Depression is often associated with the inability to get out of bed and do simple tasks. However, one kind of depression, called high-functioning depression, is when someone may look okay but is struggling with persistent sadness.
What Is High-Functioning Depression?
High-functioning depression (also known as functional depression) is a type of mental illness that’s associated with persistent depressive disorder (PDD). Those who struggle with this type of depression can still commit to their responsibilities. You may even see them do well in work, school, or relationships.
However, this form of depression is something that isn’t always seen on the outside. Underneath their “perfection,” they may constantly feel sad or exhausted. It won’t look like the type of depression you’ve come to know, which makes it more difficult to recognize or acknowledge.
When someone has this type of depression, they may have subtle yet chronic symptoms. So, even if they can show up, they still struggle to perform at their best.
Unfortunately, since those with functional depression can still be responsible, their symptoms may go unnoticed by others. It’s easy to dismiss their symptoms, and they may even invalidate their own feelings.
Symptoms of High-Functioning Depression
High-functioning depression is a mental illness that significantly affects your well-being. Here are some of its signs and symptoms:
Constant Low Mood
Depression won’t always look like overwhelming sadness from time to time. Instead, it may look like you are experiencing a constant low mood you can’t escape. This sadness may linger in the background of your life.
The constant low mood associated with depression can persist. You may think that it’s something that will slowly wane, but you’re stuck feeling the same way no matter what happens. Yes, there are still some moments of joy, but there seems to be a heaviness that never disappears.
Excessive Self-Criticism
Another symptom of chronic depression is thinking that you’re not doing enough or that your achievements don’t matter. When you receive praise, you might brush it off and think that someone’s being polite or nice.
Self-criticism happens because many people with this kind of depression hold themselves to incredibly high standards. They see even a small mistake as a major failure, deepening feelings of hopelessness over time.
Lack of Motivation
Simple tasks can be overwhelming for someone with clinical depression, which results in them struggling with a lack of motivation. Simply getting out of bed can be so difficult to get through.
Depression can quickly drain motivation and make you lose that spark you once had when you accomplish something. It’s not even about not wanting to do them. You don’t have enough energy to do so.
Chronic Fatigue
It would seem that no matter how much sleep you get, you still feel tired and don’t have enough energy for the rest of the day. Chronic fatigue can stem from emotional exhaustion, where you can feel like everything is too much.
Depression can take a toll on your energy levels. It isn’t easy to do what you want to do, and that’s why it’s so important to take this condition seriously.
Social Withdrawal
People with depression may still show up for certain events. They may also reply to messages. But it doesn’t mean it’s easy for them.
Those who struggle with this condition can find it exhausting to be around people, so they end up canceling plans at the last minute. If they do go out, it feels like everything is disconnected, like they’re running on autopilot.
Possible Causes of Functional Depression
There is no one cause of depressive symptoms. Some people may experience it because of a certain life event, but others may experience depression because of their brain chemistry. Here are some possible causes of functional depression:
Brain Chemistry
One of the reasons why one may experience depression is because of an imbalance in their brain chemicals. Neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine regulate mood and emotions.
When these neurotransmitters are out of balance, you may experience sadness and hopelessness.
Genetics
If you have a family member who struggles with depression, you may also be predisposed to experience it. While this can be a contributing factor to the probability of facing depression, it’s not the sole reason or cause.
Unresolved Trauma
Unresolved trauma can also be a cause of depression because you’re constantly trying to suppress your emotions. Trauma can be anything from childhood neglect to the loss of a loved one.
Those with functional depression may feel like they have to put a brave face on and not feel their feelings. However, instead of appearing strong and competent, suppressing emotions can harm your overall well-being.
Chronic Stress
People with functional depression may struggle with their disorder because of chronic stress. When you have to constantly deal with heavy workloads and long hours with little downtime, you may start to experience burnout.
Failing to seek help for burnout can slowly lead to depression. Your body will need the proper support to get through this difficult time, and without it, you’ll suffer unfortunate consequences.
Major Depressive Disorder vs High-Functioning Depression
To understand more about high-functioning depression (HFD), let’s look at its differences with major depressive disorder (MDD). Both are related to PDD, but learning about their differences can shed light on why they are serious problems.
MDD has severe and intense symptoms, where you experience overwhelming sadness. On the other hand, HFD is more of a persistent sadness where you can still show up to your responsibilities but feel too emotionally exhausted.
When someone is struggling with HFD, you may feel like you’re stuck in life. It’s like you’re dissatisfied with what’s happening, but you have no choice but to go through the motions. In MDD, people have a high risk of suicidal ideation because they have intense feelings of hopelessness, where they feel like life is unbearable.
How to Help a Loved One With Depression
If you think a friend or a family member is struggling with the symptoms of depression, there are different ways you can genuinely support them:
- Educate Yourself: Learning more about the disorder can teach you to encourage someone else without turning to toxic positivity.
- Offer Non-Judgmental Support: It can be difficult to help someone with depression, especially when they’re dismissive or unresponsible. Being patient and offering non-judgemental support can go a long way to letting them know that their feelings are valid.
- Be Mindful of Your Well-Being: It’s also okay to set your boundaries to prioritize your mental health. Try to seek support from your friends and recognize when it’s time to take a step back when someone else’s mental health is slowly affecting your own.
- Encourage Professional Help: Lastly, always try to encourage professional help. Seeking professional help is the best way to manage depression, but there’s no need to force someone else to do so. It’s better to approach this gently so that they don’t feel like they’re being pushed to do so.
How to Treat and Manage Persistent Depressive Disorder
The best way to treat depression is to seek help from a mental health professional. With professional help, you’ll have access to evidence-based therapy. Therapists can help you identify negative thought patterns so that you can develop coping strategies to manage your symptoms.
Mental health professionals also know how to personalize and adjust treatment. So when something isn’t working, they’ll know what other approaches to use. This gives you the best shot at healing and recovery.
Professional help may also include medication to stabilize your mood and reduce symptoms. Common medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which help increase serotonin levels.
Get Help for Depression at Luxe Recovery
Depression can make your days darker, and it will often feel like there is no hope in the end. It might look like waking up daily with a heavy heart and a deep emptiness. While this is the reality of struggling with depression, there’s no need to go through it alone.
At Luxe Recovery, we value your mental health, and we’re here to give you the help you need. Our team knows that caring for your mental health is essential to living a fulfilling life. You deserve to feel better, so don’t hesitate to contact us today.
