Many college students attend class, turn in assignments, keep up with friends, and hold down a job. From the outside, they appear to be doing well. Privately, however, they may struggle with constant worry, sadness, or numbness. When depression or anxiety takes this form, it is often referred to as “high-functioning” depression or anxiety.
Keeping up with one’s responsibilities doesn’t necessarily mean someone is okay. Learning more about anxiety and depression can help college students tell if something is wrong, even if it doesn’t appear that way from the outside.
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High-Functioning Anxiety in College Students and Young Adults: Signs and Symptoms
The Mayo Clinic defines high-functioning anxiety as a subset of a generalized anxiety disorder. It shares many symptoms with anxiety disorders more broadly. These include:
- Constant worry or stress
- A fear of criticism or looking foolish to others
- Frequent, significant self-criticism
- Feeling a loss of control or sense of impending doom
- Muscle tension, headaches, or a fast heartbeat
- Sleep disturbances
“High-functioning anxiety” is an umbrella term, not a diagnosis. It refers to a level of anxiety that impacts someone but still allows them to function relatively well in their daily life. However, such anxiety still harms one’s mental and emotional well-being in important ways.
The Mayo Clinic notes that individuals with high-functioning anxiety tend to overcommit themselves out of a fear of failure. They can be prone to issues associated with chronic stress. They may also neglect self-care, such as proper sleep and nutrition. This can all lead to exhaustion and burnout. A constant fear of criticism can also negatively impact one’s relationships and self-esteem.
A college student with high-functioning anxiety may earn strong grades and participate broadly in extracurricular activities. However, the fear of failure or disappointing others may drive that achievement. Anxious students may worry often about their academic performance, relationships, or overall competence. As such, the term “high-functioning” can mask the true challenges and harmful impacts of anxiety.
Depression and High-Functioning Anxiety in College Students: When Two Conditions Occur Together
Like high-functioning anxiety, “high-functioning depression” refers to someone who struggles with depression symptoms but still manages their daily life and responsibilities well. The Cleveland Clinic notes that depression is associated with persistent sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities. Someone with high-functioning depression may experience all of these to varying degrees, but still be broadly successful in their academics, work, or relationships.
Anxiety and depression frequently occur together, with over 60% of individuals with anxiety showing symptoms of depression. This combination is common in college students. Together, these conditions can create a painful spiral of withdrawal, exhaustion, and self-doubt. When depression and anxiety occur together in college students, some signs may include:
- Attending classes and extracurricular activities without any interest
- Feeling exhausted but restless because of racing thoughts
- Pushing oneself to achieve while feeling worthless inside
- Withdrawing from friends while worrying one is letting them down
How to Ask for Mental Health Help When You’re Still Functioning
Many students hesitate to reach out for help because they feel they aren’t struggling “enough.” However, high-functioning depression and anxiety are still serious conditions that harm one’s quality of life and require treatment. No amount of perceived success in daily life changes that fact. No one needs to reach a breaking point before help is warranted.
If you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) outlines some steps that can make reaching out for help easier:
- Start with someone you trust. This could be a friend, relative, or mentor. Sharing your worries can offer relief and point you toward treatment, even if you haven’t figured everything out yet.
- Be specific about your experience. Try to describe your thoughts, problems, and concerns in detail. If you’ve had lasting symptoms, try to share how long they’ve lasted and how they affect your mood, relationships, and daily life.
- Choose a starting point for treatment. Think about what you want in a provider, what resources you can access in your area, and which providers and services are covered by your insurance. Narrowing down your options can ease the anxiety of decision-making and help you find the right provider faster.
It can also help to know what to expect from treatment. The Cleveland Clinic notes that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and similar approaches can help individuals address the thoughts that contribute to anxiety and depression. Medication can also play an important role in treating anxiety or depression, as appropriate. A medical professional can help determine whether you’re experiencing an anxiety disorder, depression, both, or another concern.
Why You Can Feel Depressed and Anxious Even When Your Life Looks Good
Depression and anxiety are both mental health conditions that impact your emotional well-being as much as your daily life. While these conditions can arise in reaction to traumatic or stressful experiences, they don’t always wait for a logical cause or “reason” to appear. That doesn’t make their effects any less serious. Even when the effects of these conditions aren’t clearly visible to others, they may impact your confidence, energy, and self-esteem.
The good news is that both anxiety and depression are treatable. Reaching out to your campus counseling center, student health service, primary care provider, or a therapist can help you understand what you’re experiencing and determine what support may be appropriate.
Find Support for Anxiety and Depression at Luna Recovery for Women
High-functioning anxiety and depression may allow you to succeed in your studies, but they take a significant toll on your mental and emotional well-being.
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression and are looking for a treatment program, we are here to help. Luna Recovery for Women is proud to offer women-centered mental health and addiction treatment that empowers women to heal in a compassionate, supportive, and understanding environment.
To learn more about treatment options, and our Brookline, MA location catered to college students, please contact Luna Recovery for Women at (888) 491-3722 today.