Success can feel like reaching the peak of a mountain: an amazing view, but hard to breathe due to the thin air. When highly-achieving people reach the top of their career, they start to feel overwhelmed and stressed instead of feeling happy. If we look closer, one reason may be the rat race that everyone has to run with what it takes to be successful in the first place. 

As an executive, you arrive at work at 7 a.m, attend three back-to-back meetings, code for six hours straight and then remain in the office for a perfect presentation. If observing from the outside, people measure you as maintaining exceptional output, but behind the closed door, the reality is very different. Inside, you might carry emotional weight, and understanding high-functioning depression symptoms is important because this condition works behind the mask of success and achievement, and it is not an insurance policy against depression. 

Depression and other mental health conditions can affect anyone; there is no age range, family status or immune level that works. According to the anxiety or depression association of America, more than 322 million people suffer from depression worldwide.

High-Functioning Depression Symptom Guide

It is a mental condition in which a person feels sadness and loss of interest persistently, and this condition is also called major depressive disorder. It affects how a person feels and behaves, and it can lead to a wide range of emotional and physical problems. People with high-functioning depression symptoms may live with similar feelings as people with major depression, but are able to manage their daily responsibilities. 

Common symptoms of depression include:

• A person may feel sadness, emptiness, tearfulness or overthinking
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most activities
• Sleep disturbances such as insomnia or sleeping too much
• Most of the time, a person feels tired; even simple tasks take extra time.
• Feeling worthlessness or guilt, thinking about past failure and self-blame
• Frequent thoughts of death and suicidal thoughts
• People living with high-functioning depression have less severe symptoms, including:

Masking 

People with high-functioning depression are able to hide the depression from the people around them. Some people can adjust negative emotions, especially when they have a supportive circle, and they can create an illusion that everything is perfect, but it is not. 

Hidden Dysfunction

People with depression may not be as high-functioning as they appear; for example, in your office, your co-worker may be excelling at work. But he barely gets out of bed each weekend. 

Managing And Treating Depression

If you or another person you know appears to have high-functioning depression, all depression needs treatment to be cured. But the problem is that it can be hard to spot even within yourself. 

Smart Strategies That Super Successfully Use to Stay Balanced 

• Set Goals for Your Mind, Not Just for Metrics 

A professional therapist can help you map mental health objectives such as consistency in sleep, anxiety reduction and self-compassion.  

• Build Recovery Into The Calendar

Start meditating, regular exercise, dinner with friends, do whatever can recharge you. You deserve special time slots for yourself, not leftover at the end of a 14-hour day, and use those time slots just like you protect the board meeting.   

• Manage Your Circle 

Surrounding yourself with advisors and positive people can normalize your therapy. Prevent perfectionism from creeping in and celebrate the wins that are not bound to net profits, just like real vacations.

• Remember Depression Is Treatable 

The moment when you start viewing help-seeking as a strength rather than a weakness, and there is no shame in it. Many highly successful people rely on professional guidance to regain their edge and balance their mental health. Do not hesitate to seek help from professional psychiatrists, practice mindfulness, and keep in mind that depression is treatable.    

Conclusion 

Along with all the celebrations, success brings isolation and self-neglect. When a person is focused on achieving a high level of success, they may start to ignore basic things in their life, such as health, family or friends. Achieving a high level of success requires a lot of time and headspace to manage it and put aside many of the social connections that may support our mental health. 

Some experts believe that highly successful business executives and entrepreneurs may be more prone to depression than others. A 2015 study found that nearly 72% of the business owners reported mental health problems and 49% reported having one or more lifetime mental health conditions. Some qualities such as determination, resilience and creativity may drive success but also increase the chances of high-functioning depression in an individual. If you are living near Ludhiana and have questions in mind regarding high-functioning depression, whether you have depression or not, then..

You can book an appointment with Manas Hospital, a mind, brain and de-addiction centre, if you are also struggling with depression. Here, Dr. Anshul Mahajan, M.D in psychiatry, and Dr. Askhit Mahajan, a determined psychiatrist in this field, can provide you with professional guidance regarding your mental health. 

FAQs

• What is the reason behind many successful people being prone to depression? 

Many highly successful people struggle with high-functioning depression due to environmental pressure and unique challenges they face in their career and personal life.

• How does the pressure of fitting into a high-status circle impact mental health?

The stress of trying to fit into a highly educated social class and the social burden can lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

• Are mental health problems more common in super successful people as compared to ordinary people? 

Yes, the research shows that mental health issues such as depression are more prevalent among highly successful people as compared to ordinary people. 

• What should people do to redefine what success means to improve their mental health? 

Personal fulfilment, joy in simple things and meaningful relationships can help to reduce the mental health burden. 

References & Sources 

• National Institute of Mental Health 
• Cleveland clinic 
• Healthline 
• Mayo clinic
• Therapy Group of DC
• Talkspace