10 Signs High-Functioning Anxiety Is Running the Show (And How Therapy Can Help)
Think you’ve got everything under control—but feel constantly overwhelmed?
Learn 10 subtle signs of high-functioning anxiety and how therapy, especially for high-achieving Black women, can help.
What Is High-Functioning Anxiety?
High-functioning anxiety is the kind that doesn’t look like anxiety. On the outside, you’re organized, successful, and “on top of things.” On the inside, you’re tired, stressed, and constantly second-guessing yourself.
For high-achieving Black women, these patterns often go unnoticed or are even praised. But over time, they can take a real toll on your mental and emotional health.
10 Signs High-Functioning Anxiety Might Be Running the Show
1. You’re always busy, but never feel done
You’re constantly juggling work, responsibilities, and everyone else’s needs—but you can’t remember the last time you truly rested.
2. You overthink everything
You replay conversations, overanalyze text messages, and second-guess decisions—just in case you got it “wrong.”
3. You succeed—but still feel like a fraud
You’ve checked the boxes and climbed the ladder, but deep down, you question if your success will last (and what failure will be like).
4. You procrastinate because the pressure helps—but at a cost
The rush of doing things last-minute has become your normal, even though it leaves you anxious and exhausted.
5. You can’t quiet your mind enough to sleep
Bedtime turns into mental to-do list time. You’re tired, but your brain is wide awake. Your mind doesn’t shut off. It’s hard to rest when your brain is reviewing everything you need to do.
6. You rarely ask for help
The vulnerability that comes with leaning on others feels foreign—or even unsafe—so you just place everything on the one person you can truly rely on: You.
7. You feel guilty for resting
You’re uncomfortable with rest unless it’s “earned.” It feels like there’s always more to do (and it’s lazy not to do it). Productivity has become your self-worth. Even your downtime is filled with tasks. Stillness feels uncomfortable, like you’re slacking.
8. You dread social interactions—even though you seem outgoing
You smile, you show up—but it takes everything in you not to cancel. You worry about how you’ll be perceived—or if you’ll have the energy to keep up the façade.
9. You expect more from yourself than anyone else
You hold yourself to a standard that you’d never demand of someone you love.
10. You feel like you’re always “on”
Behind the accomplishments is someone who feels like they’re holding it all together with thread.
Why Therapy Works for High-Functioning Anxiety
Therapy helps you slow down and stop operating on survival mode.
If you’re a high-achieving Black woman with high-functioning anxiety, therapy gives you a safe, affirming space to:
- Understand where these patterns came from
- Learn how to manage your anxiety—not just hide it
- Release the pressure to always perform
- Practice rest, self-trust, and boundaries
- Define success on your terms—not hustle culture’s
Next Step: Therapy for High-Achieving Black Women
If this list feels a little too familiar, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure this out by yourself.
I specialize in helping high-achieving Black women with high-functioning anxiety build lives rooted in peace, not pressure.
I see clients virtually across New Jersey and am accepting new clients.
Click here to schedule a free 15-minute intro call and take the first step toward support that actually supports you.