The High-functioning Anxiety – An Unusual Disorder

A case of maintaining a high level of excellence, success and composure on the outside, only to fight unrest and awkwardness within self.

• The struggle with procrastination, binge productivity, insomnia, overthinking, are few of the many symptoms of this anxiety.
• The disorder could be as a result of factors brewing from childhood trauma, fear of failure, and an overbearing survival instinct, to mention but a few.
• People who suffer from this, may feel accomplished by their achievements and exploits publicly, but battle internal unrest fervently.
• Therapists have spoken of building self awareness and confidence on a reoccurring basis as remedies to maintaining mental sanity.

In today’s world, the need to strive for perfection can be positively inspiring, but consequently tiring, if expectations are not adequately managed. People can get overwhelmed with the consuming pressures, commitments, and deadlines at our disposal, and consequently almost always want to feel excellent and secure.

A highly successful individual who thrives in excellence at all levels, may not realize why they get somewhat unfulfilled, even after making strides – overthinking sets in, questioning if enough has been done regardless. The night comes when nature beckons for the body to rest, the brain remains adamant, and continues to fixate on the mirage of appointments laying ahead – insomnia sets in. You do not want to let others down, so a level of excellence, composure and mark has to be portrayed at all times, and most times one is unable to set boundaries or refute certain commitments. If any of these sound familiar, well, you’re here right?

Characteristics:

Positive – very jovial, punctual, proactive, organized, passionate, loyal, helpful, ability to multi-task, ambitious…

Negative – people pleasing, repetitive (always recounting steps, tiles, habits), nervous, overthinking, procrastinates, insomnia, avoiding eye contact, consumed by fear of the unknown, constantly seeking public validation…

Symptoms are subjective to personalities

Challenges:

People who function constantly on a high level tend to get praised for over achieving on the long run, but in hindsight, the efforts, struggles and worries that are required to attain such levels are mostly ignored. Deep down there’s the fear of not meeting up with expectations.

Most times, the individual doesn’t get things done unless it seems like a die affair, which mostly becomes the adrenaline needed to getting the task done before deadline.

This challenge, is mostly internal and vague to the public.

Most, if not all of the symptoms are born from childhood trauma, caused by the constant request from folks and peers alike to be perfect and always get things right. So a survival instinct is instilled as a lifestyle at a tender age, leading to always living up to expectations. Anything short of a pass mark is often met with strict scrutiny and criticism, leaving little or no room for self appraisal and commendation on efforts applied. This could become a stubborn mental state to battle if taken lightly overtime.

Possible Remedy?

The High-functioning anxiety disorder is not yet a medically diagnosed condition, but has been referred to as a term by professionals, especially Therapists, to define the opposing feelings experienced internally and externally by an individual causing mental unrest and awkwardness.

There are possible therapeutical remedies for this feeling, and if imbibed may bring relief to the reoccurring worry of perfection;

1. Believe more in what you’re convinced to do for self, than what others feel you should do.
2. Build self confidence constantly by seeing projects, jobs and contracts through to the latter. Always endeavor to complete tasks, regardless of the outcome. There’s a sense of relief that comes with completion.
3. Learn to agree to disagree even when convinced about a particular outcome or process. Open-mindedness leaves room for serenity, and repels rigidity.
4. As a Jack of most trades, resolve to taking things one step at a time. Your processes may be concurrent, but allow yourself to settle in all your crafts.

If you’ve never been diagnosed of a mental disorder or health issue, but are familiar with the symptoms indicating a high-functioning tendency, do not hesitate to seek the assistance of a professional physician or therapist.