Identifying High-Functioning Mental Illness, from Depression to Anxiety

Very often, mental illness — and individual symptoms — operate differently in individuals. Not all diagnoses look the same, meaning not every person with anxiety or depression has the same daily behaviors. While some symptoms may be easy to assume, others are invisible to outsiders, and sometimes, even a person themselves. 

Considering mental diagnoses as a spectrum, some fall into the “high-functioning” category. Essentially, those with a high-functioning illness of any kind can go about their daily tasks with minimal interruption from debilitating symptoms. That doesn’t mean no symptoms are present — just that they are not interfering with productivity.

Take anxiety for example. Two people are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. One person may be unable to complete their homework because their anxious thoughts and physical symptoms are too loud to concentrate on the assignment. Another person may have an anxiety diagnosis that looks similar on paper — however, this person can complete the assignment with minimal distraction from symptoms. 

That doesn’t mean anxiety is not present in the second person…and it doesn’t mean the first person’s anxiety is more severe, either. Being “high-functioning” is not indicative of the severity of anxiety. Instead, consider if the second person has severe anxiety surrounding grades — meaning their symptoms are contributing to them getting work done in a timely fashion.

For others, daily routine simply may not suffer as a result of strong anxiety or depression. Someone with depression may shower every day because it’s what they always do in the morning. Others may not continue their hygiene routines based on the unique nature of their symptoms. 

“Usually, someone with high functioning anxiety or depression is underfunctioning compared to their usual baseline, but it’s not apparent because they are able to meet general expectations,” clinical psychologist Dr. Roberta Ballard told Healthline. 

She added, “Their internal landscape might be a complete mess — overanalyzing, worrying, sleep-deprived — but they are generally able to present themselves to the world as being fairly together.”

Some indicators of high anxiety can be a sense of perfectionism, looking for approval from others, and excessive engagement in daily tasks. Experts often suggest a mixture of medication and therapy (often Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to heal high-functioning mental illness and promote holistic wellbeing. 

You can visit https://www.chicagocbh.com/blogfor more information on anxiety, depression, and our Chicago-based treatment opportunities.