4 Signs You May Have High Functioning Anxiety

Your eyes open before the sound of your alarm even wakes you up. You spring out of bed, eager to start your day. You have emails to respond to and deadlines to meet.

Another night of not enough sleep,  but you're used to it at this point.

After following your morning routine, you get ready and head out the door. You're stuck in traffic and immediately feel the anxiety creep in. You check your watch constantly. Negative thoughts instantly fill your head. You're going to be late.

Thankfully, the traffic lets up, and you're on your way again. You pull into the parking lot at work, and you're one of the first cars in the lot.

You breathe a sigh of relief. Even with a little traffic, you're at the office 30 minutes before you're supposed to even start your day, but that's how you prefer it. The first to arrive and the last to leave.

Your family, friends, and co-workers would describe you as hardworking, organized, and productive. If only they knew how you really felt day to day.

Here are 4 signs you may have high functioning anxiety.

1. Nervous Habits

High-functioning anxiety can be difficult to spot because individuals experiencing it often try to hide their symptoms.

One of the most common symptoms that may be a little easier to spot than other signs and symptoms is nervous habits. Some of the most common nervous habits include nail biting, skin picking, leg shaking, or hair twirling.

2. People Pleasing and Difficulty Saying "No"

Someone with high functioning anxiety may have a difficult time saying "no". They are often overly active and agreeable because they fear being seen as "lazy".

Even if they're feeling overworked or stressed, they won't be able to turn down taking on more work or saying no to someone. They would rather put themselves in a state of stress than make someone else think they're not willing to put in the work or risk upsetting someone.

3. Insomnia and Fatique

Sleeping issues are common among individuals experiencing high-functioning anxiety.

The stress tied to this type of anxiety disorder often causes individuals to have a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night.

Plus, their racing thoughts make it even more difficult for them to relax. At night, instead of trying to turn off their brains and get some much-needed rest and recovery, they may be overthinking and overanalyzing their day or what may happen when they wake up the next morning.

4. Procrastination

From the outside looking in, a person with high-functioning anxiety may seem like they have it all together. They would never miss a deadline, even if they feel overworked or exhausted.

An individual with high-functioning anxiety may experience periods of burnout. They often procrastinate due to a fear of failure. They have a high set of standards for themselves and they don't want to fail and disappoint themselves or others.

Procrastination will lead to increased stress and anxiety due to tight turnaround times. They wouldn't want to miss a deadline, so they will do anything and everything to make sure that their projects get turned in on time. No matter how long the work takes, they'll find the time to get it done, even if it means sacrificing their personal time or other important things like meals and sleep schedules.

Treatment Options

High-functioning anxiety leads to burnout. Don't wait until you're feeling burnt out to reach out for help. Reach out to us today to set up a consultation for anxiety therapy. We'll help you find ways to manage your anxiety and find the best ways to cope.