When you suffer from high-functioning anxiety, things aren’t always as they seem.
What is high-functioning anxiety?
If you have high-functioning anxiety, to the outside world, you might seem confident and put-together.
“You appear to be quite successful in life.
However, on the inside, it’s a different story.
Pensak says sufferers of high-functioning anxiety endure debilitating rumination and panic attacks but work overtime to hide visible symptoms.
Difference between anxiety and high-functioning anxiety.
“Anxiety is a ‘normal’ reaction to something we experience as threatening in some way.
Too much, and you feel overwhelmed and incapacitated.”
Therein lies the main difference: People with lower-functioning anxiety usually find it difficult to juggle many responsibilities.
In their day-to-day life, their anxiety is clearly disruptive.
But high-functioning anxiety people respond to the same stressors by exceeding expectations.
They work harder and pack their schedules to push away their inner turmoil.
Being overwhelmed is a preferred emotional state that distracts them from their true feelings.
Potential symptoms of high-functioning anxiety.
Pensak and Deibler list some signs of high-functioning anxiety:
The difference between burnout and high-functioning anxiety.
“It has more overlap with depression rather than anxiety.”
On the other hand, high-functioning symptoms show up differently in the workplace.
Tips for managing high-functioning anxiety.
Here are some tips toease your anxietyand take better care of yourself:
Practice mindfulness.
Accept the overwhelming feelings.
Notice what feelings come up (exhaustion, frustration, overstimulation) and bring them along for the ride.
Maintain self-care with stress management techniques.
Make rest and play essential.
Deibler recommends carving out intentional time for yourself with thoughtful breaks and enjoyable activities.
High-functioning anxiety is fueled by wanting to prove yourself, so move to the opposite reaction by embracing imperfection.
Approach your creativity from a place of pure creation so it doesn’t feel results-driven.
Try cognitive behavioral therapy.
Practice exposure safely.
One punch in of CBT, called exposure therapy, slowly exposes you to your fears.
Avoidance can make your fears seem worse and bigger than they are.
By habituating yourself to the situations that bring you distress, you’ll eventually experience a reduction in anxiety.
Then keep working your way up.
Sitting with the humanness of failure and rejection will help you put less pressure on yourself.
Bottom line.
High-functioning anxiety is hard to spot because being a high-achiever is desirable in today’s productivity-obsessed society.
