so. I even have to tell myself not to be scared when I see a giant truck with lots of headlights. In primal times, that many lights might have warned people of true danger. Now it just warns you of assholes. 🙄
So I tell myself that it’s not a monster and I’m not truly in great danger, and talking myself down really helps. In the past I’ve had to talk myself off a ledge, so that’s why I know this works. It was a good video, but I don’t think it really helped me in any way, besides reminding me that I don’t really have to be awake at 4:30 a.m. and if I am, I can try to back to bed. It might not work, but I can try. 🤷♀️
Moment I was born I was unsafe. I've still not found a safe place. I don't believe safety exists in this world.
The visual representation in the video is pure amazing artwork
One time i was asked if in alright, because i was,holding my arm realky tense in a stress position, i disnt even notice, but every now i am clenched tense or frowning its worrying.
Has anyone found their anxiety of benefit in a situation and what was tge context?
Anyone else also often referred to as calm when actually you've just perfected,nasking your emotions? no doubt this makes it worse if you internalise it and also makes me unabke to show genuine emotions very readily. Although a version of it seeping out in gestures tension and irritability.
Being kind to yourself is very hard!
I’m 34 and I just realized that I have add. Thought loops, anxiety, focus issues, but also something I can’t describe well. I’d be interested in hearing if anyone feels the same- it’s almost like a very intense claustrophobia feeling but in regards to the place I am. I’ve been moving around my entire adult life. I’ll fell fine for a few weeks then I’ll get the claustrophobia anxiety feeling and only feel alright when I’m in transition again. I can’t describe it too well but it’s honestly a worse feeling than any depression or sadness I’ve ever had. Because the feeling is so frantic and pressing like it’s an emergency that I have to leave. My worst fear is being a wanderer for life but I struggle so badly with this. Any insights would be greatly appreciated
Jay you have a lot of "thought energy" that you need to redirect
You can take this advice with a pinch of salt if you want... But get yourself a gym membership
Go and release that energy in a positive way, it WILL change your life, I promise you.
I suffer from complex PTSD. the state of constant hipervigilance is absolutely draining. For me it feels like I'm constantly in the presence of highly aggressive person, who throws sh*t around the room and I can't stop but feel like i'm next and my life is in danger.
I felt so understood by this video, thank you amazing voice fella 💖💖
Flooding my mind with every single subject possible has become a deep fog which surrounds my thoughts; disabling me from anything meanable.
So amazingly captured in the small amount of time. Thank you
God, this helped me feel so much better and understood. Thank you.
This video came in such a good moment for me. Thank you!
Becoming an adult changes nothing. You simply can avoid everything then, and you do. So in fact, it just gets worse, because now you’ve become 100% cognizant of how you’re missing everything always... 😔
God bless you guys......
And also to you
God bless you gays...
This one after having healed really reminds me of my old emotional hole. Thank you
Why as it blocked my memories
I feel like I’m stuck in the present moment with no memories, knowledge or thoughts
Same. Thankfully I have my sister to jog my memories of my childhood and some pictures... Reading has become my absolute vice... perhaps for this reason. At least we can absorb new information
Meditation dramatically helps my mind to be at peace🌷wonderful video
I fall in love with a guy that leaded me on for year. I found out all his friend were making fun of me. So my selfesteem is so down. I feel so disappointed in myself. all i think about is all the thing that is wrong with me. Like my skin color, my weight. My height. I wish you can make a video that can help me. I will love you forever mr. Bottom. Thank you.
Love yourself like u love other accept everything about u ...n fall in love with your self
I had an experience like this at a workplace where I thought everyone was like family.
Some staff members were spreading false rumours and, worse, a friend I confided in made a fool of me behind my back.
I was hypervigilent for a while. I was suspicious of people.
It was quite cruel.
I was young and gullible.
I have learned how to trust again and move on.
One of my favourite lyrics of a song, from a few years ago :
"Yesterday's a closing door.
You don't live there anymore."
The question is not what is wrong with you but what is wrong with them. That guy and his friends have some serious issues. Try to find some decent, sincere people to hang out with.
Just let go, and be free. Realize you are not really in control to begin with, and you can begin to relax.
This was so helpful it helped me understand myself and I showed it to ther people so they can better understand other people with ptsd or cptsd thank you so much❤️
all this did was make me cry more cuz it never gets better
Guys you are phenomenal in simplifying the complex psychological issues!
☝🌟💯👏
It's crazy how hypervigilant I am and how paranoid it made me.. how much panic and stress I had on my shoulders.
Are you better now? If so, how did you get better?
This video a true masterpiece.... ❤
Every day I feel like catastrophe is just out of sight waiting to strike, like a plane might crash through my living room ceiling at any moment. Whatever I'm doing, I've always got this voice in the back of my head saying, "LOOK OUT!!!! LOOK OUT LOOK OUT LOOK OUT!!!!!!!!!!" I've gotten used to it, I even like some things about it - two days ago I might have been hit by a truck, it tore off half a traffic light right where I had been standing to cross the road, but I saw it coming and got out of the way - but my sleep is terrible. I wish I could feel safe in my own home, or sleep like a normal person.
Another great 1. 👏🏻👏🏻💯
Beautiful words that are worth listening to.
I just randomly thought of a problem i may have and searched random things and found this and i think i have this
I'm diagnosed schizoaffective and I have this characteristic. I thought snipers in camoflauge were in my debri piles, & thought people were in my attic pointing shotguns at me through each vent. Also auditory hallucinations of mere torment and agony. There's no cure.
My girlfriend knows if I’m sleeping to not come into the room because no matter how quiet you are, I will sense your presence and immediately wake up. She knows it’s my hyper vigilance that does this, she doesn’t know the reason is because my Dad used to come home drunk late at night and beat me while I was sleeping. If you really want to fuck someone up for life, abuse them when they are at their most vulnerable, they’ll never be able to relax for the rest of their life.
I’m so sick and tired of feeling this way. I can never rest, my stomach churns, I feel terrified with no logical danger around. I’m constantly crashing out from simply being alive every day. How will I ever be able to catch a breath and operate on a normal level and be a functioning adult? I feel like I’m drowning in the kiddie pool, knowing damn well I can stand here
I love this, and all your videos. I have a query/thought though. I balk somewhat at the use of the word disease to describe the defensive behaviours that we have learned to protect ourselves from hostile environments. Whilst these defensive behaviours don't serve us, in the most part they are/were logical responses to situations in our pasts that we were unequipped to handle. I think my issue with the word disease is that it suggests something that is separate from ourselves, something that we 'caught', and is therefore something that we aren't responsible for: 'It's not me, it's my disease'. Whilst I know that is comfortable, it doesn't seem to help in the long run, as taking responsibility for these behaviours, and changing them over time is the route to feeling better. I think this boils down to one thing. Instead of asking ourselves 'what is wrong with me?' we can ask 'what has happened to me, that I feel like this?'
That seems to be much more compassionate, to self and others.
Am I missing something here thought? Would love others/ School of Life's thoughts.
I'm okay with "disease", despite those troubling connotations, because it at least reminds me that the irrational worries are produced by a separate thing going on inside me having nothing to do with my present circumstances.
It's not a perfect metaphor, and maybe "condition" would be better, but then we'd lose the power of the "disease" symbol.
My own hypervigilance really does seem to operate like a tumor, pumping out irrational levels of urgency, suggesting things like I'm gonna get fired today for a mistake at work (irrational because I am clearly valued at my job and probably have more margin for error than anyone in the building).
Any symbol or metaphor for this thing that keeps it in front of me that my dread is irrational really does help me push back against fears and relax to a normal state of alertness and not treat every obstacle as impending doom.
I don’t know who I am outside of who I had to become.
I spent my entire childhood in survival mode… so now as an adult who’s trying to break generational cycles, I don’t know who I am. I’ve been using survival tactics since I was 8 years old…. And it became my entire personality.
I don’t know who I am, outside of who I had to become.
The animation on this channel is always very interesting