hypervigilance

[hahy-per-vij-uh-luhns]

noun

1. the state or quality of being extremely alert or watchful.

   The patient outwardly exhibits classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, including hypervigilance, anxiety, facial tics, and extreme paranoia.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hypervigilance¹

hyper- ( def. ) + vigilance ( def. )

Example Sentences

Hypervigilance is the name of the game when you have a reactive dog.

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He liked that better, but the hypervigilance of a prison environment wore on him.

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As I wrote in Strongmen, every authoritarian state seeks to create states of hypervigilance and fear among the public, so that people will self-censor, and comply with whatever the leader asks them to do.

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Medication also ameliorated the physical symptoms of anxiety and hypervigilance.

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“If I smell a firepit or woodstove or chimney that I don’t know where it is coming from, I get concerned and start thinking about what I need to do if I need to evacuate. As long as it is dry, windy, or any kind of fire weather, these feelings are now a persistent part of my mental state. I go into a hypervigilance mode that I never experienced before.”

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