Most people don’t understand how all-consuming anxiety can be.”
- Barry McDonagh
In 2021, 43.2% of Ohioans had symptoms of anxiety or depression. These symptoms ranged in severity and how they impacted the person’s ability to function. For some, they might have found that they weren’t able to do anything. Others could accomplish tasks, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t all-consuming and overwhelming. This experience is sometimes referred to as “high-functioning anxiety.”
At SUN Behavioral Health Columbus, we educate people on various conditions and how to find relief. Today, we will discuss high-functioning anxiety.
When referring to someone as having “high-functioning anxiety,” they typically mean the person appears to be functioning and living out their daily lives in a way that doesn’t impact their ability to complete tasks, manage relationships, or keep up with any essential responsibilities. This isn’t an accurate way to describe what is happening. While someone looking in on their life doesn’t see the obvious signs of anxiety, to the person with it, it can feel like a debilitating impact on their quality of life, even if they don’t always show it.
This isn’t to say that someone who does have apparent symptoms of anxiety is lazy or has symptoms that are too severe. Likewise, it doesn’t mean that someone with high-functioning anxiety only experiences mild symptoms or is more put together. Anxiety impacts people in different ways. How it affects one person is no less valid than its effect on someone else. High-functioning anxiety is just one possible experience.
Most likely, you will not know if someone you care about has high-functioning anxiety. The person will not have outward-appearing symptoms around other people. They will complete necessary tasks and responsibilities, maintain and grow relationships, and do other things that others with anxiety might find difficult. For someone with the condition, though, it might just take them a little longer to push through those feelings of anxiety to appear to be functioning.
Symptoms they might be experiencing behind closed doors include:
There are many reasons why someone might have high-functioning anxiety or anxiety in general. For some people, it might be genetic. It is common for people with family members with anxiety disorders to also develop this condition or see their symptoms as normal. Personality traits like shyness or nervousness in unfamiliar situations are also known to increase someone’s risk of having an anxiety disorder.
It can also be caused by exposure to high levels of stress or trauma. Experiences like stress at home or work, bullying, the sudden death of a loved one, relationship concerns or divorce, and even finances can lead to people experiencing high levels of stress. People in caregiving roles, either as their profession or as family members, are also at an increased risk of this. As a result, feelings of anxiety can begin to grow. Additionally, other health conditions can lead to someone having an increased risk of developing anxiety. These can be physical, psychological, or both.
What a typical day for someone with high-functioning anxiety looks like can vary from person to person. It does not impact everyone in the exact same way. However, there might be some similarities. If you find yourself relating to the description below, it might be a sign to look into seeking anxiety treatment.
It takes a lot of work and effort for someone with high-functioning anxiety to maintain that appearance of being put together. With that said, they might not realize what they are doing until it leads to burnout because they will have a constant drive to overachieve and accomplish everything despite the looming feelings of anxiety.
On a typical day, this might include working extra hours, working on specific tasks until they are done to a high level of perfection, or even volunteering at work to do additional assignments despite not having the time to complete them. They might also believe that if they don’t do this, they will have failed in the eyes of the people around them, whether true or not.
At home or in their social lives, they might find that their relationships are strained because they have spent too much time focusing on perfectionism. If their loved ones have expressed criticism or constructive feedback, no matter how small, they will often internalize it and try to overcorrect it. In turn, they might neglect self-care, including sleeping, eating, and exercising, to correct these fears and appear to not impact their lives. This is dangerous in the long run as it might result in physical health concerns and worsening mental health symptoms.
Having high-functioning anxiety does not mean that hope is lost for being able to lessen its intensity or impact on your life. It is possible, with practice, to make high-functioning anxiety more manageable and less stressful. The tips listed below will give someone a sense of functioning healthily.
Maintain self-care: For someone with high-functioning anxiety, this might feel impossible. The person might feel like they must constantly move and accomplish tasks. Stopping for self-care might result in them believing that they have failed. The reality is that the body needs rest. It requires time for sleep, nutrition, exercise, and doing things that allow relaxation and decompression. Creating time for that will provide a higher chance of accomplishing what is needed without the pressure that stress comes with when those needs are not met.
Create a support network: Someone with high-functioning anxiety does not need to do everything on their own, even if their anxiety is telling them that they do. Community, connection, and support are necessary to maintain mental health. Creating a team of people to lean on and possibly delegate tasks to will ease anxiety symptoms and make things more manageable.
Establish healthy boundaries: This is also known as learning the importance of saying “no” or when it is necessary to say “no.” People with high-functioning anxiety might find themselves constantly saying “yes” to everything and then having to work extra hard to make sure everything is done at a high level of perfection. Establishing healthy boundaries and not being afraid to say “no” when necessary is essential in removing some of that stress.
Alongside that, it is also okay to say “no” to yourself when the anxiety is pushing you to take on a task to please other people. If that action is only going to create more stress and anxiety symptoms and not allow you to practice self-care or accomplish your aspirations for life, saying “no” to yourself and following through with that is a great way to establish that healthy boundary and reduce the feelings with time and practice.
Accept criticism without internalizing it: As mentioned above, many people with high-functioning anxiety will internalize criticism and put all of their energy into it. While criticism can help you grow and develop, it doesn’t need to take up all your time. Instead, know that their criticism does not mean you are a bad person or have failed at something. It is just a suggestion on how to improve next time. Life is about development over time, not getting it perfect on the first try.
Practice mindfulness: As with any anxiety condition, not just high-functioning anxiety, practicing mindfulness is a great way to reduce symptoms of stress and fear. One such technique is known as a body scan meditation. This is when you notice each body part, including sensations, thoughts, and emotions. Acknowledge them briefly, but don’t judge or try to fix them. By the end, you will feel calmer and more relaxed.
Practicing the above tips and tricks is not always enough for someone to find healing and management when it comes to an anxiety disorder like high-functioning anxiety. Sometimes, people need extra help, which is perfectly okay. Treatment for anxiety provides people with the necessary tools and techniques that enable them to have a healthier way of living.
At SUN Behavioral Health Columbus, we solve unmet needs for adolescents and adults with anxiety in the Columbus community. Our no-cost care assessments allow potential patients to meet with our team as we work with them and their doctors to develop a treatment plan that best suits their anxiety recovery. To get started today, contact us at 614-706-2786 today.
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