In this day and age, mental health issues are becoming more and more talked about which is a good thing. The more aware we become and the more we work to educate others, the better.

One of the more common mental health issues people struggle with is anxiety. While everyone has anxiety on some level those who have high functioning anxiety or some kind of disorder as a whole in regards are very different. High functioning anxiety for those who do not know is basically something that makes people with it feel nervous and on edge most of the time. They are always feeling as though they’re not good enough or like their efforts aren’t making a difference and it takes a serious toll on them.

While this kind of thing can be difficult to manage it can also be hard to pinpoint depending on how you view things. For some signs to look for in regards check out the list below. The more you notice these things in yourself or someone else the more you should focus on mental health as a whole.

9 Signs Of High Functioning Anxiety You Need To Be Aware Of:

1. Sleeping is almost impossible.

When you struggle with high functioning anxiety chances are sleeping issues are going to be present. Your mind will keep you up and you’ll be unable to wind down properly. Whether you’re unable to fall asleep or unable to remain asleep for long periods, this kind of thing sucks to deal with.

2. Everything has to be perfect, period.

When you have high functioning anxiety a lot of the time you think of things as perfect or not perfect and if you’re doing something or it has to be perfect. You want to always put your best foot forward and if things aren’t perfect you feel inadequate.

3. You’re constantly avoiding risks.

People with high functioning anxiety tend to avoid risks. Rather than taking risks and being willing to do things in life that others are also doing we hold off and try to remain in the box we feel most comfortable in. This can hold us back in some extreme ways.

4. Small things are big things in your mind.

People with high functioning anxiety tend to make the smallest things into big things. What would not bother other people tends to bother them. You might feel like you’re making a big deal out of nothing and you probably are but that doesn’t change how you feel in regards.

5. You’re very detail-oriented and feel the need to always be in control.

High functioning anxiety is something that can make us feel the need to be more in control drastically because it makes us feel so out of control. You find yourself focusing on all the small details in the hopes of having everything as you see it should be and that leaves you quite lost as a result. Because you feel this way and are affected by this you feel you need to control the environment around you.

6. Even when you’re exhausted, your mind will not chill.

People with anxiety, in general, be it HF or not tend to struggle with getting their minds to wind down. You could be exhausted and ready to fall into bed all the while unable to stop overthinking. Overthinking and anxiety of all kinds tend to go hand in hand.

7. You have sudden intense outbursts that people never see coming.

People with high functioning anxiety tend to let a lot of things build up inside them and that can cause lots of problems. You might find that you end up blowing up over small things because you let so much pile on you inside. This leaves the people around you also on edge and isn’t pleasant for anyone involved.

8. You’re always struggling on a personal level but putting on a good show.

People with high functioning anxiety tend to look like they have everything together. They succeed big time in work but also tend to struggle at home. They are not what they seem, but they are great at putting on a show.

9. Relaxing is something you’re seemingly incapable of.

When you want to slow down and breathe, you’re unable to. People with high functioning anxiety tend to have a hard time relaxing. Everything that they are facing builds up within and leaves them feeling as if they have more to worry about than they actually do.

Sources:

https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/high-functioning-anxiety/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/seeing-through-the-cloud-of-high-functioning-anxiety/

https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/high-functioning-anxiety/like-high-functioning-anxiety/