High-Functioning Anxiety
The Mayo Clinic describes those with high-functioning anxiety this way:
“To an outside observer, people with high-functioning anxiety may appear to excel and be in control. They don’t appear to avoid or retreat from life.
They may have successful careers, participate in many volunteer or community activities and have strong personal relationships. Yet behind this facade, these people have persistent thoughts of worry, fear and high-stress levels.
They struggle with significant self-criticism, persistent self-doubt, fear of failure, and a constant drive for perfection and pleasing others, which profoundly affects their daily lives.”
This describes so many of the hundreds of women I’ve cared for over the years!
Here’s the Mayo Clinic’s summation of its treatment advice, verbatim:
“They just need to believe in themselves.”
This is easier said than done!
How women with high-functioning anxiety present themselves to the world
Their internal experience
ANXIETY IS OUR MISUNDERSTOOD PROTECTOR!
Anxiety is our “early detection system,” designed to keep us safe and alive.
Our brain is constantly scanning inside and outside of us for potential threats to our survival, and sounds the alarm at the first sign of “danger.”
Those with sensitive warning systems survived to procreate, and pass these protective qualities down to their kin…
So in a way, you are here today thanks to your anxiety!
We evolved in small tribes where conforming to the norms of the group was a matter of life or death, so our brains learned to focus on the rules, as well as to how much people liked us.
No wonder we people-please like our lives depend on it!
We each have an Inner Critic tasked with keeping us safe from vulnerability out in the world by critiquing us before anyone else can, right inside of our own heads.
Sometimes this voice in our head can be cruel and relentless.
We can dial down the volume and intensity of anxiety’s henchman, the Inner Critic, and still stay emotionally and physically safe.
I teach women how to stay in the “executive function” part of the brain (Pre-Frontal Cortex) rather than being hijacked by anxiety and diverted to the Fear and Danger department (Amygdala) where the “threat response” eclipses pretty much everything else.
Yes, I’m a neuroscience nerd, but you don’t need to worry about these details.
Come join me at Peak Wellness and experience the power and peace that can be yours at any time, when we gather tools to rework our anxiety to work for us, not against us.
Making this one shift unlocks the anxiety’s stranglehold on our creativity, confidence, curiosity, contentment and capacity to create the day-to-day calm we’ve been craving.
I’ve helped hundreds of women over the years.
The hardest part is deciding you’re worth the investment.
I already know you are.
Let’s chat and explore the possibilities!