10 Important Signs of High-Functioning Depression | Good Healthy Mind
Many people are familiar with the mental health condition known as depression. A person with clinical depression may be easy to spot because he or she will oftentimes exhibit visible or tell-tale lifestyle symptoms. High functioning depression works differently, however. A person with high-functioning depression may appear to have a happy and fulfilling life. Such a person may have a complete family, a lucrative job, and high financial stature. This depressed person may seem to be extremely happy from the outside looking in. On the inside, however, this person experiences the same turmoil and same symptoms as someone with clinical depression. You must seek assistance if you or someone you know is suffering from this mental illness. The following are 10 important signs of this mental health condition that you can notice.
1. Fatigue and Reduced Energy
Fatigue is one of the primary signs of this condition. You may have trouble getting out of bed or finding the motivation to move around. You might be tired even after you’ve had a full night’s sleep. You may struggle through your workdays and go right to bed after you’ve finished your shift. You also might not have the energy to go out and run errands or have fun on your days off. A cloud of fatigue might linger over your body every day of your life.
You can try some strategies to combat fatigue. First, you can try taking vitamin supplements to ensure that your levels are not low. B vitamins are essential for energy. You may also want to check your iron intake. Staying hydrated is another way to combat fatigue, as dehydration can cause you to feel drained.
2. A Persistent Feeling of Sadness
The difference between a depressive disorder and circumstantial sadness is that your sadness can come for no apparent reason. In other words, you might feel blue even though all aspects of your life are going perfectly. The feeling of dread or low mood could land on you at any time, and it may last for days, weeks, months or even years. You may want to consider that you have a condition if it persists for more than a few days out of the week.
You can try a few tricks to get yourself out of the funk. Entertainment is often a great way to change the way your brain processes life for a short while. A good standup comedy act or some upbeat music may help to boost your mood. Exercising can help you, as well. Your brain chemicals will change after your workout and get your heart rate up. In most cases, you will start to feel better while you’re moving your body and the serotonin and dopamine levels change.
3. Difficulty Finding Joy
If you’re suffering from clinical sadness, you may find it difficult to experience joy. Good news might not move you at this point. You might be indifferent to your achievements, or you might experience a flatlined emotion about life in general. It might be very hard for you to be joyous even when you try to make yourself that way.
4. Overeating or Undereating
Appetite and eating behaviors often change when someone is experiencing anxiety or extreme sadness. It’s very common for people to lose their appetite completely when they’re down. Depressive symptoms can also manifest on the other end of the spectrum. In other words, you might overeat to soothe the negative symptoms. Instead of overeating, you might want to focus on what you’re eating. Eat foods that are high in selenium and proteins. Eggs, nuts, and tuna are examples. You can even snack on some dark chocolate if you like. Dark chocolate has a reputation for boosting serotonin levels.
5. Disproportionate Irritability
Irritability is another symptom of a depressive condition. It sometimes occurs when the brain chemicals are out of whack. You might find that the slightest things make you extremely angry. If you’re a female, you might feel like you’re experiencing PMS all time. If you’re a man, you may find yourself on the verge of fisticuffs quite often. Breathing exercises can help you to take your excessive anger down a few notches.
6. Insomnia
Insomnia is another problem that you might experience if you’re suffering from a depressive disorder. You may have trouble falling asleep, or you may only sleep for a few hours each night. Insomnia can take a toll on your mind and body. Therefore, you must find ways to cope. Natural solutions such as melatonin and valerian root may help.
7. Poor Concentration and Memory
A depressive condition can cause you to have poor concentration and memory loss, along with the other symptoms. You may be able to remedy this with foods that provide nutrition to the brain. Artichokes, carrots, and eggs are excellent for building brain function.
8. Self-Doubt
A lot of negative thoughts will pass through you if you’re suffering from a depressive funk. Many of them are rooted in self-doubt and hopelessness. You might think that you’re not good enough for the relationship you’re in or the job you have. You may wonder if you can accomplish specific tasks in life. You may overthink every decision you make and wonder if it’s completely wrong. Self-affirmations are excellent tools to use to combat self-doubt.
9. Self-Criticism
You might be more inclined to criticize yourself if you’re depressed. For example, you might look in the mirror and tell yourself that you’re unattractive, too small, too big or too light or dark. You might lose confidence in your work or business tactics. You might talk yourself out of doing things that could better your life and increase your productivity, as well. This is where having a good support system comes in. You have to have people in your life who will lift you up when you tear yourself down.
10. Stress, Worry, and Guilt
Finally, you might experience a disproportionate amount of guilt, worry, and stress. These feelings might plague you every day. You can become very ill if you don’t find a way to manage, block or combat those feelings. A coach or guide can help you to find ways to boot the negative thoughts out of your mind and focus on more positive things.
Seek Help for a High Functioning Depressive Disorder
It may be time to seek help if you feel as though you’ve matched several of these symptoms. You can seek help from a mental health professional, a coach or the like. What’s most important is that you have people surrounding you who are going to support you in whatever choice you make for your recovery. High-functioning depression is not a fight that you have to battle alone. Schedule an appointment with a compassionate person as soon as you can so it can help you with your mental health issue.
Having a mental disorder is hard, and during your journey to recovery is normal that you will find setbacks or even having thoughts about that you will stay with this illness forever, however you can get better and that’s why accepting your condition and seeking help are such an important part of this process.
FAQ
Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy a good treatment for depression?
Yes, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a talk therapy that is commonly used in the treatment of depression.
The effectiveness normally depends on the severity of the depression, and how skilled the mental health professional therapist is.
What is Dysthymia?
Dysthymia is also known as persistent depressive disorder and is the clinical term of High Functioning Depression.
Is Antidepressant Medication effective for depression?
Yes, Antidepressant Medication can be helpful, especially for more severe depression, however, it is important to complement it with psychotherapy and understand how it can help you in the process of becoming better.
What is Smiling Depression?
Smiling Depression is another term for High-Functioning Depression or Dysthymia.
Originally published at https://goodhealthymind.com on June 15, 2020.
