Who is a high functioning depressive person

Depression can deeply impact your happiness, quality of life, and ability to effectively provide for yourself and your family. UHP Services. Affiliate Services. For Patients.

By Department. By Doctor. By Affiliate. Suffering in Silence with High-functioning Depression. Marybeth Kotrodimos July 19, By Marybeth Kotrodimos, University Health Partners of Hawaii We all know the usual signs that tell us when people are suffering from depression. Some signs of high-functioning depression are: Decreased appetite or overeating Insomnia or oversleeping Lack of energy and fatigue Lowered self-esteem Difficulty concentrating and making decisions Feeling sad and hopeless Risk factors for becoming depressed include: Personal or family history of depression Major life changes, trauma, or stress Certain physical illnesses and medication All types of depression, even the most severe cases of major depression, can be treated successfully, and the earlier treatment is started after the onset symptoms, the more effective it will be.

Return to news. Find a doctor. Contact Us. Some of these individuals may crawl into bed the minute they get home from work. Or they might sit on the couch every evening and cry all night. They could just be good at hiding their depression from others. The DSM-5 the newest version of the manual clinicians use to see if patients meet the criteria for a specific mental illnesses includes a condition called persistent depressive disorder.

While there are several different kinds of depression, individuals who appear to be high-functioning may have persistent depressive disorder. Here are some of the common symptoms:. In order to qualify for a diagnosis, the symptoms must be present for two or more years. Consequently, many individuals who have these symptoms have learned to function despite them. To meet the criteria for a diagnosis of depression, an individual must experience social, occupational, or educational impairments.

This means that their low mood must somehow interfere with their daily lives. Here are some examples of how an individual with functional depression might still experience impairments in one area of their lives or another:.

Like all forms of depression, functional depression can stem from several different causes. It may be a combination of genetic, biological, or life experiences that lead to functional depression. Stress, illness, unresolved grief, substance abuse issues, trauma, relationship issues, and major life transitions are just a few reasons someone might grow depressed. There are several reasons why someone may develop functional depression.

Some people with high-functioning depression may minimize the seriousness of their condition and be less likely to seek treatment. They could also be less likely to gain emotional support from others if their depression goes undetected. Friends, family members, and colleagues may have no idea that the individual is even depressed. Additionally, someone with high-functioning depression might feel guilty about getting help guilt often goes hand-in-hand with depression.

They may think that people who have worse depression are more deserving of help. They might also tell themselves they have no reason to be depressed. They may think that since they can still function, they should be happier. These thoughts may prevent them from asking for help as well. All types of depression can lead to an increased risk of suicide, including functional depression. Someone who has functional depression may experience increased thoughts about death, and they might consider ending their lives.

Other people could misunderstand high-functioning depression. These misconceptions tend to create even bigger problems for someone who is already struggling with depression.

Symptoms persist on most days, causing a nearly constant low mood that lasts for two years or more. Most people function almost normally but struggle internally. Treatment is possible for high-functioning depression through medications and therapy.

High-functioning depression is a real thing , and it can have serious consequences if not addressed and treated. The diagnosis for high-functioning depression is officially called persistent depressive disorder, or PDD. Someone struggling with PDD experiences many of the symptoms of depression, but less severely. This allows the person to be able to function mostly normally, going to work or school, performing well, keeping up with responsibilities at home, and engaging in most social activities.

This type of depression can be difficult to detect in oneself, but especially in others. To the outside world, a person with PDD seems fine.

Internally that person is struggling. High-functioning depression may not seem as serious as major depression, but it should be diagnosed and treated. Living with PDD can be a struggle and lowers quality of life, but treatment and self-management can help. In fact, for many mental health conditions, significant impairment is a diagnostic criterion. Impairment means that a person does not fully function in one or more areas of life.

This may mean not being able to hold down a job, not being able to perform well academically, avoiding social activities, or being unable to manage healthy relationships, among many other potential areas of dysfunction. In some cases, a mental illness may be less severe, and although a person experiences symptoms, they are still able to function normally, or almost normally, most of the time.

This is referred to as a high-functioning person or mental illness. It is important to remember that high-functioning is not the same as fully-functioning. With this type of depression there is still some impairment. When someone is able to function but still experiences significant symptoms of depression, it is called persistent depressive disorder. Previously this mental illness was called dysthymia and is sometimes still referred to by that term.

Depression Treatment at Bridges. High-functioning depression, or PDD, is a recognized mental health condition that should be diagnosed by a psychiatrist or other mental health professional. There are certain criteria that describe the symptoms and that need to be met for a diagnosis to be made.

Many of the symptoms are similar to those used to diagnose major depression but are generally less severe. The first criterion for PDD is that an individual experiences a depressed mood most days and for most of the day, for a minimum period of two years. The depressed mood must include two or more of these symptoms:.

In addition to these symptoms that cause a depressed mood most of the time, there are a few other criteria that have to be met to make a diagnosis of PDD:. The diagnostic criteria for PDD outline exactly what it means to struggle with high-functioning depression in clinical terms, but this is not necessarily what it feels like to go through it. It may be more useful to consider what it feels like to have this mental illness:.

Anyone with PDD is also at risk of experiencing episodes of major depression. In fact, most people with PDD will have one such episode at least once in their lives.

For some people with PDD it may feel as if the persistent, low-level depression may take a turn into severe depression at any time.

While the two conditions are similar and may occur in the same person, there are some significant differences.