Depression and mental sickness are more common than any other ailment in all age groups. Being unable to process what goes around and constantly feel the urge to withdraw from being a part of these events around is damaging. A high functioning depression can be devastating for the person suffering and severely painful for the entire family too. A functioning depression includes loss of motivation, constant lethargy, emotional exhaustion, overwhelming hopelessness and even a strong dislike for proceeding the day.
There are several cases where a high functioning depression has led to suicide and other self harms. If help is not received at the right time the person suffering may begin involving in some very fatal things.
What is high functioning depression:
A high functioning depression is a prolonged chronic low level depression which may go unnoticed for most part. It may not leave you devastated completely yet but it does affect your quality of life and happiness. You begin experiencing constant detachment from everything around. These people begin getting isolated and eventually distance themselves from relationships.
A high functioning depression is clinically known as dysthymia. It is featured by a depressed mood for the most part of the day, for about 2 years. It also shows some extreme attributes like insomnia or over sleeping/ hypersomnia, poor appetite or over eating, constant fatigue, poor concentration, low self-esteem feeling hopeless and unable to make decisions. The person with dysthymia may still carry all their life’s routine but internally they are depressed which others may not see often. They may develop life threatening mental conditions if left untreated
Some signs that you might have high functioning depression:
There may not be exact ways you can spot high functioning depression in anyone. As they are still very much following the work, in romantic relationships, meeting social circle but internally they are detached and upset. Some symptoms of high functioning depressive triggers in a person are:
1- Unable to experience happiness and joy:
Despite trying hard the person experiencing dysthymia is unable to experience the happiness and joy in anything. The things you would enjoy in past are now more of a burden which you wish to avert. You no longer enjoy your parties and get together as you would previously.
2- Constant urge to judge others and even self-criticality:
You feel everyone is unworthy of their own positions. You are constantly trapped in negative and critique of everyone around you and you no longer feel good about anything or anyone around
3- Low energy:
You feel relentless and discharged all the time. You feel exhausted to carry the apparent difficult day’s activities.Your energy levels are below all time low and every routine task also appears the most difficult of all
4- Doubting yourself and your potential:
You begin doubting everything you ever had or look up to. Starting from your professional space, personal situation, person you love and friends you have.
5- Temper tantrums are more prominent now:
You are always in a bad mood and end up confronting with most people around. You are all the more vulnerable in terms you are irritable and angry with everything and everyone around.
6- Constant guilt trap around:
You feel guilty about long gone things, or small petty issues. A simple situation like mobile not working, an elevator has gone bad or tea spilled on yourself seem like the end of the world and your emotions come the exact same like this feeling. Guilt and worry about things from the past which have nothing to do with anything you own makes it emotionally impossible for you to come out of them
7- More and more urge to consume the coping behaviors like drugs, alcohol, caffeine, movies gaming and anything you do to get over your daily grind.
8- A sense of sadness that prevails all the time:
You feel sad and hopeless even without any reason. You may not be consciously aware but you end up feeling low and sad all the time. This can be a sign of high functioning depression
9- Laying high standards for yourself:
Your need to perfection gets prominent and more self-destructive. You seek great outputs in everything you set out for but this is impossible every time. And you end up losing heart more than often
10- Constant hyperactivity in the mind:
You don’t feel like slowing down even after a harsh days work. Your desire to continue your mental marathon is far more superior than feeling the need to slow down. You begin getting uncomfortable thoughts the moment you start slowing down so you rise ahead with even more energy
11- You are sleeping differently now:
Either you toss and turn all night or feel the need to sleep all the time. You also hate the idea of sleeping on bed and may end up sleeping everywhere else
12- You are more like a Type A personality with constant impulsiveness. Affluent and intellectual people suffer more from high functioning depression. Their careers may contribute to anxiety and stress which causes them to suffer high functioning depression. You may not find the right support thus continue to face the sadness within
13- Your family history plays a major role here:
If your relatives have had depression, mood swings, alcohol abuses or such things it is more likely that you may experience the same too. Learn more about your family history and this will help in a more predictable future course of action for you
[Read: Causes and remedies of teenage stress]
Treatment for high functioning depression:
It is very important to track this kind of depression in early stages. Else it may get difficult to overcome the stress and anxieties involved. The most important treatment is psychotherapy, which is excellent to help overcome all the devastating hopelessness which is rather more self-inflicted than undergone. Also, some medicines can help reduce these symptoms and eventually help you turn back to normal. Some more ways in coping up with high functioning depression are:
1- Check for the warning signs:
You must be able to self-analyze the situation and look out for warning signs. Your high degree of performance may deter your visual attributes of being able to identify the strong sense of hopelessness but your self-analysis and self-evaluation is the only way you can identify these warning signs
2- Get adequate break and time to reflect:
You must take enriching breaks and go for self-exploration endeavors to understand your own self in a better way. A recuperating short break not just helps you bounce back on top but also overcome your negative thoughts and depressions
3- Lifestyle changes:
A sure cause for your high-end depression is the poor lifestyle you are following. Adopting a healthy balanced work life balance, nutritious diet, avoid indulgence into stimulants and work out with at least 8 hours of sleep a day. This will not just help you overcome the depression but also improve the physical health too
4- Reassess your goals and objectives in life:
There are chances you may have over-assumed your goals in life. This is causing more damage mentally than befitting your performance. Thus reflect and reformulate the goals in utmost realistic and functional ways
5- Involve in meditation and yoga:
Meditation and yoga are believed to be a great help for any kind of stress and anxiety. It not just brings relaxation to physical self but also peace of mind too. The more you capture your own desires and expectations the better you are to self-analyze your situation. Finding connect with self and nature is the best healing you can ever get.
6- Talk to your family and well wishers:
Speak out your heart and seek help with your trusted social circle. You never know how their suggestions help in your betterment.
7- Take some time off from daily grind:
You must use power naps or my time in between your day’s work. This not just de-stresses but also helps you to connect from within. You need this self-evaluation more than ever now.
[Read: How to identify and treat postpartum depression]
Conclusion:
The above compilation on Signs that you may have high functioning depression is to help everyone who may or may not be aware of such crippling form of mental illness. You need help and it’s better to seek early on in these situations.
Share ahead and keep writing us, we love hearing from you!
