Do You Have High-Functioning Depression?

You have a great job, a happy family and pals for life. But on the inside, you’re hanging by a thread – exhausted, listless, self-critical and irritable. If this sounds familiar, you may have high-functioning depression.

- Ng Mei Yan

Thanks to our do-it-all, have-it-all tendencies, the term “high-functioning depression” has been making its rounds in popular media in recent years. Many successful folks who seem to be on top of everything in life are well, actually not.

“Outwardly, those with high-functioning depression take care of their families, homes and appearances, but internally, they struggle with negativity, sadness and despair,” says Dr Marcus Tan, consultant psychiatrist at Nobel Psychological Wellness Clinic.

While there is no medical definition of high-functioning depression, doctors recognise it as something closest to persistent depressive disorder or dysthymia, a mild but chronic form of clinical depression.