Why is high-functioning depression so hard to spot?

Kevin Mangelschots·22/07/2025·0 comments

One of the defining features is that the person is still functioning; they get out of bed, go to work, take care of their responsibilities, but often at a great internal cost.

They may describe it as “going through the motions” or “feeling like a shell of their former selves.”

Others might not notice there’s a problem because their life looks “fine” from the outside.

Unfortunately, this can lead to:

  • Delayed diagnosis.
  • Feelings of guilt (“I have a good life, why do I feel this way?”)
  • Internalized stigma.
  • Burnout.

Join our forum and Facebook

Please consider joining our forum and Facebook if you enjoyed reading this and would like to chat with like-minded peers about anything depression related.

It would certainly go a long way toward making my dream of creating a thriving, supportive community a reality!

Kevin

Hi there, I’m Kevin Mangelschots! A little more about myself: - I'm 33 years old. - I’m a registered, licensed, and practicing therapist with a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy. - Currently practicing at a rehabilitation center located in Belgium. Longtime fitness and gaming enthusiast. - Turned towards psychology, philosophy, mental health, and self-improvement to improve my chronic depression. - My goal is to share evidence-based information with the world that I know is helpful and useful to improve depression and overall well-being. In short, I’m just a guy trying to make sense of the world by thinking about ideas, studying psychology, philosophy, and mental and physical health. I strive to apply my degree in healthcare (occupational therapy) to explain concepts as clearly as possible, based on current research findings.

Related posts

Leave the first comment