What are the things that come to mind when you hear names such as Matthew Perry, Jim Carrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Dwayne Johnson, and Anushka Sharma? You probably think they are popular, wealthy, highly successful, followed by millions on Instagram and Twitter. You conclude they essentially have the best of both worlds. And when you have everything you can dream of, there is nothing left to desire or achieve.
However, appearances can often be deceptive. Even when you seem to have everything, you could be missing something, not knowing what it is.
Though you are the centre of attention and envy, you could be feeling lost, hopeless, and dejected. In other words, clinically depressed. Prominent celebrities like Robin Williams, Kurt Cobain, Pratyusha Banerjee, and Sushant Singh Rajput gave up their fight against mental illness, despite having it all.
According to a recent report by the World Health Organisation: “Depression can lead to suicide… as it is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease”. The report also says that: “More than 254 million people of all ages suffer from depression”. To add perspective, it is a few million less than the entire population of the US.
The worst thing about depression is that it’s an invisible enemy. You can’t see it. Those who struggle with depression may seem normal on the outside, but inside, they suffer. The hesitation or the inability to talk about their condition makes the pain worse until it festers and becomes unbearable.
Experts refer to such depression as high-functioning depression when you cannot tell whether a person is actually depressed. Explaining the difference between depression and high functioning depression, Ashley C Smith, a clinical social worker, says, “Some people with depression can’t go to work or school, or their performance suffers significantly because of it. That’s not the case for people with high-functioning depression. They can still function in life, for the most part.”
Let’s take a closer look at high-functioning depression, what it is, and how it can be overcome.
Confide in someone you trust
While depression in itself is challenging to detect, the symptoms of high-functioning depression are even difficult to identify. Adults suffering from high-functioning depression experience a feeling of constant low for at least two years before diagnosis. For teenagers, the same period is one year.
Despite the age, anyone going through high-functioning depression experiences difficulty in opening up to others. In any case, talking about your worst nightmare is not easy, and the stigma around depression makes it even difficult for people to reach out for help.
To overcome high-functioning depression, you need to talk about it without any inhibitions. And if you are someone whose close friend or a family member is suffering from high-functioning depression, you should listen without any judgments or prejudice. Show them you are there to listen but don’t get in their face.
Remember, you are not alone in your fight. Your loved ones are there with their unconditional support.
High-functioning depression is when individuals appear to function normally in life despite experiencing depressive symptoms. They can go about their daily activities but still struggle with depression internally.
Opening up to someone you trust about high-functioning depression can provide much-needed support and understanding.
Engaging in activities you enjoy, such as exercise, going for a walk, or watching a favourite movie, can help combat the lack of motivation.
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