Ali and Rich take you through a breakdown of what hypervigilance is, how it is often experienced and the emotional impact this has. They talk about how the military mindset can impact someone's hypervigilance, the idea of an essential skill that has become an unconscious habit but in civilian life is a plant out of place. They also talk about how to support someone who is experiencing hypervigilance, with Rich sharing some of his own experiences, and the associated anxiety and stress responses that go with this.
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00:00 Introduction
02:29 The symptoms of hyperarousal and hypervigilance
03:00 Hypervigilance – hyperfocused on what is out of place
03:58 Plants in the wrong place, the purpose of hypervigilance
05:00 Hypervigilance as a habit, and the fight against unconscious competence when in a civilian environment
05:49 The encroachment of boundaries and breaching of compartmentalising of military and civilian life
06:36 Escalating anxiety, when the identification of the threat helps alleviate the anxiety
07:45 Threat identification as a system reset
08:20 Other behaviours as a reset, anger outbursts, fights, self isolating
09:20 Self isolating in social settings as a means of managing hypervigilance
09:54 Physical symptoms
10:35 Resetting mechanisms – anger outbursts, fights, vents for these emotions, impact on family relationships and risk of violence
11:44 Vigilance as an evolutionary necessity – the zebras and lions principle
12:29 Impact of the military mindset when no one has your 6.
13:52 How to recognise when someone is starting to experience escalating hypervigilance
15:05 Breathing, scanning for access and egress points, body tension
16:11 Tunnel vision and hearing
16:34 How to help – tips, distractions techniques, changing point of focus
18:46 Pacing and leading with breathing
19:33 Share your triggers and what helps with friends and family
20:50 Importance of being honest and upfront with each other, manage expectations of others and plan options that will support
21:54 Managing the conversation and expectations with children
22:37 High risk behaviours
23:22 High risk behaviours as a vent for escalating feelings- reset and dopamine hit as response
24:36 Anticipatory dread – what is it! Where is it on your timeline
25:58 Panic attacks versus anxiety. Present versus future paced emotions
26:39 Panic attack – clear and present threat in the here and now of imminent harm or hurt
27:23 Challenge of infinite options of the future and the link to anxious overwhelm
28:00 Introduction to next episode on hypoarousal and emotional shut down
28:57 All actions have an original positive intention but this reaction is now out of place
29:49 Summary of the episode – hypervigilance as an essential when on tour but out of place when home, share your experience and ask for help from those around you to manage these experiences. Educate and share with those close to you.
32:30 Outroduction Youtube, Spotify, Amazon Music. We have a Facebook and LinkedIn pages