High Functioning Depression and Counseling Orlando
High Functioning Depression and Counseling Orlando. What is High Functioning depression and how to detect it? To the outside person observing another, it may seem they “have it all together. You may have a son or daughter, husband or wife who appears to be functioning as normal. Good grades or work performance. They appear outgoing and seemingly calm. It isn’t until this person reveals that they battle with depression that someone on the outside would even know.
High Functioning depression is easily over looked. With media and today’s culture painting the picture and face of depression as one of withdraw, low energy, inability to perform daily functions, bouts of crying, etc. The truth is that there are multiple faces of depression. It comes in many forms. Because society has a stigma attached to what a depressed person looks like, this keeps many from seeking help until it is to far gone.
High Functioning Depression
vs
Low Functioning Depression
High-functioning depression reveals a person who seemingly has it all together on the outside. Inside however they suffer in silence. We see this commonly among women who have been heavily conditioned to “keep all of the balls in the air.” Also it seems rampant with college students who feel they would disappoint their parents should they perform at any level less than perfect.
There are many who would say that it is better to be a person suffering from high functioning depression instead of low functioning depression. To me this statement seems ludicrous. Neither is a state of being that is comfortable.
Signs of High Functioning Depression
1. Being tough on yourself.
Those individuals suffering from high functioning depression are more than likely very high overachievers. They have set the bar high for themselves. Since society rewards the over achiever this keeps the vicious cycle of the person constantly feeling the need to perform better and better yet the depression is growing larger and larger.
2. Substance Abuse and Drug Related Problems
There is a direct correlation between substance abuse and the high functioning depressant. The need to relieve the symptoms or numb out leads many to self medicating through alcohol which is already a depressant. The need for more drugs and the tolerance level increases as well as the depression.
The combination of both increased depression and drug and alcohol abuse is a spark igniting a dangerous fire. Learning to cope without the use of drugs or alcohol is vital for helping those suffering from depression.
3. Feeling like your wasting time.
Although the person has many things to do and attend to in the day, the high functioning depressive person often feels as if they are passing or wasting valuable time. This leads to increased anxiety. The person suffering feels trapped and hopeless. They may at this point feel suicidal or that they would be better off dead.
The high functioning depressant person may find themselves switching jobs and careers. They may suddenly tell a partner they are ending a relationship. These sudden changes offer little relief to the person but moving around gives them a false sense that they at least are not stalled and wasting time. They are suffering from anhedonia. A condition in which an and feels no pleasure at all anymore.
Seeking Help
High Functioning Depression and Counseling Orlando Benefits
If you feel your silently suffering form depression, please seek help. Lift the idea that therapy is a stigma. It is 2016. Everyone can benefit form self reflection, assistance with the internal struggle that comes with imploding and not sharing with others the internal battle of anxiety and depression.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been known to be highly effective in helping those suffering with depression. It helps you to track the irrational self statements that you tell yourself and then assists in rewiring these unhealthy statements or beliefs we say about ourselves. This then affects or changes the way we see the world and shifts our behavior to a more positive outlook.
The bottom line is that if you do not speak or seek help you are silently dying inside. Remove any shame or feelings of reaching out for help. Those are just the heavy self conditioned mind. Once you see that it is safe to seek counseling for depression you will feel more at ease and able to relate. Don’t go it alone.
