What is High-Functioning Anxiety?

From TV shows, movies, and social media today, we all have a fairly good sense of what anxiety might be.

So now what the heck is “high-functioning” anxiety?

High-functioning anxiety is a type of anxiety that is not easily noticeable from an outside perspective. People who experience high-functioning anxiety may appear to others as super successful and composed – like they’ve got it all together.

But on the inside, they are often struggling with intense feelings of anxiety and stress.

Those with high-functioning anxiety tend to be overachievers who push themselves to their limits (and sometimes beyond their limits) to succeed in all areas of their lives.

They’re likely successful in their careers, have a busy social life, and maintain a high level of physical fitness.

Beneath the surface, they often experience intense feelings of anxiety, fear, and self-doubt.

Symptoms of High-Functioning Anxiety

These can be really difficult to detect from the outside AND the inside, as individuals with high-functioning anxiety often do not exhibit “typical” signs of anxiety (e.g., panic attacks, avoidance behavior).

Some common symptoms of high-functioning anxiety too keep an eye on include:

• Perfectionism: what feels like an obsession with things being perfect; like everything you do needs to be flawless or it might as well be worthless
• Overthinking: you might spend a lot of time ruminating on various thoughts and worrying about the future, trying to plan for the worst case scenario and how to exert as much control as possible to avoid bad things happening
• Procrastination: you may feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities, which then looks like being unable to prioritize and actually accomplish some tasks
• Self-doubt: you might doubt your abilities, even if you are successful in your career or personal life
• Physical symptoms: you likely have “unexplained” headaches, muscle tension, or stomach problems due to the constant stress and tension you experience

How High-Functioning Anxiety is Related to Being a High Achiever

People with high-functioning anxiety tend to push themselves to succeed in all areas of their lives, so therefore they tend to be high achievers.

High achievers are often motivated by a fear of failure and a desire to succeed, which inadvertently can lead to intense feelings of stress and anxiety.

Further, high achievers often feel like they need to be constantly productive and have difficulty sitting still, which can exacerbate their anxiety symptoms.

The pressure to succeed can make it feel impossible for high achievers to take breaks and rest, which is a dangerous path to burnout and an increase in anxiety symptoms.

People who have high-functioning anxiety also tend to struggle with imposter syndrome, a condition where individuals feel like they are not deserving of their success and are afraid of being exposed as frauds.

Imposter system creates a fear that can lead to a constant drive to “prove oneself,” only further exacerbating anxiety symptoms.

Ways to Manage High-Functioning Anxiety

If you experience high-functioning anxiety, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed and stressed on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are ways to manage this type of anxiety and feel more in control of your thoughts, emotions, and actions.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a great tool for managing high functioning anxiety. When we practice mindfulness, we learn to observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment, which can help us identify when we are feeling anxious or stressed. Mindfulness can help us develop greater self-awareness and learn to accept our thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in and acting upon them.

One way to practice mindfulness is through meditation. Meditation involves focusing your attention on your breath or a specific object, and observing your thoughts as they come and go. Regular meditation practice can help reduce stress, improve focus, and increase feelings of calm and relaxation.

If meditation is not for you, other mindfulness activities include sitting outside in the sun and watching clouds go by, baking your favorite dessert, cooking a multi-step recipe, petting your pet and using all your senses while you pet them.

Practice Self-Care

Self-care is key for managing high functioning anxiety. Self-care involves taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. This includes things like getting enough sleep (what your body needs to feel rested), eating a healthy diet (which doesn’t necessarily mean excluding “bad” foods), engaging in regular exercise (whatever movement you most find pleasurable), and spending time with loved ones (friends, family, or chosen family).

It’s important to make self-care a priority in your life as it helps you recharge your batteries and feel more energized and focused. You may find it helpful to schedule self-care activities into your daily routine to make sure you have time for them.

Identify Your Triggers

Identifying your triggers is an important part of managing high functioning anxiety. Triggers are situations, people, or things that cause you to feel anxious or stressed. Once you identify your triggers, you can take steps to avoid them or develop coping strategies to help you cope ahead and better manage them when you’re in the moment.

For example, if you know that public speaking triggers your anxiety, you may find it helpful to practice your speech ahead of time, or to use relaxation techniques like deep breathing or visualization to help you manage your anxiety in the moment.

Challenge Your Negative Thoughts

High functioning anxiety, unfortunately, often also involves negative self-talk and a tendency to focus on the worst-case scenario. To manage your anxiety, it’s important to question these negative thoughts, rather than accepting them as reality, and replace them with more positive, realistic, or even neutral ones.

One way to challenge negative thoughts is to ask yourself if they are really true. Often, our negative thoughts are based on assumptions or beliefs that are not based in reality (e.g., based on the worst case scenario, based on the one time you got negative feedback instead of the 50 times you received positive feedback). By questioning these thoughts, we can begin to see them for what they are and develop more positive and realistic thoughts.

Seek Support

Managing high functioning anxiety can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. Seeking support from a therapist, counselor, or trusted friend or family member can be incredibly helpful. Within the therapy context, you can learn tools and techniques to manage your anxiety and develop a personalized plan for managing your symptoms.

Takeaways

Managing high-functioning anxiety is possible with the right strategies and support. By practicing mindfulness, engaging in self-care, identifying your triggers, challenging negative thoughts, and seeking support, you can finally take control of your anxiety and live a life that feels more peaceful and fulfilling.

Remember, you are not alone, and there is help available to you.