High-Functioning Depression: What It Is and Why It’s Often Overlooked

Why is High-Functioning Depression Overlooked?

High-functioning depression can go unnoticed because the people experiencing it have developed ways to hide their symptoms and sometimes, even from themselves. They might choose to work in demanding careers that keep them constantly busy, immerse themselves in the caretaking of others, or have rigorous routines that leave little time for self-reflection. From the outside looking in, these people seem like they’re full of ambition or discipline, but in reality, they’ve just learned to live with their symptoms as if they were a normal part of life.

Masking

Masking is when someone hides signs of their mental condition to appear “normal.” Though masking is often tied to autism, people with high-functioning depression do it too, with some even becoming experts at faking it. They laugh at office parties while feeling empty inside. They post happy social media updates during weekends spent feeling exhausted. These behaviors become so well-practiced that even close friends and family can’t see through them. 

People mask their depression for many reasons: 

• They don’t want to burden friends or family with their problems
• They feel guilty or embarrassed about their feelings
• They worry about being seen as unreliable at work
• They fear judgment from others
• They want to protect their self-image as someone strong and capable
• They don’t want to be treated differently or labeled as “the depressed person”

However, hiding depression comes at a high cost. Research shows that pretending to be okay when you’re not takes a huge toll on a person: 

• It drains already limited energy
• It actually makes depression worse over time
• People can lose touch with who they really are
• Getting help gets delayed
• Real connections with others become impossible

The better someone gets at hiding their depression, the less likely they are to get support or treatment. What makes masking dangerous is that it can become so automatic that people forget they’re even doing it. The happy, smiling face they show becomes their normal, making it even harder to recognize and address the depression hiding underneath. 

Defense Mechanisms

People with high-functioning depression may use defense mechanisms as a way to protect themselves from painful emotions and help them get through the day. 

Denial is a common strategy used when someone isn’t ready to face the reality of their feelings. A person might notice they feel constantly tired, sad, or stressed but refuse to see these as signs of depression. They tell themselves, “I’m just going through a rough patch” or “Everyone feels this way,” even when these feelings have lasted for long periods of time. 

Another protection strategy is channeling difficult feelings into productive activities. This is called sublimation. Instead of facing emptiness or sadness head on, someone might throw themselves into work projects, volunteer activities, or intense exercise. This may look impressive on the outside, but it can actually be their way of avoiding their depression. 

These defense mechanisms work for a while–until they don’t. Eventually, the energy needed to keep up these defenses run out, leading to: 

• Complete exhaustion
• Worse depression symptoms
• Problems in relationships
• Physical health issues
• Sudden breaking points where the person can no longer function

Personality Traits

Some personality traits can make high-functioning depression more likely and harder to recognize. An example of this is perfectionism. When someone is a perfectionist, they’re never satisfied with “good enough.” This is because perfectionists base their value as a person on what they achieve, and when they don’t meet their own impossible standards, they feel worthless.   

One aspect of perfectionism is self-criticism, which research has proven to increase the risk for depression. When someone is constantly hyper-analyzing and criticizing themselves, they create an internal environment of chronic stress and negative self-talk. This ongoing inner criticism wears down mental health over time and may even discourage someone from getting help as they see their suffering as a personal failure.   

Perfectionistic people typically:

• Work themselves to exhaustion
• Remember criticism but forget praise
• Feel constant pressure to perform
• Can’t forgive themselves for mistakes
• Avoid challenges they might not excel at
• Keep struggles private to maintain image

Aside from perfectionism, other traits that may explain high-functioning depression include:

• Chronic people-pleasing
• Excessive sense of responsibility
• Extreme self-reliance
• Achievement addiction
• Need for control
• Emotional suppression
• Hyper-independence
• Conflict avoidance 

Unfortunately, our culture often rewards these traits. Schools and workplaces reward perfectionism, responsibility, and achievement, which reinforces these patterns. The drive to keep up appearances and meet expectations helps people function on the outside while suffering on the inside, which is exactly what high-functioning depression looks like.  

Societal and Workplace Mental Health Stigma

Mental health stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to seeking help for depression. More than half of people with mental illness never receive treatment, largely because they fear being judged, discriminated against, or losing their jobs. 

There are three types of stigma: 

• Public stigma occurs when others hold negative attitudes about mental illness
• Self-stigma happens when people internalize these negative beliefs about themselves
• Structural stigma involves policies that limit opportunities for people with mental health conditions

For people with high-functioning depression, workplace stigma is common. Many fear that disclosing their depression could lead to being passed over for promotions, being seen as less capable, or even losing their job. This fear isn’t unreasonable. Research shows that people with mental health conditions face higher rates of unemployment and workplace discrimination. 

Stigma can even extend to family and friends. Research shows that stigma is highly evident within close networks, with loved ones sometimes expressing harmful misconceptions about depression, like: 

• “Everyone gets sad sometimes. You’ll get over it.”
• “You need to pray more and strengthen your faith.”
• “You’re just being lazy. Push through it.”
• “Don’t tell anyone. People will think less of you.”
• “You can’t be depressed. Look at everything you’ve accomplished.”

These responses from trusted people can be more damaging than stigma from strangers. When someone with high-functioning depression finally gathers the courage to open up about their struggles, receiving invalidating responses can push them back into hiding their symptoms and avoiding treatment.