Survival Mode: Are You Dressing Up Your Depression Symptoms To Mask Your Trauma Impact?

Many Americans are not creating space to accept their depression symptoms. Consequently, many find themselves saying, “I don’t have time to be depressed!” However, this is an unrealistic option. Due to the lack of knowledge in regards to mental health self-care, many people often mismanage their mental stability through symptom denial. 

Denial is an outdated coping skill rooted in self-harming mental health techniques

Coping skills such as, “‘Showing up healthy’, perfectionism and symptom denial” are all outdated generational coping skills many use in attempt to ‘holistically treat’ underlying mental health symptoms. In particular, the technique of emotional disconnection is physically manifested through the act of “showing-up healthy(aka wearing a mask).” This form of metal health self-care is the most normalized way our culture historically and currently coped/s with mental illness symptoms such as depression. These coping strategies solely project how many may want to feel, not how they authentically feel internally. The truth is many people use denial to ‘dress up’ depression and anxiety symptoms. Their desire to be perceived emotionally stable causes prolonged impairment to their mental health. Mask off. Give yourself this space to heal. Physical presentation (perfectionism) is a common way many high functioning people mask their depression symptoms.

Mental health is somatic and internal. You cannot 'dress up’ or 'out perform' symptoms of depression long-term. By failing to address your true mental state, you leave others at risk to manage your symptomatic behavior. If you struggle with managing depression you may find yourself making others responsible for creating space for your mental health symptoms. This is common. However, if no form of intervention is implemented, you will continue live within the limitations of your symptoms. This shows up by others censoring how they feel and how they respond to your symptomatic triggers. You may find yourself projecting your feelings onto others, experiencing feelings of loneliness, and disconnection due to unconscious triggers. You may also find yourself lashing out when confronted about your negative symptomatic behavior. These examples demonstrate how you may hold others responsible for your mental wellbeing. Take your power back by owing your mask.

If symptom-denial is an unconscious coping skill, this maybe why you feel disconnected, unseen and unheard

Self-check ins, in addition to mental health support or possible medication treatment are crucial to your mental wellbeing and a true act of self-care. Reevaluating your reality by digging deep and authentically asking, “How do I truly feel?” is an important question to address your true mental state, specifically if you are mentally ready to answer this important question. If you are struggling with high functioning depression you may need professional support to face what I call, "hard truths" If you have managed to live with high functioning depression, you have the ability to perform at work, attain career advancement earn a high salary, live a nice lifestyle, even operate in healthy relationships with supportive family, while struggling with symptoms of depression. However, your stability is performative not authentic. This is why understanding your individual coping skills utilized to mask your symptoms is imperative to your healing process. Doing true ‘self-check-ins’ to evaluate your mental state is necessary to elevate your mental consciousness.

The truth is we all experience depression or anxiety during different times in life. It’s our body’s natural response to stress and distress.

I reference mental illness symptoms as ‘our bodies natural mental thermometer’ which informs us that we are not balanced mentally and emotionally. This balance is true alignment. Ignoring these signals prolong mental instability and unconsciously encourages suffering in silence. Affirming subconsciously, “My mental welling is not a priority.” My clinical advice is trust how you actually feel, not how you want to feel. Focusing solely on what you demonstrate outwardly is not mentally supportive. I invite you to get grounded in how you authentically feel, not how you want to feel or how you perform n your daily task. Mental freedom is possible through healing but can only manifest through authenticity healing. Making time for your mental well-being is imperative to your quality of life. Realistically, if our mind is not stable neither are we.  Below I have provided definitions and symptoms of high functioning depression. If you resonate with this article, you maybe battling high functioning depression. For additional support or questions please visit my website at Ridgleconsulting.com to schedule a free mental health assessment. Together we can create a new and improved healthy lifestyle just for you.

Definition: 

High functioning depression: High-functioning depression is a disorder where a person experiences low level symptoms of depression. It can be triggered by a specific event or a confluence of events, but more often has an unknown cause. Unlike a major depressive episode, high-functioning depression probably won’t interrupt your daily routine. Instead you’ll continue your day-to-day while bearing the weight of negative thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and emotions.

Symptoms:

High functioning Depression: Persistent low mood, profound sadness, or a sense of despair. This mood can sometimes appear as irritability, anxiousness, fatigue, disorganized thoughts and poor concentration. Symptoms can last at least two weeks but usually they go on much longer — months or even years. A person may have episodes of relatively high energy or episodes of irritability that may occur just once in a person's life or may return repeatedly.

Signs of High functioning depression: 

• Loss of interest in daily activities
• Seeking perfection
• Sadness, emptiness or feeling down
• Hopelessness
• Tiredness and lack of energy
• Low self-esteem, self-criticism or feeling incapable
• Trouble concentrating and trouble making decisions
• Irritability or excessive anger
• Decreased activity, effectiveness and productivity
• Avoidance of social activities
• Feelings of guilt and worries over the past
• Poor appetite or overeating
• Sleep problems