High Functioning Depression: What Is It And What Are Its 5 Signs?
Each person is different and each depression can be different. When we talk about depression, many people think of a person who cannot cope with everyday life. Depression has many faces and can appear differently in each person. Next, we are going to talk about high-functioning depression and the signs that may indicate that we may be suffering from this type of depression.
High-functioning depression is not a clinical term, it arises from the need to respond to quite common situations in everyday life, where the person can have an apparently good life, but does not feel fulfilled. It may be difficult for you to get excited, motivated, enjoy yourself, or notice anguish that persists over time.
Major depression is a serious and common mental health disorder that affects a large number of people. The sadness or lack of energy that can accompany a complicated situation does not have to be depression
Depression involves a depressed mood, complete or almost complete loss of pleasure in previously pleasurable activities, difficulty concentrating, and some somatic changes for most of the day. In order to diagnose major depression, some of the symptoms must occur for a period of at least two weeks:
Depression is very complex, and that is why the causes can be varied. Some of the risk factors when we talk about depression may be: family history of depression, traumatic situations, biological causes, health problems, genetic or social factors.
Smiling depression or high-functioning depression is not a clinical diagnosis. Born from the need to respond to how many people feel Although it has become a fairly widespread and colloquially used concept, many mental health professionals do not agree with using this term, because they believe that depression can be stigmatized or downplayed.
High-functioning depression has different faces and manifests itself differently in each person, although it does present some symptoms in common. Therefore, high-functioning depression can be clinically described as dysthymia, which refers to a persistent depressive disorder. It is a mild form of depression that lasts more than two years. They do not present loss of energy among their symptoms, and they show high perfectionism.
Among others, this term refers to the daily effort that people with high-functioning depression make to hide their suffering from those around them. They know how to camouflage how they feel quite well and can have a smiling and successful “facade”. They comply with their routines and social relationships despite the apathy or discomfort they may feel Some of the reasons that may explain why people tend to hide the symptoms of dysthymia may be:
5 Signs of High-Functioning Depression
Although a person with high-functioning depression may manifest symptoms similar to those of a person with major depression. “Smiling depression” has some characteristics that differentiate it:
1. Symptoms
The symptoms of smiling depression are less intense than those of major depression, therefore, they seem more manageable Just because it seems that way, doesn’t mean that it is. They need to appear “normal” and pretend that they are efficient, effective and competent. All this generates a fairly large expenditure of resources.
People with this type of depression can continue with their work, carry out their daily activities, and maintain healthy relationships. They know very well how to mask the symptoms they are feeling, either consciously or unconsciously.
3. Chronification
They may present chronic somatic symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches as a sign of their effort to try to hide what they feel from their environment.
4. Hardness with oneself
They tend to be very self-critical, perfectionist and demanding people. They do not allow themselves to doubt, fail or show insecurity.
5. Stress
Although they meet the objectives, it takes them a lot of effort to carry them out. They do it with very high stress levels, which have a psychological cost. Until we reach the limit
Conclusions
Any type of depression, including high-functioning depression, makes everyday life more difficult. Although we talk about high-functioning or smiling depression, it does not mean that it is less serious. If when we stop or slow down the pace of life we lead, a whole series of symptoms emerge that are difficult for us to deal with, it is important that we look for a solution. Dysthymia or high-functioning depression has treatment, this treatment will help us remove stones from our backpack, so that our path is less burdensome
