7 Signs You Might Have a High Functioning Anxiety Disorder: Know The Symptoms

Everyone feels anxious now and then in a stress full situation but sometimes this anxiety can become so frequent that it starts affecting one's day to day life. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder characterized by worry, restlessness and fears that interfere with one's day-to-day activities. It is one of the most common mental health disorders in India, with up to 10 million cases per year. Though it is not an official diagnosis, a new kind of anxiety disorder is on the rise, namely, high functioning anxiety. People with high functioning anxiety have a significant level of anxiety but still continue to perform well in their lives.

Such people, are generally over achievers and perfectionists, but at the same times, may suffer from panic attacks in private, feel anxious while talking to people and can have intense fear of making mistakes. So what are the signs of this high functioning disorder that a lot of people are starting to associate themselves to? Could you possibly have high functioning anxiety? We have compiled a list of 7 signs that may indicate that you have high functioning anxiety.

1. You're a perfectionist

Having high functioning anxiety makes you seek perfection, whether at work, in personal relationships, or in unrealistic expectations of one's physical appearance. The idea of not finishing something on time or making a mistake seems like the end of the world for you.
 

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2. You have trouble sleeping

You might have a bad sleeping pattern and spend most of your nights tossing and turning in bed. With high functioning anxiety, you function well during the day as you internalize your anxiety. But this internalized anxiety has a way of coming out and that happens during the night, disturbing your sleep.

Not only this, you actually procrastinate sleeping as well. You think that there is enough time to do "just one more thing". You want to work even when you are exhausted as your mind doesn't ever seem to stop working.

3. You have a hard time staying relaxed

Constant anxiety makes it difficult to relax and let go for a person. Working continuously, exercising or doing the house chores roots from your anxiety and this makes you unable to sit still.

4. You have repetitive behavior

Your anxiety doesn't have a direct outlet, so it starts manifesting in repetitive habits like chewing your lip, biting your nails, tapping your foot or your fingers. All these behaviors are a sign of a deep rooted anxiety and your effort to internalize it.

5. You are considered to be "stoic"

You are said to be "hard to read" for people. This is actually because you are bottling up your emotions and not letting them being visible. You put your feelings on hold to deal with it later and this is why, in the moment you might come off as stoic and unaffected by anything. But that's not the case. It piles up inside you with your anxiety and makes it unbearable for you on the inside.

6. You avoid your thoughts

As said earlier, that you are good at putting your feelings on hold to deal with them later and so is the case with your train of thoughts. You know it might cause a hindrance in your work and so you make sure to avoid your thoughts. You are able to repress your thoughts and feelings for a long period of time. But beware! They are bound to come back and may cause serious panic attacks.

7. You have a fear of being not good enough

Whether it is your work or your relationships, this is a deep seeded fear in you. As you are a perfectionist, you seek to do the best you can in something and when it doesn't happen you go on a self-loathing trip. You do your best to avoid it, by overworking. You have a fear that if you don't do everything, then you are not good enough.

This makes you prone to taking responsibilities for a lot of things at the same time, which can be hard to manage. You think that if you can't manage it all then you aren't good enough which is not true. You try to pile up things on yourself without breaking and even when you do break, you still try to take on more.

So if you think that you have high functioning anxiety disorder, do not forget to reach out for help and seek a therapist to help you through it. As said earlier, high functioning anxiety does not have an official diagnosis but it is still very much a disorder which needs to be treated like any other.

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