Introduction
Don’t worry, I see you, you high-achieving anxious baby. Nothing is good enough for you. Every task needs to be completed to perfection, and without losing your breath. Your responsibilities have responsibilities. I hear you. I am one of you.
Let’s talk about anxiety
Anxiety as a mental health condition has a big spectrum. According to Lisa Batten, anxiety is a sensation most of us will feel at some point. In small amounts, it can be a positive motivator towards a goal or an uncomfortable situation. However, it’s a problem when small incidents give you a huge amount of anxiety. This is harmful, and it’s then called a disorder. There are six major anxiety disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, and agoraphobia.
Anxiety is not a disorder that affects different individuals the same way. Its symptoms can vary a lot. However, the most common type is generalized anxiety disorder, consisting of a constant or excessive amount of tension or worry, even without a significant trigger. Within this chain of thought, high-functioning anxiety has gained considerable attention recently.
What is high-functioning anxiety and who has it?
High-functioning anxiety describes individuals who live with a constant state of anxiety, but consider themselves functional. It’s important to remark that it is a mental health condition. An individual that always seems to have everything under control, while they are in a constant state of hyper-awareness, attempts to keep everything under control no matter the cost.
Individuals with a type A personality always exceed expectations at work or personally. Usually, individuals with this tendency use their constant anxiety to push forward with daily responsibilities. A person with high-functioning anxiety will constantly show themselves as proactive, punctual, organized, detailed-oriented, active, helpful, passionate, loyal, overly calm, collected, and high-achieving.
From the outside, this seems ideal. Why would someone struggle if their personality traits seem to be so positive? However, the reality is that these positive behaviours are deeply motivated by a constant state of fear, and uncomfortably, this state of fear does not seem to end. Many individuals with these tendencies, in their privacy, are often overthinkers, limit their social life, are incapable of enjoying movement, have a racing mind, and experience constant fatigue mentally and physically. Imagine being unable to catch a moment of peace. Imagine that your mind is constantly looking into your current responsibilities and interactions to perfect them to the point that it’s unrealistic. That’s the life of someone with high-functioning anxiety.
How do you deal with it?
But worry not! Although you cannot get a diagnosis for this condition, a therapist can advise about the anxiety disorder and how to deal with it. There are many reasons for an individual to lean towards high-functioning anxiety, for example, bullying, stress at work, medications, neglect or abuse, divorce, or finances. With the speed of society these days, it’s very hard not to land in any of these situations. It seems that daily life needs to be lived faster, more effectively, and not well-balanced.
It’s important to understand that high-functioning anxiety doesn’t imply a “valid” or “positive” state of anxiety. Behind all the perfectionism and goal-oriented personality is a huge amount of self doubt, insecurity, overthinking, fear of disappointing, and the inability to relax in general. So, it’s severely important to reach out for professional assistance if you feel these symptoms apply to you.
There’s more to these symptoms though. In general, you will notice your anxiety as a state of over-analysis in your brain: over-preparing for a presentation, checking your alarms multiple times for the next morning, or obsessing over a meeting.
A mental illness has a biological side, so it’s relevant to always think about anxiety as another physical condition. Once you feel it, remind yourself that it’s just anxiety, and it’s okay to feel that way. Maybe that day will be a bit more challenging, and this will help you accept it. Slowly you will build up the capacity to focus your energy on other things instead of constantly trying to save yourself.
Moreover, to maintain a healthy relationship with your anxiety, befriend your fears. It’s not ideal, but it’s a part of your life you must embrace. Finally, stop and study the nature of your anxiety. Does it connect you with an experience that may tell you you are not enough in an aspect of your life? Why does this particular aspect of your life mean this much to you?
What next?
Once you feel more confident with your anxiety and embrace the fears it triggers, it’s important to reconnect with your body; anxiety is as mental as physical. Individuals with high-functioning anxiety often live in their heads, and breaking that cycle is complicated. Taking the time to practice a low-impact physical activity, like yoga or breathing, will make a significant difference.
The prolonged tension can also harm your health further. Reconnecting with your body will help you relax. You don’t need to develop a new routine to stay active. Some breathing techniques while driving or even reading will help you keep the oxygen circulating.
More importantly, learn to talk back to your fear, that loud little voice in your head that makes you believe you are not putting enough effort. Create phrases to talk back to it. The use of mantras can be very useful in dealing with perfectionism.
Your brain is conditioned by your experiences, and you don’t need any further validation for that. Your emotions and thoughts are valid, and you must give yourself the recognition of dealing with them and looking into healthier ways to confront them. Working with yourself should never be something that makes you ashamed or question your rationality. There are no rights and wrongs in how to deal with high-functioning anxiety. Your mind and body are so used to operating under high pressure that walking out of it is not easy. But it is possible.
So, take a step and enjoy the road of self-recognition and acceptance.