High Functioning Anxiety: when you look fine but you are exhausted inside

This is something I notice within my clients.
You might be the person that people don’t worry about. You’re able to get things done, and you’re reliable. From the outside it looks like you have everything under control.
Inside, it’s a different story. Your mind can’t slow down. You are thinking ahead and replaying conversations. Even when things are OK, your body just cannot relax. There’s a quiet tension that exists around you.
The thing is, when you are functioning, socializing, and keeping up with day-to-day tasks, it is easy to tell yourself it’s not that bad. However, high-functioning anxiety hides in plain sight.
You feel responsible for others’ emotions.
You are constantly riddled with guilt.
You’re always on, even when you are exhausted.
Of course, over time this takes a toll on us physically and mentally.
In many cases, this pattern does not develop out of nowhere. For a lot of people, especially those who grew up in environments where expectations were high or emotions were suppressed, being on top of things becomes a way to feel safe, avoid conflict, and avoid disappointment.
It can be hard to just stop because your nervous system has learned to stay alert. This has become a learned coping skill, but it is also keeping you stuck in a constant state of pressure.
Something that can help includes starting to view our anxiety differently.
To begin noticing where in our bodies we are holding tension, when our thoughts are spiraling, and creating moments where we don’t have to be “on.”
This does not happen overnight, just gradually over time.

If this resonates, counselling can be a space where you can learn to slow things down (and have moments where you can be off) and understand these patterns more deeply.