What’s the Root Cause of My Anxiety? Understanding High-Functioning Anxiety
If you’ve ever typed “What’s the root cause of my anxiety?” into Google, you’re probably not new to anxiety. You’ve likely been living with it for a while. You’ve read articles, listened to podcasts, tried different techniques, and it still feels confusing. A lot of people tell me, “If I could just figure out why I feel this way, then maybe I’d know how to fix it.”
That makes sense. Wanting answers is human, and when anxiety keeps showing up, it’s natural to wonder what’s underneath it.
Here’s the surprising thing: most of the time, there isn’t one single “root cause.” Anxiety is usually more layered than that, and often, it’s been with us longer than we realized,anxiety therapy in Utah and anxiety therapy in Utah can help get to the bottom of it.
Anxiety Isn’t Usually a Defect; It’s Information
When clients ask about the root cause of their anxiety, I often start here: Anxiety is usually trying to tell us something.
Sometimes it grows out of past experiences we don’t want to repeat. Sometimes it’s tied to fear: fear of loss, rejection, abandonment, failure, or not being enough. Other times, it comes from beliefs we picked up along the way, such as:
“I always need to hold everything together.”
“I’m the responsible one.”
“I can’t mess this up.”
Instead of assuming anxiety means something is “wrong” with you, I tend to see it as something your brain learned to do to keep you safe. In many moments of your life, being alert, prepared, or careful may have truly helped. Over time, your nervous system started to treat that state as protection.
That doesn’t make anxiety pleasant. But it does make it understandable.
What High-Functioning Anxiety Often Looks Like
For many women I work with, anxiety doesn’t look like panic attacks or constant meltdowns. It looks efficient, organized, and composed.
You rehearse conversations ahead of time so you don’t say the wrong thing.
You plan far ahead so you’re never caught off guard.
You push yourself harder than you probably need to, because failing or looking “stupid” feels unbearable.
From the outside, it reads as capable and high-functioning. On the inside, it feels like pressure. A steady hum of “don’t mess up.” And when that pattern keeps repeating, the question shows up again:
Why am I like this? What is the root cause?
When Something Small Sends Your Anxiety Spinning
Here’s a common scenario I see.
You get a short email from your boss:
“Can we talk tomorrow?”
Your body reacts instantly. Your stomach drops. Your brain starts racing, rehearsing explanations, replaying everything you’ve done, preparing for the worst-case scenario.
When we slow that down in therapy, it’s rarely about the email itself. It usually touches on something older, maybe memories of being blamed, feeling like you were always “in trouble,” or learning that disappointing someone meant losing safety, approval, or connection.
In those moments, anxiety steps in with a plan:
If I over-prepare, maybe I’ll be safe.
That doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your system learned that vigilance equals protection.
Why I Don’t Rush to “Fix” Anxiety
People sometimes expect a quick answer: “So what’s my root cause?” but every person has their own story, so we explore instead of forcing a single explanation.
We look gently at things like:
When did anxiety first start showing up?
What was happening in your life at the time?
When did you realize, “Oh, this is anxiety”?
What does anxiety seem to be protecting you from?
For many women, the most relieving moment is realizing: this feeling is old, and it had a purpose. Anxiety may not always be helpful anymore, but it didn’t appear out of nowhere.
Anxiety is a normal human experience. Having anxiety does not automatically mean you have an anxiety disorder. The goal isn’t to erase it but to understand it and develop a kinder relationship with it.
A Gentle First Step: Get Curious Instead of Fighting Anxiety
If you’re trying to figure out the root cause of your anxiety, here’s a simple starting point.
When anxiety shows up, pause. Instead of immediately coping, numbing, distracting, or powering through, get curious.
You might ask yourself:
Where do I feel this in my body?
What was happening right before this started?
What is this part of me worried might happen?
When has this feeling tried to protect me before?
This isn’t about over-analyzing yourself. It’s about letting anxiety become information rather than an enemy. Over time, patterns begin to make more sense not because you forced yourself to solve the puzzle, but because you slowed down enough to notice.
So What Is the Root Cause of My Anxiety?
Most of the time, there isn’t one neat explanation. Anxiety usually has layers. There’s a story, there’s history, and there are moments when your brain learned, “If I stay alert, prepare, or keep it together, I’ll be safer.” When we start to understand where that came from, anxiety stops feeling like a personal failure and starts making more sense even if it’s still uncomfortable.
Start Anxiety Therapy in Utah
At Maple Canyon Therapy, you don’t have to untangle this on your own. If you’re ready to start understanding your anxiety instead of fighting it, I’d love to help. You can learn more about my approach to anxiety therapy, and when you’re ready, you can schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.
We’ll talk through what you’re experiencing, answer questions, and see whether therapy feels like a good fit at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
Online Anxiety Therapy in Utah
For many people, online anxiety therapy is just as effective as meeting in person, and in some ways, it can feel even more supportive. You’re able to talk from the comfort of your own home, without commuting, waiting rooms, or rearranging your entire day. Sessions can feel more relaxed and accessible, which often makes it easier to open up and be consistent. This is one of the reasons I offer online therapy in Utah: so you can receive high-quality, compassionate care in a way that fits your life.
I’m able to work with women all across the state, including Salt Lake City, Logan, Provo, St. George, Cedar City, Park City, and more as long as you’re located anywhere in Utah at the time of our sessions.
About the Author
Ashlee Hunt, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and the owner of Maple Canyon Therapy in Utah. She works primarily with adult women who struggle with anxiety, people-pleasing, body image concerns, and the constant pressure to hold everything together. Ashlee has experience across multiple levels of care and has spent years helping women understand their emotions with compassion instead of shame. In addition to her clinical work, Ashlee has served as an adjunct professor at Utah State University, where she has taught and mentored future social workers. Her approach to therapy is relational, trauma-informed, and grounded in curiosity, helping women make sense of their stories and build a kinder, more trusting relationship with themselves.