7 Signs You Are Dealing With High-Functioning Depression
Many people live with what’s known as high-functioning depression- a type of depression that’s often overlooked, because on the outside, everything looks fine. However, simply functioning is not indicative of prospering. Knowing the signs is the first step towards healing.
In this piece, you will learn about the 7 signs of high-functioning depression, how to treat them, and about antidepressants such as Seroquel 100mg and Duloxetine 30 mg. So, let us begin. And, here we go.
What is High-Functioning Depression?
High-functioning depression has no official diagnosis, but it often mirrors persistent depressive disorder (also known as Dysthymia). With this type of depression, the breakdowns are fewer, but you are always feeling emotionally and physically exhausted behind locked doors. It does not affect your daily life; you go to work, socialize, handle responsibilities, but every day feels like a mental turmoil, and it’s just easier to hide the pain. Mental health can be treated, so it doesn’t have to go unchecked. Depression treatment can help you significantly in dealing with your symptoms. Especially with anti-depression pills, everything can work smoothly.
7 Signs You’re Dealing with High-Functioning Depression
The signs may not be visible to the outside world, but inside, you will know there’s something wrong. Watch out for these signs:
- You’re always tired–mentally and physically.
Waking up feels like a task, no matter how much you have slept. You are always drained of energy and do not feel like doing much. Once the tasks that felt easy are taking double the effort, and you’re just pushing through the day.
- You’ve Lost Interest in Things You Used to Love
Be it your favorite music, hanging out with friends, or your hobbies, nothing feels exciting now; what once brought you joy feels like a chore. Being emotionally dumb is one of the signs of depression, even when everything else feels stable.
- You’re Always “Fine,” Even When You’re Not
Even when nothing feels right, you say “I’m fine” when someone asks you, “How are you?” You are the type of person who likes to check in on everyone but avoids discussing their concerns. Emotional isolation might lower your self-esteem.
- You Struggle to Focus or Stay Motivated
You find it difficult to complete even the simple tasks, the deadlines are not met, and sometimes you just completely zone out. This is not procrastination, it’s depression, because it affects your cognitive ability. Forgetting things, causing delays, and getting caught up in even minor distractions become common.
- You Criticize Yourself Constantly
One of the common signs of high-functioning depression is that you always think low of yourself. That inner voice in your head constantly whispers, “You’re not good enough”. The accomplishments don’t feel enough. This relentless self-doubt is a symptom of mental health strain.
- You Have Physical Symptoms—But No Clear Cause
Depression is not only about mental health; it’s physical, too. It makes itself visible through headaches, stomach pain, sore muscles, sleep disturbances, and appetite changes. If your physician says everything’s fine, yet you feel something is off, depression could be the cause.
- You’re High-Functioning—But You’re Not Thriving
You excel at getting things done, and you handle duties admirably, but are you truly living or simply functioning? That’s the problem about high-functioning depression: it doesn’t prevent you from working, but it does keep you from feeling alive.
What Happens When High-Functioning Depression Co-Occurs With Substance Abuse?
The overlapping of high-functioning depression and substance abuse is not good for you; it’s a vicious cycle, and shouldn’t happen. People with depression often fall prey to alcohol, cannabis, and even prescription medicines to cope with it.
Treatment for both addiction and mental health issues is critical with a dual diagnosis. They have no disconnect, making it difficult to recover from one without treating the other. Neglecting the depression hampers addiction treatment, and failing to address the addiction might result in a depression relapse.
Substance use can dull the pain in the moment, but it will worsen the depression over time. This is what can happen:
- Depression makes it difficult to deal with daily stress.
- Substances provide brief alleviation.
- The relief disappears, leaving you feeling worse.
- You turn to substances again, and the cycle repeats.
That’s why careful handling is crucial. Patients require care that addresses both the emotional and physical aspects of healing. This can include:
- Therapies for understanding the emotional triggers
- Support groups so you don’t feel alone
- Non-addictive anti-depression pills like Seroquel 100mg or Duloxetine 30mg to manage mood behaviours.
- Safe, regulated use of antidepressants or anti-depression medicine to rebalance brain chemistry
How to Manage High-Functioning Depression
High-functioning depression may appear to be unnoticeable, but it has a significant impact. Managing it begins with acknowledging that you do not have to go through it alone, and the most common method to overcome it is the use of antidepressant tablets.
Here are a few ways to deal with it:
- Professional help: Taking therapy can help you big time, as it helps you process your emotions and build healthy coping skills.
- Anti-depression medicine: Taking anti-depression pills like Duloxetine or Seroquel can stimulate your mood.
- Physical activity: Light walking or yoga can regulate the feel-good chemicals in your brain.
- Soak up sunlight: Enjoying your time outdoors for even 15-20 minutes can lift your mood.
- Eat well: Having balanced and healthy meals (not just soups and salads) improves your energy and emotional stability.
Conclusion
High-functioning depression is real, but you are not alone, and to deal with it, you need proper depression treatment. It might seem manageable, but the struggle is real. Just know that help is available with therapies, daily self-care, and antidepressant tablets such as Duloxetine 30mg and Seroquel 100mg.