High-Functioning Depression: The Silent Struggle of Those Who Seem Fine

“Life can be hard sometimes” is a sentiment many people share. It’s only in recent years that this sentiment has been taken seriously and given a form. The awareness of clinical depression is at an all-time high, with clear signs helping professionals diagnose and treat those who can’t muster the energy not just to survive but thrive.

However, cases don’t need to be so extreme to be considered serious. Signs like feeling unhappy with yourself or occasionally not having the energy to socialize are considered less debilitating but still tied to depression. If you think you might be battling high functioning depression, then read along as we take a look at what this entails and how you can handle it.

Functioning By Pushing Through

The term “high-functioning depression” might seem counterintuitive. Suffering from depression usually has the effect of reducing your functionality. You find it hard to get up in the morning to care about your daily responsibilities. However, you don’t need to lose function to be depressed.

If you’re battling with a form of persistent depressive disorder, then you can still go about your day while battling constant fatigue and a lack of energy. Some other signs that you might be battling high-functioning depression include:

Being Unable to See the Positives

Life is undeniably challenging, and it can sometimes feel like we are fighting an uphill battle. However, there are always highlights, and it is just a matter of perspective. As someone battling high-functioning depression, you might find it challenging to see the positives. You’ll know this is the case when the people around you describe you as a “downer,” someone who finds it hard to see the bright side of situations.

Lacking the Energy to Function Fully

This doesn’t mean that you sit around all day and do nothing. Remember, we’re talking about high-functioning individuals. But you might not always get things done when you’re meant to, or even well. Working with low energy might make you seem lazy to someone who doesn’t fully see your struggle.

Find it Hard to Feel Good About Yourself

Self-love is the first line of emotional defence. The people around you might not always give you the love and support you need to feel good about yourself. But that won’t matter when you truly love yourself.

When dealing with high-functioning depression, you might not always be able to feel good about yourself. Deep down, you have self-love, but it won’t always be so clear how much you matter to yourself. This, coupled with other symptoms, can have a heavy emotional toll.

Slightly Noticeable Effects on Your Well-Being

People managing high-functioning depression try to stay healthy, as they might not exhibit any self-harming symptoms. However, your mood may affect your diet, leading to weight fluctuations and potentially resulting in minor health complications.

Struggling to Maintain Your Relationships

It’s unlikely that you will be fighting high-functioning depression alone. You’ll have relationships fighting for the few mental resources you can muster after surviving your personal battles. With so few emotional and mental resources to spare, your interpersonal relationships might end up suffering.You might find it challenging to stay in touch with close friends or check in on your family members.

Why It Isn’t Always Apparent and Possible Solutions

The reason this condition isn’t always so easy to diagnose lies in the title. The first obvious sign of clinical depression is the breakdown of daily operations with no underlying physical issues. Victims of high-functioning depression don’t have this problem. We also live in a society that glorifies overcoming challenges. Complaining about difficulty is often perceived as a weakness, which discourages people from being open about the obstacles they face.

While high-functioning depression has no standardized clinical approaches, you aren’t out of options. For instance, you could consider neurofeedback for depression

 as an approach to dealing with emotional and mental depletion.

This often involves monitoring your brainwaves using an EEG and using positive stimuli to maintain wave activity within acceptable levels. It is non-invasive and is used to tackle other disorders as well, like ADHD, anxiety, and trauma. Successful sessions will help you better regulate your emotions, improve your attention, and even reduce the symptoms of your depression.

Conclusion

You shouldn’t have to suffer in silence. High-functioning depression is a storm you don’t need to weather alone. Recognize the symptoms in yourself, ask for help if needed, and take whatever steps are necessary to get better.