High-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome

Success, achievement, and drive are all desired and celebrated qualities that many people strive for in their personal and professional lives. In the world we live in today, there is an immense pressure to succeed. Despite this, success is entirely subjective, with each individual having a different definition and journey of gaining and having success.

There are some people who appear to be successful yet have an internal battle with themselves to either do better or prove that they are not a fraud when they have reached their desired achievement. This is a daily struggle for individuals who cope with imposter syndrome and high-function anxiety.

It may be surprising but high-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome are closely linked. Both conditions can affect an individual in very similar ways and they can reinforce each other, making both feel worse. High-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome are not diagnosable mental health conditions, but they can significantly impact mental wellbeing.

What is high-functioning anxiety?

High-functioning anxiety is a term used to describe someone who is experiencing anxiety symptoms but maintains a high level of functionality and ability to succeed in their everyday life.

People with high-functioning anxiety tend to strive for perfection, excessively overthink, anticipate the worst-case scenario, and have an intense fear of failure. This stimulates feelings of stress and anxiety, eventually leading to burnout.

Living with high-functioning anxiety can feel like having an immense amount of pressure within the mind, driving unachievable and unrealistic goals and expectations. It is like feeling as if you have the perform at a high level all the time without taking the time to look after and care for yourself.

What is imposter syndrome?

According to Nuffield Health, around 70 to 84% of people will experience imposter syndrome at some point in their life.

Imposter syndrome is a cognitive distortion where an individual will doubt their skills, abilities, and accomplishments. These individuals often doubt their own history and track record, feeling anxious about not experiencing success or that they are not deserving of their success despite their accomplishments. They may believe that they have landed their desired job role because of luck rather than their actual skill and abilities, leading to self-doubt and a lack of confidence.

Living with imposter syndrome provokes feelings of being a fraud in professional or personal life, that achievements gained through hard work down to luck rather than skill and ability. It can make a person feel worthless, out of control, and subsequently increases the chances of mental health issues, like depression.

How is imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety related?

There is a strong link between high-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome as much of the two share qualities, such as self-doubt, fear of failure, and perfectionism.

Someone with high-functioning anxiety is more likely to experience imposter syndrome and vice versa, as the two conditions share similar psychological patterns and reinforce each other. For example, an individual experiencing imposter syndrome may feel that they are a fraud in their job and may feel the need to overwork.

Both conditions have similar experiences, however, their reasons for feeling the way they do may stem from different causes.

Persistent self-doubt

People with imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety may feel an immense sense if persistent self-doubt and question their achievements. These individuals tend to doubt their skills, abilities, and successes, passing them off as luck and feeling the need to overwork, regardless of their achievements.

Perfectionism and overworking

Often, people with high-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome have a need for perfection, and as a result overwork. High-functioning anxiety strive for perfection because they feel compelled to work harder to overcome their anxiety and imposter syndrome because of their desire to prove that they are good enough.

This desire for perfectionism can compel an individual with imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety to overworking just to keep up with their own unrealistic expectations, subsequently impacting mental wellbeing.

Fear of failure

Both conditions fear failure and being exposed as incompetent. Imposter syndrome through fear of being found out as a fraud and someone with high-functioning anxiety because of their high expectations and standards they set themselves.

This fear failure pushes these individuals to overwork to compensate for their anxiety and feeling of inadequacy, pushing their mental health to unhealthy limits. Persistently fearing failure can significantly strain mental health, risking chronic stress, burnout, and depression.

Pressure to perform

Similar to desire for perfectionism, people with high-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome feel the pressure to perform. People with imposter syndrome worry and stress because of the internalize struggle of needing to prove themselves to be worthy of the success, thus feel the pressure to perform. Whereas high-functioning anxiety has an already internalized pressure to excel, stemming from their unrealistic expectations and high standards of themselves.

Effect on mental health

Having a combination of imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety can be debilitating for mental health, often leading to burnout, chronic stress, depression, and other mental health challenges.

Related article: How do you overcome health anxiety?

Burnout

Living with imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety can lead to mental exhaustion, also known as burnout, because of the pressure and excessive need to prove themselves and avoid failure. The fear of failure and feeling like a fraud combined with the excessive need to overwork to succeed or prove themselves can lead to neglecting impacts on mental wellbeing.

It may even lead to emotional suppression, further implicating their mental wellbeing. The emotional suppression and lack of being able to switch off from work may push an individual to eventually experiencing burnout. To balance this, mental health challenges must be addressed through support, such as counselling.

Related article: How to prevent burnout

Low self-esteem and depression

Imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety erodes mental wellbeing through prolonged self-doubt, excessive pressure, and high expectations. They often feel worthless from doubting their abilities, exhaustion from overworking, and believe that no matter how hard they work they will never reach their high expectations and standards. Overtime this will increase negative self-esteem and risk depression.

Loneliness

Living with imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety can increase the likelihood of loneliness and social isolation. People experiencing imposter syndrome may feel as though they will eventually be exposed for their lack of ability to where they may avoid asking for help and getting close to people because of fears of being seen as a fraud. High-functioning anxiety can also increase the chance of loneliness as these individuals focus on overworking so much that they can miss out on social occasions, as a result they may fall victim of social isolation and loneliness.

Related article: What is High-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome

How can organisations minimise the effects of imposter syndrome and high-functioning anxiety?

1. Recognise achievements Recognising achievements is vital when managing someone with imposter syndrome, high-functioning anxiety, or both. Showing that you are grateful and happy with an individual’s work can be a great mood booster and improve employee satisfaction within the workplace. Recognising an employee for their achievements is a great way to build self-confidence, feel valued, and provide a sense of belonging to the team.

2. Build a trusting environment Cultivate a trusting and open environment within the office where people feel as though they can discuss their worries without judgement or consequences. This will make it easier and safer to ask for help when they need the support. Start by listening to your people more and acting on appropriate feedback to empower your team. Have an open-door policy where your people can speak to your leaders as much as they need. Train your managers to be able to support your people properly, such life and leadership training courses.

3. Offer mental support Providing professional, easy to access, and free mental health support is key when supporting your people with their mental health. Not only does it benefit your people personally and professionally, it is also known to boost productivity and employee satisfaction.

Counsellors offer different perspectives, helpful advice, and a place to vent all troubles, offsetting problematic symptoms of mental health challenges, like high-functioning anxiety and imposter syndrome, without long wait times and costly fees.