Do you feel nervous, anxious or irritable in a crowd? If so, it could be because you have wide peripheral vision.

When you have wide peripheral vision, you notice movement from an angle that triggers a natural protective response. Wide peripheral vision makes you aware of objects coming up from behind you.

It’s human nature to be alert when you notice something coming up behind you, So when you have wide peripheral vision, although there is no clear definition in what you are seeing peripherally, your senses are constantly informing you of objects coming up behind you and this puts you on the alert. Because you’re in a safe environment such as a supermarket, logically you know that it’s a non-threatening situation but your body feels the stress response anyway. You become anxious and then you feel anxious about feeling anxious.

How to test your peripheral vision

This works best in a wide, open space where there is movement around you – a park is ideal.

1. Stand somewhere and keeping your head still, look straight ahead with your eyes relaxed but still.
2. Notice how far back you can see out of the corner of your eyes. It will be tempting to move your eyes at this point, but don’t because you’ll get a false result – keep your eyes still, looking straight ahead. This is where movement in the background helps because your peripheral vision picks up movement and helps you identify your range.
3. When you’ve identified the furthest thing you can see to your right and left, turn around and notice where these things are in relation to where you are standing.

Most people find that their peripheral vision lets them see up to 180 degrees. In other words, looking straight ahead, they can see objects up to 90 degrees to their right and up to 90 degrees to their left.

Some are amazed to discover that they can actually see further back than 90 degrees. If this is you, your peripheral vision is enabling you to see objects that are behind you! And because of this, you are more likely to have a higher sensitivity in crowded or enclosed environments.

Soothing Your Peripheral Vision Anxiety

Here are some things you can do to make yourself more comfortable and reduce anxiety levels.

• Sit with your back to a wall
• Go shopping during quieter periods
• Use a rear-view mirror on your desk to see people coming up behind you
• In groups & parties, position yourself so you have the widest view of the room
• If you do find yourself in a crowd, look around yourself frequently so you can see who is there. This prevents your peripheral vision from “frightening” you with unexpected movement from behind.

Often, simply understanding that your anxiety is a biological “flight or fight” response can be enough to transform the stress and anxiety. After all, you know what is causing it now… and it’s an ability that not everyone has!