Are you constantly busy? Do you juggle hundreds of tasks in a typical day? Are you high achieving, ambitious and perfectionistic? Would you describe yourself as super Type A personality? Are you a workaholic? An over-doer? At the same time, do you experience excessive and uncontrollable worry about past, current or future events or minor matters?
Although high-functioning anxiety is not an official medical diagnosis as it relates to anxiety disorders, many people identify with the phrase. High-functioning anxiety is often associated with people who do fairly well in their jobs and relationships with family and friends. They continue to excel in day-to-day tasks, despite having significant anxiety. Someone with high-functioning anxiety might experience symptoms of extreme worry, racing thoughts, and loss of sleep, yet still manage to get through life successfully.
If you’re getting a lot accomplished and still holding it all together, then what’s the problem?
It’s easy to assume that this kind of anxiety isn’t a reason for concern. Being “productive” and moving forward are not always the same. Although someone with high-functioning anxiety can appear to be together and in control, underneath this confident exterior is a fight to make it through each day. They give the impression they’re together and poised on the outside, while constantly struggling and battling themselves on the inside.
Oftentimes, doers and high achievers have limited insight into how their successful attributes can put them at risk. They simple don’t know any better and it’s all they know. Things get done, but the pace is impossible to sustain. In addition, the need for help and support goes unnoticed by family and friends. They appear to have it all together.
Keeping up this pace while you are at war with yourself is draining. Putting all your energy into hiding this part of yourself from the world is exhausting. There comes a point when you just can’t do it anymore.
High functioning anxiety, like many anxiety disorders, is highly treatable with therapy. Even a very small amount of anxiety can keep us from doing what we love and from being ourselves, unless we know what to do with it.
Treating the feelings of anxiety with therapy helps you live a more meaningful and satisfying life even though you don’t necessarily meet criteria for an official anxiety disorder diagnosis.
So how do you stop? By starting.
I’d be honored to help you to start.
Carrie
