What Does High Functioning Anxiety Look Like? by Connor Cohen, LMSW

Anxiety is not one size fits all. Life is often seen in black and white and yet we exist within the areas of grey. Anxiety is no different. While anxiety is far from rare and it is actually more common than we might initially realize, not everyone’s anxiety looks exactly the same. Anxiety exists on a spectrum. Anxiety can range from debilitating and near impossible to function with to high functioning and hardly even noticeable if at all able to be seen. It can also vary day to day and situation to situation. Individuals may only experience anxiety in social settings and be perfectly fine in other common panic inducing scenarios. It all just depends on the person and the situation. 

So what is high anxiety and how do we even know if it’s present? Well, high functioning anxiety is typically the term for anxiety that an individual experiences while still being able to perform their daily tasks and needed duties. High functioning anxiety is part of the reason that anxiety can be both underreported and so prevalent in our society.  On top of that, high functioning anxiety can look different from person to person. For example, someone who is traditionally viewed as a type A personality, may actually be experiencing some level of anxiety.

High functioning anxiety can look like an individual has it all together, the perfect vision of success. While always meeting deadlines and tackling the tasks before you are generally seen as a positive trait, one thing that is often the driver of this success is the fear of failure or the fear of being a disappointment. High functioning anxiety is being afraid to call in sick, people pleasing, over thinking, or even nervous habits like picking at your fingernails or cracking your knuckles.  High functioning anxiety may even look like insomnia and mental or physical fatigue. High functioning anxiety is often seen as individuals who overachieve. This perception fails to take into account the anxiety and struggle often associated with that level of success. 

Individuals with high functioning anxiety often bottle up these emotions, compartmentalizing them in order to “deal with them later” This procrastination is not just something done with their feelings, rather it often comes up in other aspects of their life as well. High functioning anxiety can be procrastinating that project out of a fear or worry or even being frozen in our actions until the last moment when that desire to achieve and the fear of failure and disappointment kicks in and we are forced to achieve in spite of that initial fear. 

If you or a loved one suspect that you struggle with high functioning anxiety, therapy can help!  Our therapists here at Niyyah can help guide you through various ways to cope with anxiety. We can help you navigate the careful journey from the positive aspects of achieving due to anxiety to achieving your goals with reduced anxiety and a greater sense of comfort. Reach out below to one of our amazing therapists today and begin your journey on the way to living more comfortably with anxiety.

Inflammation and Depression: A Surprising Link

Did you know that our minds and bodies are connected? Well, that may seem obvious, but science is beginning to understand that the connection is much stronger than we’ve understood in the past. Studies have shown that depression can increase inflammation  in the body. At this point, you may find yourself wondering,, “should I be taking an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen or acetaminophen?” Well, not exactly. The studies have shown that depression is an inflammatory disease in the sense that inflammation is now an observable symptom associated with depression, not that inflammation is causing the depression. 

This is a profound and consequential discovery by scientists and mental health professionals. There is a flip side to this connection - many people may go through life with chronic pain associated with inflammation, and these bouts of chronic pain can result in depression and depressive symptoms. To put it simply -  pain is painful. When we are faced with the reality of chronic pain, we can feel trapped and hopeless at times, as if nothing will help. Experiencing depression when faced with chronic pain is a common reaction experienced by many people. This discovery may provide hope and relief for some!

While it may feel like a chicken or the egg situation where we may not be sure which was first, by acknowledging depression as a contributor to inflammation, new avenues of treatment may be possible. For example, maybe you have tried every kind of pain reliever on the market, maybe some work and some don’t. Perhaps discussing depression with a mental health professional in conjunction with anti-inflammatories could be key in reducing your inflammation and your pain. That’s pretty wild to think about! This shows just how connected our mental health is to our physical health.

You Think You May Have Experienced Childhood Trauma, Now What?

You’re not alone - up to 60% of adults report having experienced some kind of abuse or other difficulty that was traumatic in their childhood. That’s more than half of us - so although you may feel overwhelmed or sad when you start to realize your childhood experiences weren’t ideal, it’s important to remember that what you experienced is common and it’s okay to talk about it.

Ground Yourself

It’s completely possible that you feel disconnected from your body and your experience. This is really common in processing trauma. It’s important to spend some time grounding yourself in the here and now - and one simple way to do that is by engaging all your senses and being mindful of your body and surroundings.

• Name 5 things you can see

• Name 4 things you can touch

• Name 3 things you can hear

• Name 2 things you can smell

• Name 1 thing you can taste

You can do this activity anytime you’re feeling overwhelmed, confused, or like your feelings are out of control.

Talk to Someone

A lot of times, we need to talk to a therapist when we remember traumatic events, or start realizing that our experiences in childhood aren’t as typical as we thought they were. It’s important to have someone who is trained in trauma so that if you begin to experience more severe symptoms you can be monitored and receive the care you need. Just like if you had an injury resurface, you may need the help of a professional to get through.

If you find yourself disturbed but not open to therapy, you may want to talk to a trusted friend or family member about what you’re experiencing. Sometimes simply saying the words out loud and getting things off our chest can be incredibly helpful.

Know that Healing is Possible

At Niyyah, we have worked with people who have experienced really difficult childhoods, and they have moved on to live healthy, fulfilled, and happy lives after doing their work in therapy. A lot of times when people experience trauma in childhood, they begin to think that they will carry it with them forever. With experience, compassion and the help of evidence based practices, the therapists at Niyyah can help guide you toward healing and wholeness - giving you some relief from the painful circumstances you’ve encountered. We are proud to have therapists trained in EMDR therapy (click here to read more about EMDR) - a therapy that has been named as the most effective treatment for PTSD. Set a consultation today to see if one of our therapists may be a good fit for you - healing and wholeness is possible, and we would love to walk with you on your journey toward that healing.

Click here to meet our trauma informed therapists and book your appointment today.

COVID-19: How COVID May Cause PTSD and Signs to Watch Out For

As a clinician, I have seen the COVID-19 pandemic from a unique perspective. While we have all struggled with the pandemic, I can’t help but view the situation through a lens of trauma. Across the globe, this pandemic has led to sleepless nights, stress and an increased feeling of anxiety. This added stress has impacted everyone, regardless of nationality or previous mental health struggles. This pandemic does not discriminate and it can feel like this looming cloud over our heads. Some professionals are even equating the pandemic with a global source of trauma and in turn post traumatic stress disorder.

In a world with COVID, do you feel that you are more irritable? Do you find yourself avoiding certain situations out of fear? Or maybe you have noticed a shift in your mood since the start of the pandemic. These could be signs of a trauma response to COVID-19. It’s normal for our anxieties to be higher given the state of the world, but it may be a cause of trauma for many. Symptoms to monitor include: 

• increased anxiety or depression

• a disturbance in sleep

• feeling more isolated 

• hypervigilance

Whether you have personally contracted COVID-19 or not, studies have shown that dealing with this physical threat and reality of the disease is causing us to face increased amounts of mental health concerns. So what could you do to help? Reach out to friends and family that may be having a difficult time with the pandemic. If you or a loved one is facing symptoms of PTSD related to COVID, reach out to your primary care physician or therapist. No one should have to face these troubling times alone.. We here at Niyyah are here to help - if you don’t have a therapist click over to connect with one of our clinicians today to find the relief you need.

This blog post was written by Connor Cohen. Connor is an LMSW (under supervision of Linda Hamza, LCSW-S) and is currently accepting clients. If you are struggling with COVID related PTSD, click here to book a session with Connor today.

Three Strategies for Managing Anxiety When You're Stuck at Home

Feelings of anxiety and diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder are at an all time high - and it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who is paying attention. An already busy and stressful life has been made even more unmanageable by work from home policies and virtual learning. While for some, being at home has eased their anxious feelings, for others being at home as been the root of the anxiety itself. In this blog post we’ll break down some simple ways to manage your anxiety while being stuck at home these last few months.

Welcome Your Anxiety

We know it sounds counterintuitive, but the truth is that simply bringing awareness to our feelings without trying to change them will ease some of the discomfort they bring. Try sitting and spending time noticing your anxiety: where do you feel it in your body and what are the thoughts that come up? Can you look at your feelings, body sensations, and thoughts objectively? Can you welcome your anxiety and get curious about what it’s trying to tell you? Are those messages based on fact or feelings? Our feelings can be valid without being true - sometimes allowing the truth of that to sink in will help some of the anxious feelings subside.

Bring Your Attention to Your Self Care Habits

We aren’t talking about mani/pedis or spa days here. We are taking it back to basics. How much are you sleeping? How much are you eating and how balanced are your meals? How often are you moving your body in a way that brings you joy? Are you making time each day to watch or listen to something that makes you laugh? Are you washing your face and brushing your teeth each day? Are you taking high quality supplements approved by your doctor? These basic ways of taking care of yourself can go a long way in soothing your nervous system.

Try Talk Therapy

Being home alone or with family or roommates for an extended period of time brings on stress of it’s own, but add in with it a tendency to worry excessively, difficulty controlling the worry, muscle tension, irritability, exhaustion, brain fog, and other symptoms of GAD, it can be downright unmanageable on your own. It may be time for you to speak with a licensed professional about what’s going on. Talk therapy is still one of the most effective ways to treat anxiety, and the therapists at Niyyah are ready to get started. Book an appointment or schedule a call today!

Getting Comfortable in Our "New Normal"

We are officially past the year mark of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and many of us are wondering what our new normal may look like moving forward. Some states are opening back up, vaccines are becoming available to the general adult public, and a lot of us are feeling a heightened level of anxiety with these new opportunities. We want to empower you to have the best information possible for your physical health while also supporting your mental health.

CDC Recommendations

For your physical health we will always encourage you to stick to the advice of your doctor and to look to the Center for Disease Control for guidelines on travel, vaccinations, and anything else regarding your physical wellbeing. The CDC has very specific recommendations for those who have been fully vaccinated and are looking for how to do that safely.

However, some of us are fully vaccinated and still have feelings of anxiety when we think about gathering indoors or in large groups. We have a few recommendations for managing that anxiety, and for making sure your needs for socializing and human connection are being met.

Assert Your Boundaries

Sometimes it is important for us to get out of our comfort zones. We can learn something, stretch ourselves, and end up having a positive life experience. However, other times pushing ourselves beyond our comfort does not really serve a purpose for good in our lives. The next few months we will have a lot of practice asserting ourselves in a respectful way as we hold to the boundaries we have created. It may feel like you’re being mean or anti-social by turning down invitations to gatherings, but at the end of the day it’s okay to set boundaries in relationships and it doesn’t make you a mean person.

Anxiety Reducing Strategies

When you decide you’re ready to go out, you may feel more anxious than you did before. Many of us will experience social anxiety for the first time in our lives - and we need skills to handle those feelings.

• Breathing techniques - slow your breathing down. Before you get out of your car take 5 deep breaths and make sure your exhale is longer than your inhale. Slowing down your breathing communicates to your brain that you’re safe.

• Challenge your anxious thoughts - this past year has been really difficult because we have had to make decisions that felt impossible to make every day. It felt dangerous to go grocery shopping for some of us. It will take time to reprogram our thoughts and tell our brain that we are safe - interrupting our anxious thoughts with factual reminders will be helpful.

• Come talk to a therapist to process through some of the anxiety you’re experiencing. A lot of times having a space that is empathetic, compassionate, and judgement free can make the biggest difference. There are so many triggers out there for anxious feelings and social anxiety these days - you’re not alone, come get the support you need.

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