High-Functioning Anxiety Can Be Invisible — but It’s Still Harmful

You’ve likely heard of anxiety disorders, which are thought to affect nearly a third of people at some point in their lives. Recently, the idea of high-functioning anxiety has been becoming more popular, meant to refer to someone who might experience symptoms of high anxiety, but whose symptoms don’t necessarily interfere with their daily life to a disruptive degree. While high-functioning anxiety is not a diagnosable condition like generalized anxiety disorder, many people seem to identify with it — and want to find help dealing with it. So, what is high-functioning anxiety, exactly? We asked experts, who also shared the signs of high-functioning anxiety and how to handle the symptoms. Here’s what they had to say.

What Is High-Functioning Anxiety?

High-functioning anxiety is “a phrase that’s going to describe somebody who is functioning at a high level with anxiety, to the point where it doesn’t impede their abilities to carry out daily tasks, interact with their families, and complete tasks at work,” Nina Westbrook, MA, LMFT, told POPSUGAR. “It’s pretty much the symptoms of what anxiety disorder is but what is internal,” Monique Castro, LMFT, founder and CEO of Indigenous Circle of Wellness, who is Diné and Xicana, told POPSUGAR. Although numerous people live with high-functioning anxiety, it is not an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) because it doesn’t impair how someone functions.

According to Westbrook, “High-functioning anxiety has a tendency to propel you forward,” and it can give you a boost of energy rather than be debilitating, such as generalized anxiety. Instead of being frozen by fear or unable to carry out tasks, “their fear almost is a source of energy as it might create lots of adrenaline the same way stress does in our bodies,” Westbrook said, which then provides the energy needed to complete tasks and get through the day.

Castro agreed and further explained, “Some folks might feel fatigued or even energized, some overly energized,” in addition to excessive worry and fear. The main difference between many anxiety disorders and high-functioning anxiety is that the latter is often unseen, both Castro and Westbrook said. “They’re experiencing the anxiety symptoms but it’s usually not visible,” Castro said. Or, because you’re doing so “well” externally, it can go dismissed although you may be struggling internally.