Today we’re going to focus on high-functioning depression. What is it? What’s it not? Is it dangerous or is it not? And what does that mean anyway, ‘’high-functioning” depression"? It’s still depression, isn’t it? It’s the newer term for what’s “properly” called Persistent Depressive Disorder, which used to be called before that, Dysthymia. Maybe it’s a little sexier to call it ‘high-functioning depression” or “smiling depression.” But here’s my thought: if more people react to one label better than they do others, more power to that label. I don’t particularly care what we call it – and if more people can say, “Oh yeah, that’s me,” and recognize its validity or presence, then I’m all for it.

Let’s make sure we all understand that I can’t think of any mental illness or disorder that’s not on a spectrum.

You have depression. How you cope with it is based on myriad of factors. And there are millions of people who are coping every day around the world. I hope you'll benefit from listening and sharing this episode about moderate depression, or high-functioning depression.

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Vital Links: 

What Cleveland Clinic says about PDD or Persistent Depressive Disorder

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My book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression is available here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life. And it's available in paperback, eBook or as an audiobook!

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Episode Transcript: 

(00:10 ):

This is SelfWork and I'm Dr. Margaret Rutherford. At SelfWork,we'll discuss psychological and emotional issues common in today's world and what to do about them. I'm Dr. Margaret and SelfWork is a podcast dedicated to you taking just a few minutes today for your own selfwork.

(00:29 ):

Welcome or welcome back to SelfWork. I'm Dr. Margaret Rutherford. I'm a clinical psychologist, and I started SelfWork almost seven years ago in order to extend the walls of my practice to those of you who might already be interested in psychotherapy or you're in therapy, to some of you who may have just been diagnosed with something or you're having a problem you can't figure out and are looking for answers. But also to a third group of you who are very skeptical about mental health treatment, mental illness in general, or you just think psychologists and therapists are a little wacky . Well, anyway, so here we are today. I wanna give a trigger alert to this episode because we are gonna be mentioning suicide. So just to trigger alert, to keep you safe. Today, we're going to be focusing on high functioning depression. Now what is that and what is it not?

(01:18 ):

Is it dangerous or is it not? And what does that mean anyway? High functioning depression. It's still depression, isn't it? It's actually the newer term for what's properly called persistent depressive disorder, which used to be called before that dysthymia. Maybe it's a little sexier to call it high functioning depression, or I've also heard it called smiling depression. But here's my thought, if more people understand or respond to some label or another better than they do others, then more power to that label. I don't particularly care what we call it, but if more people say, yeah, yeah, that's me, and recognize its validity or presence, then I'm all for it. I want you to understand, however, that I can't think of any mental illness or disorder that's not on a spectrum. Everything from schizophrenia to bipolar disorder to phobias to anxieties. But the major reason I wanted to point out the distinctions between good old classic depression and high functioning depression is that it can be too easy to believe one is better than the other, or that somehow people who aren't high functioning have some kind of innate weakness.

(02:23 ):

than they're more high functioning counterparts. I don't believe that at all. At all. You have depression. How you cope with it is based on a myriad of factors, and there are millions of people who are coping every day around the world. We'll get more into that in the body of the episode. We don't have a voicemail for today, , as I got into writing this so much that I ran out of time, but we'll feature that voicemail next week. It's from a mom of two small children whose own mother she describes as borderline and is having huge problems in the past with alcohol. She's in a tough spot with her mom. She's trying to figure out how she can best, best keep her children safe. So I'll do my best to answer. But again, that's next week. Before we get started, let's hear from one of our wonderful sponsors whose support really allows me to offer y'all self work. Let's hear from AG1.

(03:18 ):

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(04:40 ):

It is always a bit embarrassing when you find out that what you've been saying about something isn't quite accurate, especially when you're supposed to be an expert. And that for me is with depression, or at least I've written a book about it. As I was researching for my book Perfectly Hidden Depression, I read several articles on what was termed "smiling" or "high functioning" depression. I never saw real symptom lists. What I read or what I thought I understood was that people who identified with high functioning depression knew they were depressed. They could see themselves in some, or a lot of the diagnostic markers of depression, foggy thinking, indecisiveness, fatigue, sleep or appetite issues, not enjoying the things they used to enjoy and an overall sense of being down a lot or most of the time. But these symptoms weren't so severe that they weren't able to slap a smile on their face, take their meds, go to therapy - or both - get in a couple of good walks, get the kids to school and get to work.

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