Success. In control. Convinced. Busy. There is motivation. At first glance, why would anyone assume that someone with these traits has anxiety? But if they pull back the curtain, they will find that success and motivation are fueled by fear of failure. Confidence is a forecast to hide the trend that exists on the smallest detail of your day. Busyness is the result of you never feeling like you’ve done enough and can never rest or relax. And control is an attempt to avoid discomfort and eliminate any possibility of mistakes.
While these characteristics may not be what we think of when we hear the word “anxiety,” they could be – for people with high-functioning anxiety.
People who struggle with high-functioning anxiety can look very similar on the surface. They may be doing well in their jobs, in sports, in relationships and in other areas of their lives, but inside, they are fighting an inner war and anxiety.
Anxiety is a normal part of life, but when someone has an anxiety disorder, it has to do with more than temporary anxiety or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder – including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and various phobia-related disorders – the anxiety does not go away and may get worse over time. time. Symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as work performance, school assignments, and relationships.
Although high-activity anxiety is not a separate diagnosis on its own, if you have anxiety, it can be helpful to build self-awareness about what’s causing your anxiety, how it manifests, and what’s going on. present and how you can cope, even if you may appear to people. like you figured everything out.
What are the signs and symptoms of high-functioning anxiety?
Because high activity anxiety is really anxiety, the signs and symptoms would be similar:
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Feeling restless
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Feeling tired
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Difficulty concentrating or losing focus
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Irritability
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Muscle pain, tightness or soreness
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Difficulty sleeping — including insomnia, poor sleep and/or rest
You can also:
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Has anxious habits, like typing, checking behavior, or picking fingernails or skin
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Maintain tension in areas of the body such as the jaw or back
Because of the nature of high-activity anxiety, signs and symptoms may manifest in additional ways that are more consistent with our sense of high functioning.
How does high activity anxiety manifest in our actions?
“Many people with high activity anxiety are afraid of letting others down.” Caity Thompson, a therapist and MyWellbeing community member said in a recent MyWellbeings small talk. “Their schedule will be overwhelming. They take on more than they can so they keep doing everything. At the same time, they struggle with a fear of failure, so they feel like they’re never doing enough, causing them to continue to overwhelm their schedules.”
People with high-activity anxiety also often overthink things. They can try to continually plan every question they might be asked during the meeting so that they are as prepared as possible. They can also review conversations they’ve had with people, looking for mistakes and flaws, just to make sure they don’t make those mistakes again.
Thinking too much can affect their sleep. They may have trouble falling asleep and may wake up in the middle of the night with racing thoughts that they can’t stop.
“The important thing to remember about anxiety is that it is very easy to induce fear,” says Caity. “Part of the reason people with high activity anxiety stand out so much is that they may be afraid of failure. But while anxiety can motivate us to do many things, at some point the return will diminish, such as when it prevents us from sleeping or when we can never relax. . It can’t go on like this.”
“I like to use the metaphor of an ax,” she said. “If I chop wood for eight hours, I get a lot less wood than if I chop wood for two hours, then spend time sharpening the blade, then move on. We need to be able to sharpen the blade and turn off our minds sometimes.”
People with high-functioning anxiety can also lead very controlled lifestyles to avoid things that make them uncomfortable. Avoiding things that make them uncomfortable can also lead to decision delay or paralysis. People with high activity anxiety have a hard time making decisions when they are extremely afraid of making mistakes or mistakes, they are very uncomfortable with uncertainty and will do whatever they can to avoid discomfort. and not sure.
“One important thing to remember about not making a decision is to avoid making a decision that is really making a decision,” says Caity.
How to deal with high activity anxiety?
People with high activity anxiety often avoid seeking treatment or getting help for a number of reasons. Because they are so successful in other parts of their lives, they may believe they should be able to handle their anxiety on their own or that they don’t “deserve” any help at all.
They may also fear that if they process the “negative” parts of their anxiety, they may also lose the “positive” parts, such as motivation, work ethic, or attention to each individual. details. Often, they think that everyone feels like them, especially when they are surrounded by other successful people, or that they should hide their “failures” to deal with stress, because they don’t see it either. Other successful people express their anxious feelings. They may also think they won’t be taken seriously, because they hide their anxiety very well and don’t show themselves as someone who is usually anxious to the outside world.
With all the barriers to finding help, what can someone with high activity anxiety do?
The best first step is to realize that you have anxiety
Just because you have it all together, doesn’t mean you don’t have worries. If you’ve been diagnosed with anxiety, work with your healthcare provider to find the best treatment for you. If you have not been diagnosed, get evaluated by a mental health professional. Even if you don’t fully meet the criteria for an anxiety diagnosis, you can still work with a therapist or receive other forms of treatment to help relieve your symptoms.
Even before you seek treatment, there are methods you can use to cope. Begin to notice triggers and how anxiety or anxiety manifests in you. Do you have stress in your body or have habits like grinding your teeth or scratching your skin? When do these seem to happen the most or what situations might cause them to happen?
You can also practice mindfulness
When your mind is constantly racing, slowing down even for a few minutes can have a big impact. While it may seem like pausing for just a few minutes can help, if you practice it will change the way your brain responds to those stressful situations. And if you build that muscle and can use it prior to If the trigger makes you uncomfortable, you will have a powerful coping mechanism that you can rely on to practice preventive self-care.
Identify the things you can and cannot control
Make a list or diary of what is driving your mind racing or what keeps you up at night. Be honest with yourself about how you may or may not be able to control the things you’re stressed about. Realizing that you can’t control everything can be scary, but achieving that awareness will also allow you to focus your energy on the things you can control and start releasing the things you can’t control. uncontrollable out of mind (and hopefully the tension in your body will follow).
Seeking support from others
You don’t have to suffer alone! You can find a friend, family member, or coach to talk to about what’s going on or get support from a therapist. There are several ways to treat anxiety, and a combination of different ways can be most effective. You can try therapy like Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), support groups where you can connect with others who have had the same or similar experiences as you or medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Even though your anxiety may be active, it can still take a huge toll on your life. Just because there are positives to your anxiety doesn’t mean you have to endure the negativity. There are ways to keep you feeling driven and celebrating your success while dealing with the negative effects of your symptoms and living a full (and relaxed) life.
