12 Things People Don’t Realize Someone is Doing Because if Their High Functioning Anxiety

Anxiety is a severe psychological condition and has a huge impact on people’s lives. However, the lives of people who suffer from anxiety are even harder because other people do not understand them.

Often, people describe anxious people as passive, lazy, and irresponsible, although this is not true. In this article, we offer information that may help people get a better understanding of anxiety.

At least, this is what anxious people would like you to know. (1)

1. Anxious People Do Not Like Worrying

Many believe that anxious people like to worry about everything. But, that is not the case. According to psychologist Howard, they prefer having no worries.

Nonetheless, their brain makes them feel like they are constantly in a dangerous situation. These people think that worrying will help them stay safe.

2. Imagining a Worst Case Scenario

Even if the situation is nice and safe, anxious people believe that something bad is going to happen. Having a first date is a real challenge because they have a sense of impending doom.

If they get sick, they try to find the symptoms of the deadliest illness. It seems like their mind is trying to convince them that not even a thing can go right.

3. Their Body Suffers Too

Because of the feeling, they are in constant danger; anxious people experience physical symptoms. They get an increased heartbeat, sweating, shallow breathing, and trembling.

Dr. Jamie Howard explains these symptoms make the lives of anxious people difficult.

4. They Get Obsessed Over Simple Things

If you say something or give them some strange look, anxious people may analyze and rewind that for days. They get obsessed with someone’s behavior, conversations they had, some stranger’s look, etc.

5. Obsessing Over Every Mistake

Anxious people as perfectionists, tend towards perfection. Anyway, mistakes happen in everyday life. Making a mistake at work is not accepted by their anxiety. So, they will spend a lot of time beating themselves up over that tiny mistake they did.

6. Finding it Hard to Fall Asleep

Processing everything that has happened to them makes anxious people have problems in falling asleep. No matter how late they have fallen asleep, the anxiety alarm rings very early in the morning.

And, once the anxiety wakes up their minds, they cannot fall back asleep.

7. Making Decisions is Difficult

Since the reaction of their body is as it is, they prefer avoiding situations that may cause them issues. For instance, they get anxious even when they have to choose furniture.

Even though this stuff seems easy for other people, anxious ones find them exhausting.

8. On the Outside Lazy, On the Inside Perfectionists

According to Howard, even anxious people have done a great job, they feel afraid to show it. Extremely intelligent students may feel worried to turn on a paper because they think someone will not like it. So, they are trying to avoid potential danger.

9. Declining an Invitation, They Want to Go

Although they have made big plans about something, there are days when anxiety causes problems. They feel like they have no energy at all. They think they will destroy somebody else’s mood, so they decide to cancel everything.

10. Talking About the Future Causes a Breakdown

Most people like planning their futures. However, anxious people feel terrified and frustrated when someone mentions future plans.

This is so because they feel pretty bad at the present time, and they think the future may bring even harder times.

11. Experiencing a Mental and Physical Exhaustion

Having anxiety makes people spend a lot of energy. Those mind-boggling experiences exhaust them both mentally and physically. That is why they sometimes cannot get out of their beds.

12. Asking “Are you okay?” is Frightening

If someone pays attention to anxious people, and notice they are not alright, their anxiety is worse. They think if their situation is noticeable, it may be serious, so they worry a lot more than before.

We hope that this information helped you have a better understanding of anxious people. Understanding and support would be of great help to them.