High functioning anxiety is a term that describes individuals who appear successful and composed while struggling with intense feelings of anxiety beneath the surface. Many people with high functioning anxiety excel in their careers and maintain strong social lives, yet they experience constant worry, perfectionism, and self-doubt. In this article, we will explore the signs and causes of high functioning anxiety, helping you identify if you or someone you know might be affected. Understanding this condition is the first step toward effective coping strategies and improved mental well-being.

When it comes to anxiety, I can safely say that I have had my fair share. Though like with all my various mental illnesses, I continue to power through and try to live as normal a life as possible. I don’t know if this is the right thing or the wrong thing to do. Though I am sure that whatever I am doing, is definitely not helping.

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The Signs

Here are some of the ways I’ve found to identify if you, or someone you love, may be struggling with High Functioning Anxiety:

Frequently worrying about various aspects of life, often leading to analysis paralysis.

This one is a contender for the crux of my existence. There is not a single situation that has or has yet to occur that I don’t find myself thinking about. How could I have done that differently, what would I do in this situation that has not happened, is unlikely to happen, but might still happen. There are things in my life from decades ago that I still overanalyze to this day.

Setting excessively high standards and feeling dissatisfied with anything less.

This is a common sign of OCD as well, but the main difference is that OCD needs perfect, anxiety wants perfect and won’t let you rest if it doesn’t get it. It might be difficult to tell the difference, but in my experience with anxiety, I don’t have to achieve perfect, but I will be thinking about why I couldn’t for months.

Difficulty relaxing or sitting still, often feeling a constant need to be productive.

This one seems to always come with another symptom, never by itself for me at least. The constant overthinking and want for perfection will usually drive me to feel like I need to be doing something, fixing a past mistake, or working to prevent a future problem.

Steering clear of social or challenging situations, despite appearing calm on the surface.

I have been told that I have a great poker face, not by poker players of course, but by my therapists. I can say the most outlandish things, or the most obvious plea for help with a total straight face. Not to mention I tend to avoid friends and family whenever possible because who wants to be around me, not even I want to be around me.

Experiencing tension, headaches, or gastrointestinal issues without a clear medical cause.

For me, the tension causes me to clench and grind my teeth, I get headaches because of this. I also notice I begin to shiver like I’m cold when I get very anxious, not because I am cold, but my muscles are constantly contracting, almost to prevent me from doing the anxiety causing action.

Becoming easily frustrated or overwhelmed, even by small tasks.

I’ve worked on this pretty heavily for the past few years. When I would get angry over something small, or overwhelmed by a relatively simple task, I would have to recognize this and apologize to the other person, step back and take a breath. It’s not them or the task I am angry at, at least not to the extent that I got.

A strong desire to meet others’ expectations at the expense of one’s own needs.

This is quite easily the central symptom of my anxiety. I will go out of my way to help, impress, or avoid upsetting people. I tell myself that it is “just in case” I ever need a favor from them in the future, that if they view me more positively, I will be less likely to be rejected. Strangers, coworkers, friends and family, it makes no difference, I must stay on everyone’s good side, no matter the cost

Taking on too much responsibility to avoid disappointing others.

This can easily be wrapped into the people pleasing aspect if you experience that as well. Having trouble saying no to others can stem from a lot of things, as well as trouble saying no to yourself. Regardless, there is some innate fear of saying no that your anxiety will not let you acknowledge nor ignore.

Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep due to racing thoughts.

If you’re like me, you may find yourself lying in bed, wired, thinking about that awfully stupid thing you did that one time. How no one ever forgot and the sight of you royally screwing everything up is seared eternally in everyone’s mind and therefore history forever. Next thing you know, your alarm is going off, the sun is up, and you are mentally drained before the day even begins.

A sense of being an imposter, doubting one’s accomplishments and fearing exposure.

I often get this feeling with regards to my intelligence, importance to others, and my empathy. Am I really a nice person, or am I just people pleasing? Do people care about me for me, or because they see me as unstable and don’t want to be the last straw pushing me over the edge? Am I just pretending to be smarter than I am in the hopes of impressing someone somewhere sometime, or am I lazy, or am I actually smart?

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Recognizing these signs can help in managing high functioning anxiety effectively. It took me a very long time to realize that I also suffered from anxiety. I always just thought that it was normal for people to feel this way. It can be extremely difficult to figure out if you or someone you love has an anxiety disorder, which is why it is best left to professional therapists and doctors to do this. I didn’t know back then, but seeing a professional does not automatically mean you’ll be put on medications either, if that’s something you’re worried about. However, you must either be an adult, or have an adult decide to stay medication free, and of course with involuntary inpatient programs, you have no choice. So, it is best to seek help before you need it, prevention is the best remedy in these kinds of cases. Also, if you want to be on medications for an ongoing mental illness, or perhaps explore the options, make sure to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist, or a therapist who can also prescribe medications under a psychiatrist. It is never wrong to reach out for help, no matter how much your illnesses scream it is.

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The Causes

• Genetics: A family history of anxiety disorders, or mental illness in general can increase the likelihood of developing anxiety yourself.
• Life Events: Stressful life events, such as trauma, loss, or significant life changes can trigger anxiety.
• Personality Traits: Certain traits, like perfectionism or high sensitivity, can predispose individuals to anxiety.
• Lifestyle Factors: Poor diet, lack of exercise, substance use, and insufficient sleep may worsen anxiety symptoms.
• High Expectations: Pressure to succeed academically or professionally can lead to anxiety, especially when individuals feel they must constantly perform at a high level.
• Comparisons to Others: Exposure to significant amounts of social media and/or constant comparison to others can increase or create feelings of inadequacy and anxiety
• Fear of Failure: A Strong fear of making mistakes can lead to excessive worry about performance and outcomes

Not an end all be all list of causes of anxiety, and you may have even noticed how the signs and causes seemingly overlap a few times. That of course is no mistake, many of the causes of anxiety disorders can manifest themselves as symptoms as well, constantly feeding into itself in a never-ending cycle. This can make anxiety disorders rather difficult to deal with on your own, and even with the help of loved ones and/or professionals. So, it is not something to be taken lightly or dismissed as “just being scared” or “thinking too much”. This is a very real, and very harmful illness that can and will disrupt as much of your life as it can, even if you are not the primary sufferer. Please, take care of yourself, and make sure not to disregard your loved one’s worries.