Common Signs Of High-Functioning Anxiety + Tips For Managing It

If you have high-functioning anxiety, to the outside world, you might seem confident and put-together. "You appear to be quite successful in life. You're driven to do a lot of things and meet many challenges," says clinical psychologist Marla Deibler, Ph.D. Since you're able to pay your bills and socialize well with others, it gives other people (and yourself) the impression that you're excelling personally and professionally. However, on the inside, it's a different story. 

Clinical psychologist Nicole Pensak, Ph.D., tells mbg that your desire to succeed is likely due to sophisticated compensatory strategies designed to repress your anxiety and persistent feelings of dread. "High-functioning anxiety is when you're suffering a great deal internally, but you're still able to perform exceedingly well at your job and in other domains," she says. 

"Anxiety is a 'normal' reaction to something we experience as threatening in some way. It's a biological response that involves the activation of the nervous system to help us get ready to confront a stressor," Deibler says. It only becomes problematic once the anxious thoughts begin to negatively interfere with your life for a significant amount of time–six months or longer. 

"Anxiety is helpful when it's experienced in moderation, for example, meeting deadlines or completing obligations," she adds. "Too little anxiety and it may lead to a lack of motivation to meet the demands of your life. Too much, and you feel overwhelmed and incapacitated." 

Since it seems like you're doing well, it's easy to deny, dismiss, and overlook symptoms. Intervention may only happen when it reaches a point where the feelings become unmanageable and you need to seek help from a licensed professional. 

If you have traditionally identified as a high achiever at school or work, you might be prone to developing high-functioning anxiety. To detect anxious patterns and emotional changes easier, it might be useful to pay attention to your inner world and place less weight on performance-based metrics or external success. 

The World Health Organization1 defines burnout as "feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy."

"Burnout is typically a response to chronic stress at the workplace [and] is classified by exhaustion, lack of meaning and drive, and loss of interest at work," Pensak points out. "It has more overlap with depression rather than anxiety." If you're experiencing burnout, you'll likely find yourself making more mistakes, pushing back deadlines, and calling off work often. 

To reduce the internal and external stress that makes up high-functioning anxiety, you should give yourself the permission and grace to release some of your burdens. It's OK to need help, and although you can push yourself quite far, that doesn't mean you always have to take it to the extreme. 

"Taking time to practice being fully present and aware of your moment-to-moment experience can be helpful in managing anxiety," Deibler says. In times of stillness, work on connecting to your present-moment internal thoughts, environment, emotions, and bodily sensations. 

"Rather than trying to push away anxiety, which tends to be futile and results in feeling less in control, make room for anxiety," Deibler suggests. "[Anxiety] is showing up to try to bring your attention to something and is a 'normal' experience." Notice what feelings come up (exhaustion, frustration, overstimulation) and bring them along for the ride. 

"Attend to healthy lifestyle practices [which] take care of your mind and body," Deibler advises. Healthy stress management looks like making time in your schedule for good sleep, proper nutrition, stress-supporting supplements, regular exercise, and treating yourself kindly with self-compassion and gratitude.

Deibler recommends carving out intentional time for yourself with thoughtful breaks and enjoyable activities. When you're trying out old and new hobbies, the goal is to be in play with your interests without using them to seek validation, perfection, or monetization. 

"Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard, evidence-based treatment for high-functioning anxiety," Pensak recommends. This type of therapy works to challenge cognitive distortions in your thinking and develop better ways to cope with your stress. 

One type of CBT, called exposure therapy, slowly exposes you to your fears. Avoidance can make your fears seem worse and bigger than they are. By habituating yourself to the situations that bring you distress, you'll eventually experience a reduction in anxiety.