What Is High Functioning Depression?
Sometimes, we all get sad or lazy. These feelings are short-lived and often caused by factors that make anyone blue or more tired than usual. We all have days where we just feel like putting on our favorite movie and being lazy and unproductive. We certainly need those days with how hectic life can get!
Depression, however, is entirely different. It causes feelings of sadness and exhaustion to stick around. Life events, like the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or change in a relationship can trigger it. It can also be inherited from family, a side effect of certain medications, or a brain chemistry imbalance.
Spotting it in others can be difficult. The hardest to notice is high-functioning depression, meaning someone functions relatively well while still feeling symptoms of depression consistently for two or more years.
What Does Depression Look Like?
Symptoms of Major Depression Disorder
When people are depressed, their ability to function in daily life becomes compromised. They may be diagnosed with Major depressive disorder or clinical depression. It’s characterized by…
Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
Pessimistic outlook on life
Irritable and restless behavior
Unexplained feelings of guilt and helplessness
Low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness
Little to no pleasure in previously beloved activities
Persistent feelings of exhaustion and slowness
Trouble concentrating and remembering key details
Changes in sleep patterns—oversleeping or having trouble falling asleep
Unexplained aches and pains resistant to treatment
Thinking about your own death, whether it’s accidental or planned
To be diagnosed with clinical depression, several symptoms must be present and need to last two or more weeks consecutively. It's also important to rule out any other conditions causing these symptoms.
Symptoms of High-Functioning Depression
High-functioning depression—also known as Persistent Depressive Disorder or Dysthymia—includes all the feelings of hopelessness and emptiness that come with clinical depression without completely affecting someone’s ability to function.
Someone who’s high-functioning may…
Perform well at work, but feel exhausted instead of energized by accomplishing tasks.
Manage relationships well while feeling emotionally distant or resentful
Experience more somatic symptoms as a result of keeping emotions pressed down (headaches, digestive issues, breakouts, low sex drive, etc.)
Self-medicate with drugs and alcohol
Feel like they’re never hungry or overeat comfort foods that are high in carbs and sugar to stifle the central nervous system and boost serotonin.
High-functioning depression is more challenging to diagnose because several symptoms will need to be present for two or more years.
Treatment Options For High-Functioning Depression
High-functioning depression is easier to hide because the symptoms aren’t as severe as clinical depression, but that doesn’t mean intervention is unnecessary. Without intervention, symptoms may worsen to the point of it turning into clinical depression.
Self-care is an important treatment option for those dealing with high-functioning depression. Ensuring that you give your body a well-balanced diet, enough sleep, and exercise can help improve mental health overall.
Remember that high-functioning does not mean fully functioning. If you’re struggling at home, at work, or in your relationships because of your depression, it could be time to work with a counselor.
Getting ahead of symptoms is always better than letting them simmer. Therapists can be a great option because they keep your details private, prepare you to face life's hardest questions, and give you coping skills that work.
You don’t have to act like life is better when it’s not. Instead, give yourself a fighting chance to feel better. Reach out to learn more about depression therapy and how it can help you find relief.
