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