We often picture anxiety as something loud and disruptive — panic attacks, visible stress, or breakdowns. But for many high-functioning women, anxiety wears a much quieter mask. It hides behind polished resumes, color-coded calendars, full plates, and even fuller minds.
In this eye-opening episode of the Health After 30 Podcast, I’m joined by Shradha Cripe, creator of Decoding Anxiety and founder of Beyond the Mind, to explore why anxiety often shows up in women who seem to “have it all together” — and what we can actually do to heal it.
🧠 What Is High-Functioning Anxiety?
High-functioning anxiety isn’t a clinical diagnosis — but it’s a very real experience. It’s the inner unrest that exists behind outward success. It’s the constant worry, people-pleasing, second-guessing, over-preparing, and overthinking that many women have normalized.
Shradha shares how chronic worry, self-doubt, and internal pressure became her norm — even though on the outside, her life looked “fine.” Sound familiar?
“People told me I was doing great. But I knew something wasn’t right inside my body. I wasn’t okay — I just didn’t have the language or the tools to explain it.”
🔍 Why Are So Many Women Struggling in Silence?
In our conversation, we dive into why this experience is so common — particularly for women after 30. The reasons are layered and complex:
- Undiagnosed ADHD or other forms of neurodiversity
- Societal pressure to “do it all” — perfectly
- Suppressed emotions and poor boundaries
- Disconnected support systems
- Misunderstood symptoms, often minimized or misdiagnosed
Many women are navigating careers, relationships, parenting, aging parents, and hormonal shifts, all while ignoring the loud whispers of their own mental and emotional health.
🔑 Decoding Anxiety: A New Framework
Shradha introduces her program Decoding Anxiety, which helps women understand and untangle the unique way anxiety shows up in their lives.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Anxiety is a signal, not a flaw. It’s your body trying to communicate. The goal isn’t to eliminate it — it’s to build a relationship with it.”
Her approach blends:
- Neuroscience & mindfulness
- Lifestyle & nutritional factors
- Emotional literacy & boundary work
- Trauma-informed support
Through her framework, women learn to listen to their bodies, identify triggers, and respond with clarity and compassion — not shame.
🍬 The Surprising Impact of Sugar & Routine
One powerful insight Shradha shared was her discovery that sugar consumption was a major anxiety trigger. She normalized her Sunday night dread for years — until she connected it to weekend sugar intake.
This is just one example of how subtle patterns in our lifestyle choices (like nutrition, sleep, and movement) can create ongoing emotional symptoms.
It’s not always “all in your head” — sometimes it’s in your gut, your habits, or your unspoken needs.
🧩 ADHD, Anxiety & Women’s Health
Shradha also opens up about being diagnosed with ADHD later in life — and how the signs were overlooked for years because she was “doing well” on the outside.
Many women are living with undiagnosed or misdiagnosed neurodiversity. Instead of support, they often receive shame, labels, or dismissal — especially when anxiety is present.
Understanding your mind — and how it naturally functions — is a crucial part of reclaiming your well-being. Labels aren’t about boxing you in; they’re about freeing you to create a life that works for you.
❤️ Healing Anxiety Starts With Self-Understanding
Shradha’s biggest message? You are not broken. You’re just wired uniquely — and you can learn how to work with it.
Healing anxiety isn’t about eliminating emotions. It’s about:
- Creating language for your inner world
- Building support systems that see you
- Giving yourself permission to slow down
- Rewriting the inner narratives that hold you back
- Working with your body and brain, not against them
🎧 Tune Into the Full Episode
👉 Listen to “Why High-Functioning Women Struggle With Anxiety (And What To Do)”
This is a must-listen for any woman who’s ever felt like she’s “too much” and “not enough” at the same time. You’ll walk away with real tools, deeper self-compassion, and a powerful new lens on your mental health.
About Shradha Cripe
Shradha Cripe is a writer, educator, and the founder of Beyond the Mind, a platform focused on improving mental and emotional well-being through education, self-awareness, and technology. Her personal journey with high-functioning anxiety and late-diagnosed ADHD led her to create Decoding Anxiety — a practical, compassionate program designed to help women uncover the root causes of their overwhelm and build lasting emotional resilience.
With a background in research, storytelling, and tech for social impact, Shradha’s work empowers women to stop masking their anxiety and start understanding it. Through her advocacy, she’s helping reframe the conversation around mental health, neurodiversity, and how we define success in a high-pressure world.
LinkedIn: https://tr.ee/Jnd3EBq_Rl
Instagram: instagram.com/shradhacripe/
Website: shradha.co/