Cindy Gullo, LCPC - Therapist & Counselor
The Blog

Signs You Have High Functioning Depression


High-functioning depression is a relatively new clinical concept. When picturing depression, most people think about a person who calls off of work and cannot leave their bed – who is overcome by sadness, or who feels hopeless, and cannot stop crying.

But high-functioning depression is completely different. People with high-functioning depression often appear totally normal and appear to be successful – yet are gripped with fear and anxiety, and an internal fear that they’re not going to be able to keep their lives together.

Difficulty Experiencing Joy Or Other Intense Emotions

One of the most common indicators of depression is an inability to feel much of anything – both positive and negative emotions can be affected.

If you have trouble experiencing intense emotions such as joy or deep sadness, and instead feel “gray” and like nothing makes you feel anything anymore, that could be an indicator that you have high-functioning depression.

Critical Of Self And Others

Being excessively critical – both of yourself and others – is an indicator of a negative thought pattern that’s often caused by depression. You may think that you’re a failure because you screwed up at work one time – or you may think negatively of coworkers and loved ones, and lash out at them.

Perpetual Self-Doubt

If you constantly doubt yourself at work and in your personal relationships, you may be experiencing a common symptom of high-functioning depression. Everyone feels self-doubt once in a while, but if you constantly feel like you’re making the wrong decisions and failing, your problem may be more severe than you think.

Low Energy

Depression does cause low energy. If activities that you used to love – such as exercise or family outings – feel impossible, and like they take up too much energy, this could be an indicator that you are suffering from some kind of depression.

Irritability Or Anger

If you’re constantly blowing up about tiny things – such as your partner forgetting a specific food item at the grocery store, or a colleague making a tiny mistake at work – it’s possible that you are suffering from depression.

Depression can make even the smallest events seem disproportionately important – and cause feelings of constant irritability or anger.

Constant Feelings Of Guilt Or Worry

Anxiety, guilt, and worry are all common signs of depression. If you always feel guilty about mistakes – even mistakes made long in the past – or you’re worried/anxious about the future, you may have a serious depressive disorder.

I specialize in helping people with high-functioning depression get the help that they need. Whether you’re interested in a solution like cognitive-behavioral therapy, or need a supportive atmosphere, I can help.