8 Signs You Have High Functioning Depression

High-functioning depression is the most misunderstood subtype of depression sufferer.

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Disclaimer: This content is not intended to be a replacement for receiving treatment. It is purely educational in nature. My relationship with you is that of presenter and audience, not therapist and client.

But I do care.

[musicmamma]

You just described my life. Ive suffered from this, since age 14. Now 59, I'm burnt-out, tired, and just want peace and a normal life.

[ST-ffzd]

Actor playing a role. Exactly. It's exhausting.

[ChristFollowingNerd]

I think it’s also we’ve carried so much alone for so long & we don’t want to burden anyone else.

[obiblooze]

This is me. Don't feel like I can connect with anyone, although I go through the motions. And yes, never feel really awake, just a zombie, everything is foggy. Nothing is exciting.

[Skrzacik]

I'm all of what you mentioned except the last one. I'm terrified of risk, because I'm terrified of failure, embarrassment, disappointment. I avoid risks at all cost, which results in stagnation...

[private-owl]

1:31 High achieving, but don't feel it's actually good enough
3:24 Quickly dissasemble any good into nothing
5:09 at least one "socially acceptable" addiction
7:29 decent relationships, but feeling alone
9:32 driven by insecurity and inferiority
11:51 never feeling "fully awake"
13:19 hobbies feel like a waste of time
14:31 taking big risks

[peterdragon]

that feeling of "never beeing fully awake", man... if I had to pick one symptom that´s most impactful in my life, it would probably be that. Thank you again for finding the right words regularly.

[sinclaire]

I've known for years that I am high functioning depressed. The amount of people who have told me I'm full of crud is amazing. Therapists of all types have been no real help either. I keep telling people that the only reason I'm here is sheer stubbornness, spite and force of will. I'm determined not to let it be at me.

[CJ-ftyo]

Living the life of quiet desperation, the inertia of not having that surge of dopamine, but going to work through a veil of sadness and cobbling some vestige of normality to do it anyway. Oh yes.

[SlinkShady]

I feel like I've been depressed all my life with brief moments of joy here and there.

[GPmusicmaker]

This is me. Now in my 50's and been this way since around age 20. People have no idea the ball and chain people with this condition have to drag around just to get through the day, let alone decades. Many times I've considered ending it once and for all, but I keep reminding myself life is over for all of us in the blink of an eye as it is. No need to rush it.

[zarzarzrk]

Just read "Anxiety Control" by Ethan Parker and I can’t believe it’s so underrated. Hidden secrets in this book are next level, it needs more attention!

[strangebird]

The worst thing about the cognition of depression imo, as I have experienced it, is that it does not feel like pessimism. It feels like realism. Like clarity. Like seeing without the optimism bias. It can be a long hard road from there to somewhere where you can believe in good things again. I'm not in the best period of my life right now, but I'm not in the worst, either. So, from my experience I would say: There are good things in life. Or there can be. But it can take a lot of work to find them. And to feel them.

[jcc]

Moving to live in nature and taking care of the animals around me and my dogs keep me going

[jeankipper]

I'm an introvert. All co-workers I ever told said no way. SO good to be retired and free of coping with that.

[sharonferri]

Dr. this is my first comment to you -- Yes, please post more about high funtioning depression. This explained a lot for me. Thank you!

[zzzgrpg]

I'm crying now as you just described my whole adult life - even in between major depression episodes it never really got all right but nobody ever cared, neither my parents and significant others nor my therapists. I cry also because finally I feel understood, even though it's by someone I will never meet in person. Thank you for this video!

[BadAndUgly]

The thing of never feeling fully awake and engaged with reality really got me..

[Ford_prefect_]

OMG.... The workaholism. I had a job working 90-100 hour weeks and it was nice. I left that job for a normal 40 hour job for more money and I'm no longer high functioning depressed. It's like my structure to deal with my depression was pulled away and I crumbled

[allisondeal]

As someone who fits this description well, yes. Please make more content on this topic.