What You Need to Know About Hyperstimulation Anxiety

Health Line

18 hours ago

Hyperstimulation anxiety is not an actual diagnosis, but feeling overwhelmed by things happening around you could lead to or worsen existing anxiety. Anxiety management strategies, such as talk therapy, could ease symptoms and help you feel in control.
Feeling hyperstimulated or overstimulated by daily life or specific events could lead to anxiety. Overstimulation can lead to chronic stress or burnout, both of which could then cause anxiety.
What is hyperstimulation anxiety?
Hyperstimulation anxiety is not a formally recognised mental health condition. However, some people may also be more sensitive to stressors or outside stimuli.
They might get hyperstimulated more easily by certain activities or events. In fact, increased sensitivity to sensory input may make people more likely to experience anxiety.
In this 2019 study, researchers examined whether sensorial sensitivity may predict the development of anxiety in children. They assessed nine different sensorial experiences and the children's responses to them. These sensory inputs included:
physical contact with other people
contact with fabrics, clothes tags
contact with food textures
reaction to bright or harsh lights
loud or high-pitched noises
smells
tastes
sensations of motion
any other sensory experiences
They also looked at other behaviors such as:
sleep difficulties
gastrointestinal issues
food sensitivities
irritability
The researchers concluded that over-sensitivity to sensorial experiences during the preschool period predicted the development of anxiety in school-age children. It's important to note that sensorial over-sensitivity is common among children at that age and is not necessarily a sign they'll develop an anxiety disorder.
Still, over-sensitivity to these sensory inputs may be a risk factor for the development of anxiety. More research is necessary to confirm these findings, and the researchers are quick to acknowledge certain limitations of the study, underscoring the need for additional trials.
What are the symptoms of hyperstimulation anxiety?
Symptoms of anxiety can differ from person to person. You might find that you're experiencing all or only a few of these effects of anxiety. Some common frustrations you might experience due to anxiety or hyperstimulation include:
nervousness
inability to relax or wind down
contact worries about the future or impending tasks
inability to fall asleep or fall back asleep
difficulty concentrating
fear of the worst happening
intrusive traumatic memories
obsessive thoughts
These can be accompanied by physical symptoms too, including:
fast heart rate
lighheadedness
headaches
chest pains
loss of appetite
sweatiness
breathlessness
shaking
gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea
These symptoms, both physical and mental, can really affect your quality of life. You might find it difficult to enjoy your downtown time if you're constantly analysing situations or feel overwhelmed by everything that's happening around you.
Feeling hyperstimulated by your environment or any other events occurring in your vicinity might also make you want to avoid places or people. This can affect how you engage with your friends or loved ones.
Real People; Real Insights
'I have been told before that I'm oversensitive to things happening in my environment, but I just brushed it off. What's that even supposed to mean? Still, I would overwork myself, then startle at the sound of my notifications, or dread planned phone calls.
I would avoid my friends or family because I felt that socializing was overstimulating. The barking of my neighbor's dog would send me into a frenzy.
I didn't know I was experiencing burnout, and then it hit me like a lightning bolt. Talking therapy and taking breaks when I needed them healed something in me. It's okay to ask for help.'
Simina, 26, anxiety disorder
Is it hyperstimulation anxiety or something else?
Hyperstimulation and sensitivity to outside stimuli can also happen due to other conditions, such as autism disorder (ASL) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. (ADHD).
People with these conditions might feel overwhelmed by outside stimuli in their environment, such as bright lights or loud conversations. This could make them anxious about leaving or entering certain spaces or about interacting with certain people.
It's important to reach out to a mental health professional if you think your anxiety or hyperstimulation might occur due to other conditions. A therapist could assess your symptoms and provide a diagnosis as well as targeted support and treatment.
Hyperstimulation, anxiety, and the stress response
The body's stress response to a perceived threat is called the fight-or-flight response. A few chemical reactions tend to happen in the body when it reacts to what it perceives to be threatening.
The adrenal glands, two pea-shaped organs found above your kidneys, release cortisol and adrenaline to keep you alert and prepared for swift action if necessary. These hormones also manage other important functions in your body, like heart rate or blood pressure, which also change and adapt during a fight-or-flight response.
Your body going into fight or flight on a regular basis might lead to chronically elevated cortisol levels. This, in turn, might make you feel overwhelmed and possibly hyperstimulated by typical life situations that aren't actually life threatening.
How can you cope with hyperstimulation anxiety?
If you experience hyperstimulation anxiety, it might be useful to take time for yourself and try out some anxiety management strategies, such as attending support groups or practicing meditation or mindfulness.
A mental health professional, such as a therapist or psychologist, could help come up with an action plan to treat the condition. Treatment for anxiety should be individualized to your needs and expected outcomes.
It can typically involve psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or medications such as SSRIs or benzodiazepines.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about hyperstimulation and anxiety.
What is hyperstimulation in anxiety?
Chronic stress might lead to hyperstimulation. Experiencing chronic stress can cause or worsen anxiety. It's important to reach out to a professional if you feel overwhelmed.
Chronic stress might lead to hyperstimulation. Experiencing chronic stress can cause or worsen anxiety. It's important to reach out to a professional if you feel overwhelmed.
Is feeling overstimulated a symptom of anxiety?
Yes, feeling overstimulated can be a symptom of anxiety. Sensations and noises that wouldn't typically affect you could be worsened by the physical symptoms of anxiety.
For example, anxiety can make you feel more on edge, which can make you easily startled by loud noises.
Yes, feeling overstimulated can be a symptom of anxiety. Sensations and noises that wouldn't typically affect you could be worsened by the physical symptoms of anxiety.
For example, anxiety can make you feel more on edge, which can make you easily startled by loud noises.
What is the 3-3-3 rule of anxiety?
The 3-3-3 rule involves naming three objects that surround you, identifying three things that you can smell, and touching three different things close to you.
This technique can help you feel more grounded in your present reality and help ease obsessive thoughts. It could be particularly useful if you're experiencing panic attacks.
The 3-3-3 rule involves naming three objects that surround you, identifying three things that you can smell, and touching three different things close to you.
This technique can help you feel more grounded in your present reality and help ease obsessive thoughts. It could be particularly useful if you're experiencing panic attacks.
Takeaway
Experiencing anxiety due to hyperstimulation can be overwhelming. You may feel unable to cope with daily life and the challenges that come with it.
However, support is available, and many resources and techniques can help you overcome this.