Episode 76: High-Functioning Anxiety, with psychologist Dr Lalitaa Suglani. Masking sensitivity, ADHD, and strong emotions. Where HFA comes from, the signs, and what you need to know

Enough, the Podcast

What is high-functioning anxiety? Dr Lalitaa Suglani takes us through everything you need to know – how HFA shows up day to day; where it comes from; and what you can do if you think you might have HFA. Dr Suglani is an award-winning psychologist and author of High-Functioning Anxiety: A 5-step guide to calming the inner panic and thriving (Hay House). We get into Dr Lalitaa’s own story of how HFA masked her dyslexia, ADHD, and how perfectionism and people-pleasing were running her life. She shares key actions you can start implementing right away if you recognize HFA in your own life. Poignant and practical. Join us!

1:43 What is HFA?

3:14 What would you be seeing day to day at work with something who has HFA?

4:28 Does HFA show up the same way for men and women?

6:38 Where HFA might come from.

8:06 Lalitaa’s own story.

15:48 Steps to kick off the “unlearning” part of the process.

19:51 Noticing when you’re catastrophising, and when dysregulation. Shadow work.

22:35 Conscious change. Learning to connect with the body.

26:13 How to sit in difficult emotions.

29:45 Coaching question 1 about people pleasing, being taken advantage of, and resentment. How to shift this.

32:22 Coaching question 2 about fear of confrontation and never learning to use one’s voice.

38:18 Coaching question 3 about having ridiculously high standards. Lowering those standards feels like “I can’t hack it.” Intention instead of anxiety.

39:46 Lalitaa’s brick of wisdom.

Links:

Dr Lalitaa Suglani’s website and book

Dr Lalitaa on Instagram

Dr Mandy Lehto on Instagram

Dr Lalitaa on LinkedIn

Dr Mandy Lehto on LinkedIn