High functioning anxious people.

[Pixie15]

I am not sure why I am writing this.

Maybe because I am a high functioning anxious person. It is something I can do when I feel that something needs to be done.

I would like to hear from other high functioning anxious people.

How do you cope? How do you deal with the need to do something when there is nothing to be done.

[Pixie15]

Hello Big Self Doubter,

Thanks for the reminder.

I have just been doing the same thing and I remembered your words which I read last night.

I need to concentrate on my goals that I have set which are achievable for me and stop worrying about what people think and taking responsibility for things I cannot change. Also have to watch out for the people who routinely catch me up in their stuff and not feel responsible for their activities and choices. Does not help me or them.

Cheers.

[Moonstruck]

Hi Pixie and I see we have another Self Doubter besides myself!

Days away with family went well, really well. I was so anxious before I went, as I didn't know exactly what was going to happen - what their plan was. I was staying in someone else's house you see, their routines, their daily lives, their habits - I was afraid I'd do something "wrong".

(how stupid this sounds in hindsight, but that's how I felt back then). Knew on the plane there was nothing I could do...so may as well"let go of the oars" and go with the flow. I really had no choice. consequently, I felt relaxed, gave the kids lots of love, got plenty in return.

Their parents were easy to get along with and nothing terrible, or even annoyingly inconvenient happened at all - and yet I had been so scared out of my "comfort zone" not being in control or able to organise what would happen next!! I just went with it.

Took grandkids to the movies, in the darkness I looked at the little girl, singing quietly along to one of the songs, the little guy clutching a huge bucket of popcorn beside me - and thought "savour this moment, how lucky am I? This, right now, this moment is what matters - these beautiful children think I'm good enough!"

[Pixie15]

Hello Moonstruck,

That's a great thought "these beautiful children think I'm good enough!". Which of course you are. Unfortunately we live in a world where the yardsticks are always moving. Children always remind me of what's important like the flowers, butterflies, ice-cream and sandcastles. Unfortunately I don't have enough of them in my life right now.

[rufio]

im not sure if i am the same

for me i am fine when i am busy and have things to do and think about, which i love to do, always more things to do but when i am bored/time to relax is when i start worry about my anxiety which causes me to feel anxious.

i need to learn to be content with doing nothing and know i dont need to always be doing things

[Moonstruck]

Hi there Rufio - I feel guilty when I do nothing or even seem to be "checking over my shoulder" when doing something just for ME, something I am doing just for the hell of it, because I enjoy it!

As if that's wrong, and non=productive. I don't know who this "someone" is who is watching me being "lazy" but it's hard not to see other more "important, productive" things I "should" be doing.....I am doing this to myself I realise, because when I DO have an obligation to someone to complete some task, I do it to the max and on time, efficiently and can be depended and relied upon.......however I continue to beat myself up when I take time just for "me". Hopeless case aren't I?

[rufio]

no one is hopeless, we are all learning and getting better ^_^

i am now practicing relaxing and getting used to this feeling. management takes work. we can all do it ❤️

[Pixie15]

Hi rufio and Moonstruck,

I like your image rufio. Is that Winnie the Pooh's Tiggerific (excuse the spelling) friend. I really love that character.

I sometimes wonder if I have not been inclined to try to learn too much. It is too easy to get overloaded with negative stuff. Consuming chemicals with food. Too many poor people in the world. If I eat too much does that mean I am responsible for someone else on the other side of the globe starving. I have been caught up in worrying and trying to find out about all sorts of things.

I am trying to be aware of all this stuff but accepting that as an individual there really is only small things that I can do and that is okay.

I have been doing some one minute mindful breathing breaks lately and finding that helpful.

[Pixie15]

Hi to all, Just thought I would boot this thread around again and see if anyone noticed.

I started exercising again and felt good for awhile but now I am starting to feel exhausted again. Am wondering lately if I might need to think about wether I might have more than anxiety. At least I am starting to admit I might have a problem now. Being high functioning and anxious it not all its cracked up to be.

Sometimes I just feeling like curling up in a ball and pretending I don't exist. But then who would do the things that have to be done.

[Moonstruck]

I'd forgotten about this thread too Pixie - it's very relevant to so many people too I think. What's the alternative for us? To be Low Functioning Anxious People? that'd be worse for me, as then I'd have "guilt" to manage also. At the moment I am engaged in something where I am functioning very highly.....but what makes a difference is that I enjoy the activity. I thrive on it.....I am trying not to even contemplate the possibility of anxiety ruining it for me - and others depending upon me.

It's a bit of a puzzle - WE are something of a puzzle. Are we failing to function as high as we could, because we are anxious? If we weren't anxious, just how high could we reach? We'd be brilliant wouldn't we?

[Pixie15]

Too brilliant for this world I think Moonstruck.

Very good advice though. Going to concentrate on what I enjoy and ignore the rest.

cheers.