Coping With My Hypervigilance?

[Raj]

I get extreme anxiety from sirens and from the town EMS/Disaster siren used for fires. In addition since being in an ordinance enforcement role and being threatened by a person with a firearm I literally "take cover" behind a vehicles engine block area when strange vehicles go by and I am outside!

If a car back fires I am shaky all day. I have also had people mess with my front door after previously investigating them for animal cruelty. It is hard to not be hypervigilant and then if I see or hear from a "disowned" family member who abused me I get worse.

Ideas? I have had laser sights come through my windows before and have been fired at once. How do I go out side with out so much fear?

 

[Lucycat]

Therapy!

There are various different techniques. For me EMDR has helped. That and psycho-education. Simply knowing that hypervigilance is the problem has helped stopped me reacting. I still jump, or turn to the trigger, but that is all now that I know what it is. It is over in a second whereas before I knew what was happening I completely over-reacted.

Hypervigilance is very unpleasant, but for me it has lessened big time. I have stopped worrying about it and it has less control over me.

Good luck,
Lucy x

 

[Raj]

Therapy is an elusive goal for me in a very rural area on a fixed income. It is happening "I Think"; but at snails pace.

 

[cherryblossom]

If therapy isn't an option, perhaps you could look at self help options.

[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/ptsd-therapy-one-page-as-simple-as-it-gets.16010/[/DLMURL]
[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/attachments/one-page-ptsd-self-help-pdf.28049/[/DLMURL]

Or perhaps take a look at the book section for self help books. [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/book-reviews[/DLMURL]

Or consider Interapy [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/wiki/interapy/[/DLMURL]

There's lots of options. If I were you, I'd be inclined to try a self help book, as a starting point. Perhaps
[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/book-reviews/healing-from-trauma-a-survivors-guide-to-understanding-your-symptoms-and-reclaiming-your-life.1/[/DLMURL] or
[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/book-reviews/the-ptsd-workbook-simple-effective-techniques-for-overcoming-traumatic-stress-symptoms.67/[/DLMURL]

Wishing you well.

 

[Raj]

Any one have experience/success with this with "Major Depression"? I will try it.