Signs & Symptoms of High Functioning Depression
High-functioning depression is not technically a diagnostic term. But it does an excellent job of simply describing what’s going on. Depression is a common, widely-known mood disorder. Still, it manifests differently in each person. Some people may have all the classic symptoms but they are not obvious.
These folks can function on a daily basis and their condition goes almost fully unnoticed by the people in their lives. High-functioning depression has sometimes been called “smiling depression” since the person in question takes active steps to conceal their illness. Their intentions may be noble but depression cannot and should not go untreated.
Why Do Some People Try to “Hide” Their Depression?
The reasons can vary widely from person to person but some common threads exist, for example:
Their depression symptoms feel less severe thus, they feel confident they can manage them without any fuss.
They do not want to become a burden or have their loved ones worrying about them.
Some people are introverted and simply do not want the attention aimed at their situation.
Other folks view any type of illness — mental or physical — to be a sign of weakness and will therefore take extreme steps to avoid being labeled as such.
Variations exist but these are the most common underlying tendencies and beliefs. As a result, high-functioning depression can go undiagnosed for a dangerously long time.
Signs & Symptoms of Depression and High-Functioning Depression
All depressive disorders involve both emotional and physical symptoms. The hallmark is a chronic feeling of sadness, grief, or emptiness. Other sensations and emotions connected to depression include:
Hopelessness
Pessimism
Worthlessness
Guilt and shame
Anxiety
Irritability
Anger
Low self-esteem
Self-criticism and perfectionism
Mood disruptions may create:
Poor concentration
Difficulty making decisions
Withdrawing from activities you once enjoy (including sex)
Decreased productivity
A fixation on self-harm, death, dying, and suicide
Common physical signs:
Slowed movement and speech
Changes in sleep patterns (less or more)
Changes in eating patterns (less or more)
Weight gain or loss
Otherwise unexplained physical issues like muscle aches and tension along with headaches and cramps
Low libido
Compromised immune system
Specific to High Functioning Depression
Please keep in mind that someone with severe depression can be effectively high-functioning. This means they are possibly masking suicidal ideation in an effective way. Hence, their signs and symptoms are more subtle to identify. A few trends to watch for:
The person handles daily tasks, performs at work, and participates in a relationship but it usually requires a Herculean effort.
Suppressing emotional symptoms from friends, family members, and loved ones results in a spike in the physical symptoms described above.
Self-medication in the form of drinking, substance abuse, overeating, sex, video games, gambling, and more.
As you can see, a sincere desire to not worry people in your life can rapidly snowball into some genuinely dangerous scenarios. A strong first step is to practice some self-love, via:
Accept what is happening: Recognize your good intentions can’t change the fact that you’re making some unhealthy choices
Try something new: Break out of your routine and consciously seek out joy
Reject perfectionism: Embrace imperfection as something that makes you wonderfully human
Open up to trusted loved ones: Let people know you’re struggling and ask for support
Talk to a professional: Get the help you need and deserve
The attempts to hide your pain won’t help you recover. All the best self-help tips in the world can’t bring you the relief you crave. I’d love to guide you through this process of discovery and recovery. You do not have to live with depression. You can heal and thrive and it all begins with a single phone call. Let’s connect soon so I can help you through depression therapy.
