High-functioning depression is surely more desirable than severe, chronic depression, but high-functioning people encounter a unique set of challenges. They could be too well to actively display their symptoms, but too unwell to easily maintain their relationships and responsibility. People with high-functioning depression can find themselves stuck in the middle.
Functional depression professional#
It is critical that individuals with low mood, apathy, or changes in sleep or appetite see a physician or mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of depression with enough regularity that you’re using the term “high-functioning depression” to describe your state, it’s a good idea to speak with a therapist. Feelings of depression are common in college students, professionals, homemakers, retirees, and everyone in between. It’s important to recognize that depression does not discriminate. Gain in weight, or loss of weight without intention.Tiredness, lethargy, in spite of adequate sleep.Feeling irritable or easily annoyed by others.Difficulty focusing at work, school, or home.
In addition, you may have one or more of the following symptoms: 2 You may be depressed and still high-functioning if you feel persistent sadness or loss of interest in your normally enjoyable activities. People are counting on me, so I’ll do what I have to do.” It is not a distinct clinical diagnosis and may be a sign of a particular form of depression, such as PDD or a Major Depressive Episode. I can push myself to get through this day. High-functioning depression may feel like being sad or low energy but still doing what needs to be done. What It Feels Like to Have High-Functioning Depression Frequent comments of regrets about the past.Statements of feeling sad, down, or empty.Excessive sleep, more than 10 hours daily for teens.Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
Appearing low energy in spite of adequate sleep.Less involvement in activities that they previously enjoyed.Lower productivity, or decrease in overall activity.They may also have milder symptoms of depression. The depressed person may always have a smile on (sometimes referred to as smiling depression), but that doesn’t change their mental health. People at any age may be depressed and yet appear to be high-functioning. Over time, though, major depressive episodes will make functioning at a high level very difficult. A person could have major depressive symptoms but still function well for a period. High-functioning depression may be highly related to an episode of major depression. PDD, formally called dysthymic disorder, involves long-term depressive symptoms that seem to be consistent and steady.
Someone who is high-functioning but also having symptoms of low mood may be experiencing a mild version of Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), which is diagnosable and treatable. They may have milder symptoms of a depressive disorder, and they might mask their depression, so others would never recognize it is present. High-functioning depression is a term used to describe someone who, despite having the symptoms of a depressive disorder, can function well in various aspects of life, like work, school, home, and relationships.