You Might Have High-Functioning Anxiety If...

High-functioning anxiety isn’t a phrase I typically use in my day-to-day work, but it does describe a real and common experience: looking like you “have it all together” on the outside while internally feeling overwhelmed, self-conscious, or on edge. From the outside, things appear fine… You’re capable, responsible, and getting things done. Inside, it can feel like a constant mental sprint. 

This isn’t a clinical diagnosis, and it’s not a label that has to be carried around. Many people who relate to this description are high-achieving, thoughtful, and deeply invested in doing things well. This type of anxious experience just isn’t visible to passersby, or as I tend to say in sessions, to a ‘fly on the wall.’ You’re not stopping mid-step to take long deep breaths where others can see. Instead, the experience is largely internal. Your mind is going a mile a minute, jumping from one task to the next, never quite landing on a sense of “enough.”

You may find yourself stuck in a loop of second-guessing, striving for perfection, or feeling pressure to stay one step ahead. You’re operating in overdrive and while it may look and feel productive, it can be exhausting.

You might have high-functioning anxiety if:

• Your brain is constantly ticking off a non-stop to-do list, even when you’re technically “resting”

• As soon as you finish one task, you immediately move on to the next

• Pausing or resting feels uncomfortable, unproductive, or hard to justify

• You feel an internal sense of urgency, even when there’s no real deadline

• You have a hard time saying no or letting people down

• You mentally play out worst-case scenarios and over-prepare to avoid negative outcomes

• You struggle when things don’t go according to your timeline or when plans change unexpectedly

• You carry ongoing tension in your body, even when nothing seems “wrong”

  
  

If several of these resonate, it doesn’t mean you’re failing at managing anxiety. Patterns like this often develop in people who are reliable, capable, and used to holding things together. Over time though, living in a constant state of mental urgency even when life appears stable can quietly wear on your overall wellbeing, your relationships, and your sense of ease.

Therapy can be a space to slow things down, understand what’s driving that internal pressure, and build more flexibility without losing the parts of you that care deeply and get things done. If you’re curious about support, I work with adults navigating anxiety, boundaries, and life transitions, and you’re welcome to reach out when it feels right. I book free 15-minute phone consultations with everyone prior to booking a full appointment. You can find the link to book under the "book now" button on my website.