Signs of High-Functioning Anxiety and How to Manage It
The Hidden Struggle Behind High Functioning Anxiety
In today's world, numerous factors contribute to our experience with high functioning anxiety. The relentless focus on achievement, unrealistic standards of success, and the constant culture of comparison can create a restless mind that's difficult to quiet. On top of this, many of us feel pressured to maintain an appearance of "having it all together" while juggling multiple responsibilities, often with minimal support.
If you find yourself nodding along—if you recognize that feeling of being caught on an endless hamster wheel of worry and tension—please know you're not alone. Taking a closer look at these patterns might be the first step toward finding relief and creating more space for genuine well-being in your life.
Identifying the 5 Hidden Signs of Anxiety
High-functioning anxiety can be difficult to identify, especially for those closest to you. It's a subset of generalized anxiety that often goes unnoticed because many people skillfully mask their symptoms while continuing with their daily lives.
Awareness can be an important first step toward managing it, which for many can be challenging given their continued ability to function day-to-day. Below are some signs that you or someone you care about might be caught in a high-functioning anxiety cycle:
Rumination and overthinking - Finding yourself caught in loops of persistent worry about past events or future possibilities, making it difficult to be present. This often surfaces when your head hits the pillow at night, or during mundane tasks like cooking or cleaning.
Perfectionism - Setting unrealistically high standards and feeling distress when those standards aren't met, while still maintaining an outward appearance of composure. Perfectionism can be deceptive as it's often rewarded by others. Praise for effort, time spent on tasks, and accomplishments can fuel the desire for even higher standards.
Procrastination - Despite appearing organized and productive, frequently delaying important tasks due to fear of not performing perfectly. This manifests differently for different people. You might push tasks to the last minute, then spend all night obsessing over every detail, or delay until the deadline leaves no time for your best work.
Physiological manifestations - Physical symptoms are common with high-functioning anxiety. Sometimes these are the red flags that finally get people's attention or alert them to deeper anxious patterns. Tension headaches, digestive issues, disrupted sleep, or muscle tightness even when mentally "pushing through" are common signs.
Difficulty relaxing - If you find it challenging to truly unwind or feel guilty when taking necessary breaks, often mistaking busyness for productivity, you might be struggling with pervasive anxiety. This belief pattern is incredibly common among people who struggle with hidden anxiety.
Recognizing these patterns in yourself or others is the first compassionate step toward addressing the underlying anxiety and finding healthier ways to navigate daily life.
Understanding the Root Cause and How to Manage It with EFIT Therapy
The next step is understanding the roots of anxiety you experience. There are often deep beliefs and core wounds associated with the parts of us that constantly push to meet high standards. Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) offers an invaluable framework for understanding the protective nature of this anxiety and what truly lies beneath it.
EFIT is a therapeutic model that helps individuals understand the cycles and patterns that exist within themselves and between others, patterns that prevent deeper connection with vulnerable parts of the self. For those with high-functioning anxiety, these cycles typically manifest through the symptoms mentioned earlier: overworking, perfectionism, overthinking, and similar behaviors.
EFIT will help you identify when these behaviors begin, what beliefs drive them, and what fears and vulnerabilities hide behind these actions. Common core beliefs related to high-functioning anxiety often include:
"I am not good enough if I don't succeed."
"I am not lovable if I cannot meet these standards."
"What is my worth if I am not successful?"
"If I fail at this or make a mistake, what good am I?"
These beliefs often bubble beneath both unconscious and sometimes conscious thoughts and behaviors. Naturally, these thoughts feel frightening and unsettling, which is why we develop these coping mechanisms to self-soothe.
EFIT helps you begin to manage these symptoms by processing these emotions, understanding their root causes, and learning to sit with and tolerate the discomfort that might arise when you choose different behaviors—like starting a task early instead of procrastinating, or sitting with the fear of failure rather than ruminating endlessly. If this sounds daunting to you, we are here to support you!
Take the First Step Toward Calm Today
Our team of therapists specializes in Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy, with several members specifically focused on working with high-achieving individuals struggling with perfectionism. We understand that reaching out for support can be particularly challenging when these are the very issues you're facing.
If you're interested in learning more about how individual therapy for anxiety works at our practice, a member of our intake team would be happy to answer any questions you have during a free consultation.
