On TikTok, the hashtag "highfunctioninganxiety" has almost 180 million views. And while the idea isn't new, the pervasiveness of the term is.
"High-functioning" isn't clinically defined, says John T. Maier, a psychotherapist in Cambridge Massachusetts, but generally it refers to those who perform well in work or in school. So if someone has high-functioning anxiety, it means they are excelling at their job, despite being in poor mental health.
"When people say 'high-functioning,' they aren't saying, 'I'm doing a great job at raising my family' or 'I'm doing a great job at going to church,'" he says. "It means 'I'm doing a great job at work.'"
Some experts believe the recent popularity of the term might be due to the pandemic.
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"After Covid, the focus on mental health has been much more significant," says Irina Gorelik, a psychologist with Williamsburg Therapy Group. "And people are much more aware of signs that might have been subtle in the past."
Here are three signs you might have high-functioning anxiety.
1. Physical changes, like jitteriness.
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Heart palpitations, sweaty palms, and jitteriness are all signs that you might have high-functioning anxiety.
"Some people notice they can't tolerate as much coffee as they used to," Gorelik says.
2. Difficulty agreeing to social plans.
Think about high-functioning anxiety as a mask, Gorelik says. Performing well at work is a way to cover up how much you're struggling internally. This takes a lot of mental effort, so when your friend texts you to grab a beer after work, you just don't have the energy.
"Things that are optional, things society deems unnecessary, tend to be ignored," she says.
3. Day-to-day habits are changing.
How much you deviate from your everyday routine can also signal high-functioning anxiety. Maybe you are sleeping more or sleeping less, over or under-eating.
If you "notice things are not the same as your baseline," Gorelik says, it could mean your anxiety is higher than usual.
Just because your bills are paid and your last performance review was stellar doesn't mean you're in great mental health.
"Your anxiety is still impacting you in some ways, it's just more subtle," Gorelik says.
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