How common is high-functioning depression?

Exact numbers are hard to pin down because they’re not officially tracked under that name, but here’s what we know based on the science behind PDD:

So, while not extremely common compared to major depressive disorder (which has a lifetime prevalence of ~16.6%), PDD is still a significant and often underrecognized condition.

Why is high-functioning depression underreported?

Many people with high-functioning depression:

  • Don’t seek help because they don’t see themselves as “depressed enough”.
  • Normalize their symptoms as just being “tired” or “burned out”.
  • Mask their struggles with productivity, humor, or perfectionism.
  • Fear being judged, misunderstood, or losing professional credibility.

This makes it very likely to be underdiagnosed.

Some mental health experts believe the actual number of people living with undetected high-functioning depression is much higher.

Even good friends were surprised when they found out that I was struggling with “high-functioning depression” because I was still functioning fine outwardly, making it much harder to detect.

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