Why Do High Achievers Have Anxiety?

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Why Do High Achievers Struggle with Anxiety?

​​Trying to fulfill all the areas of your life and make sure you are hitting the mark and beyond as a partner, parent, coworker, boss, etc. It’s a lot of pressure. There is a lot of pressure to keep all the balls in the air, perform at optimal levels, and not let one drop.

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According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “generalized anxiety affects 6.8 million adults, with women twice as likely to be affected.”

In this blog, I’m giving an overview of anxiety and the reasons why high achievers experience anxiety. 

I am an online anxiety therapist Wilmington NC and work with anxious high achieving women. I provide anxiety treatment, and also specialize in perfectionism treatment and overcoming burnout. 

Online therapy in North Carolina and Maryland is available.

Feeling ready to start therapy with me? Click the button below to online reserve your free 15-minute consultation on the date and time of your choice.

Keep reading to learn more about anxiety and high achievers.


Causes of Anxiety in High Achievers

There are many reasons why high-achievers have anxiety. Sometimes it can be purely biological, such as having a family history of anxiety so you come by it naturally. Other times it can be environmental or external causes of stress creating anxiety.

Whatever the reason, these are some of the main causes of anxiety I often see with my anxious high-achieving clients.


High-Achievers and Imposter Syndrome

I’ve never met a high-achiever that didn’t experience imposter syndrome at one point or another. Self-doubt and comparisons take over. Measuring yourself up against that other parent or coworker, questioning yourself if you know what you are doing or have the skills and knowledge. 

These thoughts will come but when we feed into them and give these thoughts power, it can certainly raise anxiety levels.

High-Achievers Have Difficulty Saying “No”

High-achievers can often be found perpetuating their anxiety. For example, the high-achiever often has so much on their plate which increases stress and anxiety, and often have difficulty saying “no” thus overcommitting or overextending themselves. 

Saying “no” is especially difficult for people-pleasing high-achievers.

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High-Achievers Have Challenges Asking for Help

Some high-achievers may find it difficult to ask for help. For a high-achiever, asking for help may be seen as a sign of failure or not being good enough, but chances are receiving the help could lessen the stress and anxiety.


How Do High-Achievers Measure Success?

The success meter

You are constantly measuring yourself against it. Not only are you measuring yourself against it but how are you defining success? 

How you defined success 5-10 years ago may not look the same now yet that is your idea of what success is. Sometimes those ideas and values stop aligning. When this happens it can create problems such as anxiety and depression.


Start Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for High Achievers in Wilmington, NC at Calm Waters Counseling

Anxious high achievers often have a lot on their plate and it is important to understand some of what may cause the anxiety to keep happening. 

Anxiety is one of the leading mental health diagnoses for women and anxiety can show up differently for each person. Due to the qualities of high-achievers, they may be more susceptible to experiencing prolonged anxiety.

I use ACT for therapy with anxious high achievers

Learn how to get started in ACT therapy using the steps below.

Get started in therapy at Calm Waters Counseling by following these 4 simple steps:

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  1. Click the button below to schedule your free 15-minute consultation

  2. Complete the brief questionnaire sent to your email before the consultation

  3. Meet with your anxiety therapist

  4. Start learning how to better manage your anxiety and create the life you want.

 

Therapy for High Achievers in Wilmington, NC at Calm Waters Counseling

Learn more about me, a therapist in Wilmington, NC, and my virtual counseling practice.

Working with anxious high-achieving women is where my passion lives and helping them work through the challenges of anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout.

Check out all services at Calm Waters Counseling, listed below:

Anxiety therapy in Wilmington, NC

Treatment for Perfectionism in Maryland

Burnout Counseling in Wilmington, NC

Therapy for Imposter Syndrome in Wilmington, NC

 
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Online therapy is proven to be effective and online therapy can meet the needs of high achievers with a busy schedule and a lot on their plate. 

Online therapy offers flexibility for appointments by connecting with your online therapist on a safe and secure platform where both the therapist and client see and hear each other. 

Similar to using ACT for in-person therapy appointments, using ACT for online therapy is just as effective. Acceptance and commitment therapy can be very experiential but that does not get limited by online therapy appointments.


I am an online therapist in North Carolina and an online therapist in Maryland. For more information on receiving online therapy for high achievers in those states, click the links below.

online therapy for anxiety in North Carolina

online anxiety therapy in Maryland

 

Still, have questions? Click the buttons below to learn even more!

 

Written by: Laura Rippeon, LCSW, LCSW-C

Updated 3/17/23