What is an Anxiety disorder?
An anxiety disorder is a mental health condition where an individual experiences persistent, excessive worry and fear about everyday situations. Unlike normal stress, anxiety disorders disrupt daily life, causing symptoms like restlessness, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty concentrating. Common types include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and panic disorder.
High-functioning anxiety is not classified as a disorder, although those who suffer from generalized anxiety and social anxiety disorders may display many common symptoms. “High functioning” simply means the person can cope with their anxiety on a day-to-day basis. While the feelings of anxiety may be high, they are not debilitating or outwardly detrimental to their personal, professional, and social lives. However, living with functional anxiety is far from easy and can be detrimental to long-term health.
In this article, we’ll cover what is high functioning anxiety?, the symptoms and signs of high anxiety, and tips on how to manage high-functioning anxiety.Â
High-functioning anxiety is a type of anxiety that manifests as persistent fear or worry but, from an outsider’s perspective, does not inhibit a person’s daily life and overall functioning. Individuals often mask their anxiety with perfectionism and high productivity, though they may struggle with internal restlessness, fear of failure, and constant overthinking [1].
This “condition” can be very isolating, as it is not classified as a disorder. Many individuals remain silent, choosing to internalize their feelings, place the blame on themselves, or believe they should simply “get over it.”Â
While not recognized as a formal disorder, high-functioning anxiety is still damaging to one’s health and overall well-being. However, with the right support, therapy, and anxiety coping skills, it’s possible to manage anxiety and improve your quality of life.
It’s important to recognize high-functioning anxiety symptoms and determine when these concerns cross over the threshold of high-functioning to a more severe generalized anxiety disorder. Here, we will compare the two:Â
The symptoms of high-functioning anxiety present potential physical consequences, like the damage of ulcers to one’s health, but the emotional turmoil that stems from high-functioning anxiety impacts a person’s relationships and overall enjoyment of daily activities. Even if a person is good at hiding their pain or discomfort, prolonged anxiety will hurt one’s well-being, much like any other anxiety disorder.Â
Take note of these two lists: generalized anxiety disorder and high-functioning anxiety share many overlapping symptoms. This similarity exists because anxiety often shows common symptoms across types, but the key difference is in the severity and a person’s ability to keep functioning.Â
People with functional anxiety are generally able to manage daily responsibilities, such as maintaining employment, attending appointments, participating in social activities, and keeping up with personal hygiene and household tasks. In contrast, generalized anxiety disorder can make it harder for individuals to perform these everyday activities consistently due to more intense levels of worry, stress, and fatigue.
In the workplace, high-functioning anxiety can culminate in a relentless quest for perfectionism and an intense commitment to productivity. Individuals with high-functioning anxiety often appear highly capable, detail-oriented, and dependable, but they may not have sustainable work-life boundaries.
They may struggle with fear of failure, excessive control, refusal to delegate tasks, and a tendency to overwhelm themselves with their one high standard. The pressure to always appear capable can make it difficult to ask for help or admit they’re struggling, which leads to burnout, isolation, and resentment. Over time, this constant state of anxiety can wear down a person’s well-being and lead to emotional exhaustion that isn’t necessarily cured by more sleep or vacation time. Without support, high-functioning anxiety while driving success at work can gradually detract from one’s mental and physical health.
In personal life, high-functioning anxiety often creates challenges in relationships and self-care. The cost of personal success in a career can carry over to internal worry and fear revolving around one’s family and friends. Individuals with high anxiety may fear the criticism of others, constantly overthink previous interactions, avoid vulnerability in relationships, and mask their feelings of anxiety to maintain control.
This isolates and creates emotional distance from family and friends. While a person may seem “normal” in social situations, they often leave feeling drained and agitated instead of fulfilled. This cycle of stress and internal pressure ultimately affects personal satisfaction, creating a constant feeling of unease despite appearing outwardly composed.
Similar to most anxiety disorders, high-functioning anxiety can stem from several genetic, environmental, and circumstantial factors. These causes may include:
Additionally, high-functioning anxiety can be exacerbated by societal and cultural pressures to perform well and maintain control, often leading individuals to internalize their stress rather than seek support. This pressure is sometimes called “high-performance anxiety”. Over time, these circumstances can create a cycle of anxiety that feels unmanageable and isolating despite outward appearances.Â
High-functioning anxiety is not diagnosed as it is not a recognized disorder in the DSM5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition). However, most people with an anxiety disorder start with high-functioning anxiety, and then their condition progresses from there. The National Comorbidity Study Replication (NCS-R) reports the following statistics on anxiety disorders among U.S. adults:
These statistics highlight diagnosed anxiety cases, but many individuals do not seek medical consultation for a variety of reasons. This leaves countless cases of high-functioning anxiety unaccounted for. It is no surprise that high-functioning anxiety is highly prevalent among U.S. adults, and when left untreated, it can lead to numerous health concerns and impact many lives negatively.
Many famous people have openly shared their journey with anxiety, anxiety disorders, and panic attacks.Â
After a series of health crises, Selena Gomez started having panic attacks before and after her performances. She attributes her recovery to the “life-changing” dialectic behavioral therapies she went through.Â
Similarly, Emma Stone, said that she has always struggled with nervousness, even as a child. In her adult life, she has managed her anxiety with medication and therapy and believes that just because she has anxiety doesn’t mean it defines her life.Â
Ryan Reynolds also confirmed that anxiety is a part of his everyday life, both in high-functioning ways and in more severe ways. Reynolds shared that his childhood experiences with a “tough father” continue to impact him as an adult and manifest in more anxious thought patterns.Â
Each of these celebrities, like countless others, is viewed as highly successful, balancing thriving careers with healthy personal lives and close relationships. However, all three manage anxiety. Some experience high-functioning anxiety, while others receive treatment for diagnosed anxiety disorders. Their experiences remind us that even those who seem to “have it all together” may still face significant mental health challenges requiring support from their community and professionals.Â
There is a wide range of anxiety disorders that the DSM5 recognizes. Some of those disorders include:
This list is not exhaustive, but it gives an overview of the various types of anxiety that one can be clinically diagnosed with. It’s important to remember that just because you resonate with one of these characteristics does not mean you have the disorder. We all have varying degrees of stress, emotion, and anxious thoughts. But, disorders are signified by their ability to prevent a person from participating in regular daily life.Â
Normal levels of anxiety typically occur as a temporary response to stress or challenging situations. This can be a good emotion that motivates individuals to prepare or respond with urgency. However, high functioning anxiety is a persistent, underlying tension that does not subside even when the distressing circumstance dies down. The person may chronically find themselves in a state of stress and the desire to act with control. This ongoing worry and restlessness, even in non-stressful situations, is an indicator that your anxiety is not normal. Understanding the difference helps in recognizing when anxiety becomes chronic and may need treatment.
High-functioning anxiety, on the positive side, drives individuals to be highly organized, detail-oriented, and motivated to succeed, which can lead to professional and personal accomplishments. However, the downsides include constant overthinking, perfectionism, and an inability to relax or relinquish control, which often leads to burnout and strained relationships. While the productivity boost may be appealing, the internal toll high-functioning anxiety takes can be detrimental and outweigh any substantial benefits.Â
High-functioning anxiety can be effectively managed through various treatment methods.
High Functioning Anxiety Treatment may include:
With the right support and treatment, managing high-functioning anxiety is possible.
Signs of high-functioning anxiety include constant worry, perfectionism, fear of criticism, restlessness, and a strong desire for control.
People with high-functioning anxiety are often known to be “type A”, meaning they are very organized, driven, reluctant to relinquish control, and have very high standards for themselves. But inwardly, they may struggle with constant stress and hyperanalyszing.Â
Tackling high-functioning anxiety requires counseling, therapy (examples: Cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavior therapy), lifestyle adjustments, and coping strategies like mindfulness, meditation, and boundary setting.Â
Managing high anxiety can include seeking professional help, adopting relaxation techniques, establishing a support system, sharing and confiding struggles with loved ones, staying physically active, and developing a balanced routine.
High-functioning anxiety can feel isolating and overwhelming. But recovery is possible, and living a life free of chronic anxiety is possible with the right people in your corner.Â
If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health illness like anxiety or anxiety disorders – treatment is available at Connections. Our 24/7 staff offers personalized and compassionate evidence-based treatments, including:Â
Call our friendly recovery team today at 844-759-0999
 Sources
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