What is high-functioning anxiety? Doctor explains all you need to know

High-functioning anxiety: Doctor explains all you need to knowDr Amir Khan

Transcript

00:00Let's talk about high-functioning anxiety. Now, when we think of anxiety, many of us

00:06think of people who may feel nervous, worry excessively, may have panic attacks, or are

00:10restless all the time. And those are important features of generalised anxiety disorder.

00:16But what if, on the outside, that person comes across as confident, outgoing and organised?

00:20Well, they don't have anxiety, right? They could. They could have high-functioning anxiety.

00:27Now, normally with anxiety we think of a fight or flight response, but with high-functioning

00:31anxiety, people lean more towards that fight response part, pushing themselves to work harder

00:37in spite of their anxiety. People with high-functioning anxiety are often high achievers,

00:42highly organised, detail-orientated, outgoing and proactive. They can meet deadlines and can

00:49troubleshoot problems, and they strive for perfection. But, often, they need reassurance

00:54from others. They have difficulty with assertiveness and find it really hard to say no.

00:59And they may even view mental health issues as a sign of weakness.

01:04Now, accepting you may have high-functioning anxiety is important. It's not a weakness.

01:09It can affect your ability to sleep properly, your appetite, your relationship with others.

01:13And if this is the case, you could get some help. Things like cognitive behavioural therapy,

01:19talking therapy, meditation, relaxation exercises

01:23are really important for people with high-functioning anxiety, and it's worth looking into.