The Master Masker: Why Your Success is Exhausting You
It is 8:45 AM on a Tuesday, and you are winning. You have already answered twenty emails, your coffee is exactly the right temperature, and your colleagues see a powerhouse of productivity. But under the surface of high functioning anxiety, there is a quiet, rhythmic drumming in your chest. It is the sound of a nervous system that has been running on high-alert for so long it has forgotten how to power down.
This isn't just 'stress.' It is a specific type of cognitive dissonance where your external world is ordered and your internal world is a storm. We call this 'masking'—the art of performing competence while your visceral reality is crumbling. You might fear that if you admit to being tired, you will be seen as a fraud. You might worry that your doctor will dismiss you because you are 'functioning' too well to be sick.
But the body does not care about your LinkedIn profile. It tracks the somatization of stress even when your mind chooses to ignore it. Those unexplained headaches and the constant, dull ache in your shoulders are not random; they are the evidence of a psyche that is shouting for help through the only channel you can't ignore: your physical form.
The Body Keeps the Score: Reading Your Internal Map
When we talk about high functioning anxiety, we often treat it as a series of thoughts. But as Luna, I see it as a landscape of the soul that has been paved over by expectations. Your body is a symbolic vessel, and every knot in your neck is a word you didn't say.
We carry chronic tension and anxiety like a heavy winter coat in the middle of July. It’s exhausting, yet we’ve worn it so long it feels like our own skin. You might find yourself holding your breath while typing, or realizing your shoulders are up to your ears for no discernible reason. This is 'holding patterns'—your body preparing for a fight that never actually arrives.
Look at your physical state as an internal weather report. Are you clenched like a fist, or fluid like water? If you are experiencing unexplained physical pain, it is often the spirit’s way of anchoring you back to the present. You are not a machine made of logic; you are a living, breathing ecosystem that requires stillness to survive the frost of overachievement.
Decoding Your Body's Alarm System: The Biological Reality
To move beyond feeling into understanding, we must look at the underlying pattern of your biology. While Luna speaks of the spirit, I must remind you that your physical symptoms of hidden anxiety are rooted in the very real HPA axis. When you live with high functioning anxiety, your brain is essentially stuck in a loop of perceived threats.
Let’s look at the mechanics of jaw clenching and cortisol. When you are perpetually 'on,' your adrenal glands are pumping out stress hormones that keep your muscles primed for action. This leads to what we call somatization—the conversion of psychological distress into bodily symptoms like digestive issues or tension headaches. It’s not 'all in your head'; it is a systemic physiological response.
Here is your Permission Slip: You have permission to believe your body even when you look 'fine' on paper. Your productivity does not invalidate your pain. You are allowed to seek rest before you reach a breaking point. Your value is not measured by how much cortisol you can endure before you collapse.
Reclaiming Your Physical Self: A Strategy for Release
Now that we’ve identified the mechanics, let’s move from passive feeling to active strategizing. If you are struggling with high functioning anxiety, you need a high-EQ script for your own nervous system. We aren't just going to 'relax'; we are going to perform a tactical reset.
The most effective move is vagus nerve stimulation. The vagus nerve is the highway of your parasympathetic nervous system activation. By stimulating it, you send a manual override to your brain that says, 'We are safe.' Here is the protocol:
1. The Cold Water Shock: Splash ice-cold water on your face for 30 seconds. This triggers the mammalian dive reflex, which instantly slows your heart rate.
2. Diaphragmatic Breathing: Focus on a 4-count inhale and an 8-count exhale. The long exhale is the 'kill switch' for the fight-or-flight response.
3. Progressive Relaxation: Tense your jaw for five seconds, then release it completely. Feel the difference. Repeat this down your body to your toes.
Treat these steps as a non-negotiable meeting in your calendar. You wouldn't skip a call with a CEO; don't skip the call your nervous system is making to you.
FAQ
1. Can high functioning anxiety cause physical pain?
Yes. Through a process called somatization, the mind converts emotional distress into physical sensations such as chronic muscle tension, back pain, and tension headaches.
2. What does an anxiety stomach ache feel like?
It often manifests as a 'knot' in the stomach, nausea, or localized cramping. This occurs because the gut-brain axis is highly sensitive to the cortisol spikes common in hidden anxiety.
3. Why do I feel fine at work but collapse at home?
This is a hallmark of high functioning anxiety. You are likely using adrenaline to 'power through' your professional duties, and once the environmental pressure subsides, your nervous system finally crashes.
References
mayoclinic.org — Mayo Clinic: Anxiety symptoms
en.wikipedia.org — Wikipedia: Somatization disorder
mentalhealthrandomness.quora.com — Quora: Recognizing the signs of high functioning anxiety