Do you have high-functioning anxiety? How to spot it and how to manage it

False modesty is a lesser-known but pervasive aspect of its more subtle, high-achieving form, a condition that particularly burdens successful females.

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It's about identifying the warning signs of this condition, "Often this desire for perfection then surfaces as a desire for control, which can be extremely unsettling."

Interestingly, many symptoms of high-functioning anxiety are commonly found in women who achieve a great deal. There is often a strong connection; beneath a confident exterior, some individuals may be hiding underlying, unaddressed anxiety. Moreover, when one is succeeding at work, winning promotions, securing new business deals, and achieving impressive results, it can be easy to overlook warning signs that may indicate unwellness. Just because anxiety isn't severely limiting one's daily activities doesn't mean it can't have lasting negative effects.

With such an immense workload and the weight of responsibility bearing down on you, you're spending all your energy just trying to stay afloat and, deep down, constantly worrying about not succeeding.

Suglani thinks that the main reason for this often lies in our early years, where patterns of behaviour are formed and deeply ingrained. "At some stage during this time, we start to develop our behaviour based on how others react to us," she says. "We become extremely aware of our surroundings and learn that to receive love and affection, we need to do things in a certain way."

This ongoing state of hyperarousal, which many of us seem to think we should be continually experiencing.

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Oftentimes, these anxious concerns are carried over into our personal lives and contribute to other issues. Suglani points out that individuals with high-functioning anxiety are prone to health anxieties - frequently they fear things that aren't actually present and, unfortunately, sometimes issues that are made worse by or even triggered by stress itself.

What we can't consciously notice happening in our body is often expressed in other ways, frequently resulting in illness.

One of the biggest challenges with high-functioning anxiety is acknowledging that you have it in the first place. "People often assume you're a perfectionist, thinking you're always self-assured," she explains. "You find yourself trapped in a cycle of expectations, as others believe you'll always perform well academically, for example, which means you're often running on a nervous system that's out of balance, desperate for the chance to slow down and focus on your own well-being.

A high level of achieved success can sometimes lead us down a path that's not genuine, particularly in our careers. A large part of this anxiety stems from a desire to appear as if everything's under control, as flawless and - naturally - as satisfactory to others; our parents, teachers, and employers. "We live according to what we feel others want from us," Suglani notes, remarking that she sees countless clients who get to a certain stage in their career and ask: "Why am I a lawyer? Why am I a banker? Who am I doing this for?"

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When you begin to understand the reasons behind your actions and the triggers that set them off, you can start to break free from negative habits. The main thing is to set clear limits and achieve a better balance between your work and personal life. "This could be as straightforward as not automatically agreeing to take on an extra task at work. Simply take a moment to think about it. Ask if you can review your schedule and get back to them – that's a considerate response," she says. "Then it boils down to being open and transparent, and being aware of the emotions that come up. If you're feeling guilty, face it head-on. Ask yourself: what's really causing this?"

Forensic audit specialist Dr Lalitaa Sunglani published May 28.

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