How to manage high functioning anxiety.
High functioning anxiety can assist with accomplishing day to day tasks and reaching our goals, but there can come a time when it begins to wear on our body and make us feel like we are on never ending loop of to do list’s and obligations. Women with high functioning anxiety are high achieving and have a strong work ethic but at what cost? Feeling like you can never say no and always “on” can begin to feel exhausting and unsustainable at times.
Women with high functioning anxiety can look like they have it all together from the outside. It can look like you are always organized and prepared for anything that may come your way. But with that drive for organization and the constant need to feel prepared, you can drown in the what' if’s to feel like you are in control both in your personal and professional life. Women with high functioning anxiety are excellent leaders and feel like they can never say no and always project an aura of strength. It can feel as if you have competing plates spinning high in the air with a constant fear of one (if not all) of those plates slipping and crashing down all around you.
High functioning anxiety can make us feel like we must be self sufficient and that we cannot or will not depend of others because no one can do it like we do it and we want to keep it all together. Women living with high functioning anxiety feel like they will let others down if they say no or express a need for time and/or space to relax and recharge. There may be a need for perfectionism and cringe at the idea that we may make a mistake or simply forget something from our very long list of responsibilities and obligations.
Living with high functioning anxiety can create a space where procrastination can occur when the fear of failure or making a mistake looms large in our mind and heart. Wanting to project that we are competent and capable all the time with all the people can make us second guess our decisions which results in a sense of decision paralysis thus putting off what needs to be done. High functioning can produce overthinking and rumination over the decision we made once we finally make them where we question and second guess our choice and how they are perceived by others. High functioning anxiety can be exhausting!
If this sounds like you, there is help that can assist you in learning ways to manage high functioning anxiety so can relax and enjoy your life. Working with a therapist will allow you to learn ways to stop comparing yourself to others and build the confidence in yourself and in your decisions. High functioning anxiety can be mentally, physically and emotionally draining but speaking with a therapist who understands what it is like can help you find techniques and strategies and get back to feeling like yourself.
Please note: this blog post is for informational and instructional purposes only. The information included may not be the best fit for your personal situation. Blog posts should not be considered as medical, legal or financial advice. The educational content included in blog posts are not intended to replace professional advice or information. Check with your own medical or business professional before implementing any information or advice provided here on the Chatwin Counseling blog.
