Are you secretly anxious? Signs to watch out for high-functioning anxiety

Anxiety may not always be tangible. Here's what you need to know about covert anxiety.

The common, mainstream picture of anxiety is typically jitteriness, socially withdrawn, nail-biting, sweating, trembling and feeling overwhelmed, basically, a kind of visible nervousness that’s hard to miss. So much of the portrayal is centered around a breakdown or just being on the edge.

High functioning anxiety appears calm and composed on outside but beneath, there's a constant worry. (Shutterstock)

But there’s another side to the story: the kind of anxiety that hides behind confident smiles and constant hustle, the overachieving energy that others admire or even envy. This is high-functioning anxiety; it appears well put-together on the outside, even when on the inside, the chaos is just as intense.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Piyali Maity, Clinical Director, Counselling Operations, 1to1help, shared what high-functioning anxiety looks like.

What is high-functioning anxiety?

Leading board room meetings to meeting new people, they appear confident, despite the anxiety they hide deep within. (Shutterstock)

High-functioning anxiety is more of a silent storm; it goes unnoticed, sometimes even by the person experiencing it. Unlike the more overt portrayals of anxiety, this type hides in plain sight, behind polished smiles and confident charm.

Piyali explained more about this and said, “High-functioning anxiety is a term that describes people who appear highly successful, organized, and calm on the outside but internally struggle with overthinking, persistent worry or fear of failure, and self-doubt. They often find it hard to relax despite their ability to manage daily responsibilities. It is not a clinically diagnosed mental health condition, but it is incredibly common. It is manageable with awareness, boundaries, and support.”

5 signs of anxiety

You may be outgoing and getting all things down, but deep down, the anxiety is obvious.

Piyali shared these signs:

• You may find yourself dreading certain situations yet pushing through the anxiety by working even harder. Sometimes, almost unconsciously, you might try to regain a sense of control by overpreparing or micromanaging.
• You may find it hard to fall asleep, have appetite loss, muscle tension, and elevated heart rate, and find it challenging to manage even day-to-day tasks.
• You may think in absolutes- black and white- and jump to worst-case scenarios, even when those fears are irrational.
• You may feel especially vulnerable to criticism, worry excessively about your relationships, career, or self-worth, and carry a persistent sense of not doing enough, even when you’re meeting or exceeding your goals.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.