Dysautonomia is when the autonomic nervous system (ANS) fails to work correctly, causing problems with unconscious regulation of multiple body systems and functions. Many doctors are familiar with forms of dysautonomia in which the ANS is underactive, but the opposite problem can also occur: the ANS can be overactive. This type of ANS dysfunction is rarely even recognized by doctors, because it has never acquired the official status of a specific disease.

A person suffering from overactive dysautonomia may have overactivity of the sympathetic branch of the ANS, causing symptoms such as hypervigilance, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, tachycardia, muscle spasms and pain, irritable bowel, and excessive vasoconstriction and oxygen deprivation anywhere in the body. Other times, the parasympathetic branch of the ANS may be overactive, causing fatigue, weakness, orthostatic hypotension, lightheadedness and dizziness, etc. A person may alternate back and forth between these two states, as the ANS constantly overreacts and struggles to maintain homeostasis. Often, people with this disease have a very difficult time dealing with stress, and normal stimuli of daily life (lights, noises, smells, temperature changes, work demands, emotional conflicts) affect them in exaggerated ways.

People who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), atypical migraine, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), various mood disorders, or have been unable to find a diagnosis because they have "too many symptoms," may in fact be suffering from overactive dysautonomia. For those who suspect this is the root cause of their health problems, this group is to share experiences and ideas, give each other support, and help promote awareness and research into this disabling neurological condition that has not yet gained recognition in the medical community. Doctors and researchers are welcome.