Signs and Treatment Method for High Functioning Anxiety

As individuals, we strive to be the best in almost all aspects of our lives, including work, relationships, and personal development. We also exist in a culture of hustle and grind, winning and achievement. Therefore, it is hard to rest and take care of ourselves because then we are not winning; we are not achieving. It is the condition or state called high functioning anxiety.

Positive attributes such as perfectionism, high achievement, and productivity make for good virtues. However, these are the very symptoms of functional anxiety that harm our health and well-being if not addressed. Here in this guide, we’ll discuss the signs, causes, and high-functioning anxiety treatment for high functioning anxiety. Read this interesting information till the end and collect valuable insights!

What Is High Functioning Anxiety?

High-functioning anxiety isn’t an official mental health diagnosis – you won’t find it in the textbooks. Most people with these symptoms get diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). According to recent research, high functioning anxiety in men is likely less than in women. However, the term functioning anxiety has found its way into our mental health lexicon. It’s those who, despite the anxiety they’re feeling inside, can function (sometimes to an impressive degree) professionally and personally.

It might seem like someone with high performance anxiety is taking life in their stride, but they’re often dealing with a lot of stress and worry beneath the surface. For some, high productivity or perfectionism might be driven by anxiety rather than drive or ambition. It makes high functioning anxiety all the more difficult to spot, even by those who experience it themselves.

What Causes High Functioning Anxiety?

You might think: what causes high strung personality? There are a few factors that may cause the high personality, including:

1. Genetics

Anxiety disorders are hereditary, meaning that they can be passed from one generation to the other in a family. It is possible to be born with a tendency to easily become emotional or to have a tendency to overthink. This biological factor may perhaps act as an unmodifiable predisposing factor to increase immigration to anxiety.

2. Personality Traits

Individuals with perfectionism or a compulsive desire for control tend to develop high-functioning anxiety. They tend to have high levels of expectation and thus become overly concerned. People with Type A personalities, who are always in a hurry and are competitive, are most vulnerable.

3. Stressful Life Events

Anxiety occurs when a person is abused or when a person loses someone. Work pressure or other stress factors also are a factor that plays a major role. If prolonged, these stressors can program the learner to develop anxious thinking patterns as well as anxious reactions.

4. Environmental Influences

Living in such conditions as high expectations or social pressure makes one grow up with anxiety. Ongoing expectations in terms of academic, professional, or social accomplishment may taper one into high-functioning anxiety. Such pressures usually encourage performance as a way of dealing with stress.

High Functioning Anxiety and Depression

When people say they are living with depression and anxiety, they are not talking about occasional low moods or feeling anxious. Major depressive and anxiety disorders, unlike normal emotional reactions, relate to specific events in that people will constantly experience depressive and anxiety-like feelings and symptoms. These conditions usually have an impact on how a person thinks, feels, and even how they can interact in relationships or perform work.

Furthermore, depressive and anxiety disorders are present, with mood symptoms being beyond reasonable practical possibility where a function is often compromised, as well as major distress. It could appear as working inability, anxiety, agitation, or a feeling of helplessness that limits the patient. The severity of the effect can range from moderate to severe, but the characteristic feature of these conditions is the persistent nature of the distress.

Signs and Symptoms of High Functioning Anxiety

Generalized anxiety disorders are diagnosed when you feel intense worry most of the time for more than 6 months. This feeling persists and can interfere with the way you live your life throughout the day.

These behaviors and feelings are where anxiety can turn into high-functioning. These signs of high functioning anxiety include:

• Worrying about extremes beforehand
• Holding long working hours to ensure you do not commit even a slight error
• Having a grave concern about disappointing other people
• Impossible standards, and even if these are accomplished, it would not satiate you
• You only feel at ease and settled when your attention is on small points
• Having some habits like babbling senselessly, fussing your hair, or cracking your fingers.

7 Signs of High-Functioning Anxiety and Its Coping Strategies

It’s not always easy, but you can handle it with the right tools. The first step is to understand the issue. From there, you can find the resources and plans to improve your response and overall health.

1. Try Daily Relaxation. Develop a Routine of Rest

So, as you have your skincare routine or even a routine for getting out of the house in the morning, consider relaxation as part of your routine. That could be a 5-minute mindfulness breathing or some light stretching; anything that gets the person to relax can go a long way in reducing high-functioning anxiety symptoms.

2. Make Efforts to Address Ordinary Stress

Everyone experiences stress in their lives, but it can occasionally become unbearable. It is especially common among persons suffering from high-functioning anxiety, in which even minor stimuli can be extremely overpowering. Meditation and breath practice can help to anchor the mind while also providing a balanced, robust, and tranquil outlook.

3. Do Not Compete with Others

At times, acute anxiety may be caused by perceiving that one is inferior to other people in some way. Social media can give people the impression that everyone else is doing it right. But look at the selfies and the stories you see – it’s just a selection – everyone has their problems, and they might not be posting them. Do not discuss your goals and experiences with other people or groups. If this is useful, avoid social media or use it to motivate you not to compare yourself to the images you come across.

4. Be Mindful

The concept of mindfulness is all about living in the moment. It is about being happy at the current time with no concern for past or future events. And that makes it a great tool for high-functioning anxiety. Mindfulness helps when your mind starts to race and go into overdrive; it helps you get back on track.

5. Find balance

Work-life balance is not the only balance one must achieve in their life; it is the balance in the rhythm of activities in one’s life. It may be taking time for oneself, defining the number of hours one is willing to spend at work, or even engaging in a new activity.

6. Talk About It

When you are dealing with possible high-functioning anxiety, sometimes just discussing it can make it easier to bear. It can be a friend, a family member, or a professional – talking to someone can help open new views and help.

7. Be Kind to Yourself

Most importantly, be gentle with yourself. It’s not about the massive strides you make as you move through each day with high functioning anxiety. That’s the cumulative, mundane actions you perform. Take your time and know that it is okay to ask for help or use Calm to help you along the way.

High-Functioning Anxiety Treatment

In MAVA Behavioral Health, medication management is one of the most important services that we provide to address high-functioning anxiety. Our team of experienced professionals ensures that patients are involved in the selection of the best medications for symptoms like over-worrying, restlessness, and irritability, among others.

We know that, in general, high-functioning anxiety means that people can perform their tasks and even seem to be successful and happy on the outside while suffering on the inside. By doing so, we tend to explain to the clients how to take their fate into their own hands as we guide them toward a state of better mental health.

Medication Management for High-Functioning Anxiety

High-Functioning Anxiety, even though it is a chronic condition, medication management at MAVA Behavioral Health allows patients to cope with the symptoms without losing their ability to function. Proper medications are prescribed to cure the symptoms like excessive heaping of worries, tension, and restlessness.

Additionally, medications for the condition include SSRIs (Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), SNRIs (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors), and Benzodiazepines. These medications are taken for the short term and regulate the substances in the brain and lessen the strength of thoughts that cause anxiety. It maintains the effectiveness of the high-functioning anxiety treatment, and changes are made depending on the results or side effects experienced.

MAVA Behavioral Health offers medication management for a swift recovery to manage the symptoms. We also provide a full service, including both therapy and lifestyle changes to address high-functioning anxiety.

Let’s Recap

High functioning anxiety is not a real disease. Still, it is a term that many people use to describe a state of chronic, low-grade anxiety, even for those people who, on the surface, seem to have it all together – on time, organized, and successful in their careers. The people from outside may envy you for your determination and regularity.

Internally, it is like you are cycling up a ramp with no indication of reaching the top. If you observe anyone in your surroundings suffering from anxiety, you may reach out to MAVA Behavioral Health for high-functioning anxiety treatment. We are here to assist you and help you in managing the issues you are facing.

FAQ’s

What are the signs of high-functioning anxiety?

The main signs of high-functioning anxiety include perfectionism, overachieving, overthinking, difficulty relaxing, constant worry despite outward success, and a need to stay busy. However, these individuals often appear calm and put together externally. People with high-functioning anxiety may also experience physical symptoms like a racing heart, muscle tension, and sleep issues while maintaining high performance in work and daily activities.

What is the 3-3-3 rule for anxiety?

The 3-3-3 rule is a simple grounding technique to help manage anxiety: Name 3 things you can see, 3 things you can hear, and move 3 parts of your body. It helps bring your focus to the present moment and break the cycle of anxious thoughts.

How do you treat high-functioning anxiety disorder?

High-functioning anxiety disorder is typically treated through a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and sometimes medication like SSRIs prescribed by a healthcare provider. Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, meditation, improved sleep habits, and stress management techniques can also help manage symptoms.

What are the subtle indicators of high-functioning anxiety?

Physical symptoms include nail-biting, hair-twirling, foot-tapping, constant fidgeting, perfectionism, overplanning, and difficulty saying “no” even when overwhelmed. People may also maintain a polished outer appearance while internally feeling restless and racing thoughts, using busyness and achievement to mask their anxiety.

How do people with high-functioning anxiety act?

Individuals with high-functioning anxiety may appear accomplished and put-together on the outside, but on the inside, they struggle with chronic worry, overthinking, and rigidity. They typically engage in behaviors like overworking, overplanning, and seeking reassurance, though these traits may be mistaken for positive attributes like being detail-oriented or ambitious.