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When You’re Still Functioning… But Barely: High-Functioning Depression in High Achievers
- Jessicah Walker Herche, PhD, HSPP
- May 4
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 26
From the outside, you’re doing great.
You show up. You get things done. You meet deadlines, juggle responsibilities, keep the household moving, and maybe even make it to the occasional social event. You’re the one others rely on.
But inside, it’s different.
You feel emotionally flat or constantly tired. You’re irritable more often than not. There’s a quiet ache or heaviness you can’t quite name, and while you’re technically functioning, it feels like you’re dragging yourself through the day with no real sense of joy. You wonder if you’re just burnt out—or maybe this is just what life feels like now.
This may be what’s often called high-functioning depression—a form of depression that flies under the radar precisely because everything looks “fine” on the surface.
What Is High-Functioning Depression?
High-functioning depression isn’t a clinical diagnosis, but it often aligns with DSM-5 conditions like Persistent Depressive Disorder (dysthymia) or Other Specified Depressive Disorder. What sets it apart is that your life appears to be intact—your job, your family responsibilities, your routines—but emotionally, you feel dulled, drained, and disconnected.
Common signs of high-functioning depression include:
Low or flattened mood most days
Chronic fatigue or feeling emotionally “numb”
Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
Inner restlessness or irritability
Trouble feeling joy—even in “good” moments
Perfectionism and relentless self-criticism
Feeling like you’re “faking it” to get through the day
What makes this type of depression so sneaky is that your productivity and responsibility mask the suffering beneath. You may even invalidate your own experience: If I’m getting things done, how bad can it really be?
Why High Achievers Are Prone to It
High achievers often hold themselves to extremely high standards and feel a deep sense of responsibility. They may be more likely to internalize struggles, avoid vulnerability, and equate their worth with productivity or success. This pressure creates a perfect storm for quiet suffering.
We've sat with many clients in this exact place—clients who feel like they’re operating in survival mode, who are emotionally exhausted but too responsible to fall apart. We often hear clients say things like:
“I’m checking the boxes. I’m getting it all done. But it feels like I’m watching my life from the outside. Like I’m living behind a glass wall.”
“I’m doing everything I’m supposed to. I should feel grateful, but I just feel numb. It’s like I’m on autopilot—getting things done, but never really present.”
It’s heartbreaking—and far more common than most people realize. And these aren’t isolated comments. They reflect a deeper truth many high achievers carry quietly: they’re outwardly functioning, but inwardly struggling.
The Cost of Staying in Survival Mode
When you live with high-functioning depression, it’s easy to delay getting support because your life is still technically working. But over time, that disconnection from yourself and your emotional life takes a toll. The numbness gets heavier. You stop dreaming or planning. Your relationships feel strained. You start to feel like you’re only half-alive.
You don’t need to wait for things to fall apart before reaching out for help. If you’re suffering in silence, that’s reason enough.
What Healing Can Look Like
The work of healing from high-functioning depression is not about becoming more productive or “getting back to your old self.” It’s about creating a new relationship with yourself—one that includes rest, care, and softness, not just grit and performance.
Here are a few core therapeutic themes we focus on in our therapy for high achievers:
Redefining success: We explore how productivity has become tied to self-worth and create space for rest, creativity, and joy.
Reconnecting with emotion: We slow down and make room for emotional honesty—not just efficiency.
Building self-compassion: We challenge harsh inner critics and perfectionistic patterns.
Creating nourishing routines: We prioritize sleep, movement, social connection, and pleasure—not just achievement.
Allowing vulnerability: We explore the safety and value of being truly seen, not just admired for performance.
Sometimes, the hardest part for high achievers is not doing more—it’s allowing themselves to pause. To feel. To be. And to believe that they’re worthy of support even when they’re still functioning. If calm feels unfamiliar or even unsafe, explore how to build trust with calm in this guide.
You Deserve to Feel Fully Alive
You don’t have to earn your pain. You don’t have to justify why you’re tired. You don’t have to keep wearing the mask. High-functioning depression is still depression, and you deserve care that honors both your strength and your suffering.
If something inside you is whispering, this isn’t sustainable, we invite you to listen.
If you’ve been telling yourself that it’s not “bad enough” to reach out, we invite you to reconsider.
Your capacity to keep going does not mean you should have to keep going alone.
If this resonates with you, know that healing is possible—and you don’t have to do it alone. At Cadence Psychology Studio, we specialize in supporting high achievers who are ready to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and make space for a life that feels more whole.
Visit our contact page today to take the next step. You deserve more than just functioning—you deserve to feel alive.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional psychological care, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
