Is hyperawareness a part of anxiety?

[TaleOn11]

I ask because it seems like my anxiety makes me super aware of things, like how I feel, my body sensations and what not. I wonder if its normal for anxiety to cause and, if there's a way to treat it. Thanks.

[BlueIris]

It's absolutely a part of anxiety, yes, and the best way to treat it is simply to accept it as not a big deal.

[Pamplemousse]

I ask because it seems like my anxiety makes me super aware of things, like how I feel, my body sensations and what not. I wonder if its normal for anxiety to cause and, if there's a way to treat it. Thanks.

Hypervigilance.

Absolutely, positively 100% caused by anxiety. Even got mentioned in a MH session I was having with a counsellor today.

I am only now starting to learn that most useful of tactics: "this is my anxiety causing this 'and I diskard it'* "

*with apologies to Geoffrey Willans.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Yes, and the more anxious you are the more you will notice things.

You might find it impossible to apply CBT-style techniques or acceptance dependant on just how strong your anxiety is. That's because your body is flooded with chemicals aimed at keeping you on high alert. It's how right or flight is designed to work.

So, aside from trying to address it directly you can do so indirectly by aiming to reduce what is underpinning it: chemicals. This is why we can feel the benefits of physical exercise which takes those chemicals and either helps with flushing them out or to metabolize them into another the body needs.

Intrusive thoughts are well known to suffer this relationship. Lots of anxiety = more frequent and more intense. You struggle to do anything to help get past them. Bring those underlying anxiety levels down and they reduce with it.

So, if you are under stress at work, at home, have relationship problems or experience something traumatic you will find this all intensifies. Deal with those causes and the rest follow to cause a marked reduction.

[TaleOn11]

Thanks everybody for replying. Especially you Terry! Its good to know that its all just chemicals and that I can hopefully flush them out and get rid of some of this anxiety thats been plaguing me since this dreadful pandemic started.

[LittleLionMan]

Yes, and the more anxious you are the more you will notice things.

You might find it impossible to apply CBT-style techniques or acceptance dependant on just how strong your anxiety is. That's because your body is flooded with chemicals aimed at keeping you on high alert. It's how right or flight is designed to work.

So, aside from trying to address it directly you can do so indirectly by aiming to reduce what is underpinning it: chemicals. This is why we can feel the benefits of physical exercise which takes those chemicals and either helps with flushing them out or to metabolize them into another the body needs.

Intrusive thoughts are well known to suffer this relationship. Lots of anxiety = more frequent and more intense. You struggle to do anything to help get past them. Bring those underlying anxiety levels down and they reduce with it.

So, if you are under stress at work, at home, have relationship problems or experience something traumatic you will find this all intensifies. Deal with those causes and the rest follow to cause a marked reduction.
Thanks for sharing that, Terry.