Dr. Yalda Safai

DSM is like the Bible of Mental Illness. Basically, it's the book we refer to. It's called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It's like all the disorders are in that book. High Functioning Depression is still not on that book. And it's recently been getting more attention.

We just call it something called dysthymia, which means a chronic unhappiness, which is very hard to treat. And it's more dangerous, if you ask me, than something like major depressive disorder that has a treatment. People who struggle with dysthymia or high functioning depression are at a constant low.

We just call it something called dysthymia, which means a chronic unhappiness, which is very hard to treat. And it's more dangerous, if you ask me, than something like major depressive disorder that has a treatment. People who struggle with dysthymia or high functioning depression are at a constant low.

We just call it something called dysthymia, which means a chronic unhappiness, which is very hard to treat. And it's more dangerous, if you ask me, than something like major depressive disorder that has a treatment. People who struggle with dysthymia or high functioning depression are at a constant low.

Very successful, very productive, very like all these celebrities. Even I think Avicii was also one of them. But then they suffer in silence and one day the ultimate tragedy happens, suicide. So unfortunately, I think nowadays we're getting more awareness about this, about high functioning depression, how you could be functional, you could be successful, but struggling at the same time.

Very successful, very productive, very like all these celebrities. Even I think Avicii was also one of them. But then they suffer in silence and one day the ultimate tragedy happens, suicide. So unfortunately, I think nowadays we're getting more awareness about this, about high functioning depression, how you could be functional, you could be successful, but struggling at the same time.

Very successful, very productive, very like all these celebrities. Even I think Avicii was also one of them. But then they suffer in silence and one day the ultimate tragedy happens, suicide. So unfortunately, I think nowadays we're getting more awareness about this, about high functioning depression, how you could be functional, you could be successful, but struggling at the same time.

So what I think is a major red flag, whether you're, you know, just a normal person going to the day to day, there's a condition called anhedonia, which means the absence of pleasure. When you're very depressed or when you're even sometimes dysthymic, you go through these severe episodes, when you feel like nothing in life gives you pleasure.

So what I think is a major red flag, whether you're, you know, just a normal person going to the day to day, there's a condition called anhedonia, which means the absence of pleasure. When you're very depressed or when you're even sometimes dysthymic, you go through these severe episodes, when you feel like nothing in life gives you pleasure.

So what I think is a major red flag, whether you're, you know, just a normal person going to the day to day, there's a condition called anhedonia, which means the absence of pleasure. When you're very depressed or when you're even sometimes dysthymic, you go through these severe episodes, when you feel like nothing in life gives you pleasure.

And I'm talking like when you have a nice meal, it feels good. It gives you pleasure. When you see a nice movie, it gives you pleasure. When you cannot feel pressure at all, that is the most dangerous sign to me. And a lot of my patients who have committed suicide, who have died by suicide, have said that they have reached that stage where there is nothing in the world to deprive them

And I'm talking like when you have a nice meal, it feels good. It gives you pleasure. When you see a nice movie, it gives you pleasure. When you cannot feel pressure at all, that is the most dangerous sign to me. And a lot of my patients who have committed suicide, who have died by suicide, have said that they have reached that stage where there is nothing in the world to deprive them

And I'm talking like when you have a nice meal, it feels good. It gives you pleasure. When you see a nice movie, it gives you pleasure. When you cannot feel pressure at all, that is the most dangerous sign to me. And a lot of my patients who have committed suicide, who have died by suicide, have said that they have reached that stage where there is nothing in the world to deprive them

So, that anhedonia... That complete absence of pleasure to me is the most dangerous because you have absolutely nothing to live for. Nothing in this world is giving you any sort of happiness. So that's, I think if you've reached that point and there's a lot of steps that happen before you reach that point, please know that you need help immediately at that point.

So, that anhedonia... That complete absence of pleasure to me is the most dangerous because you have absolutely nothing to live for. Nothing in this world is giving you any sort of happiness. So that's, I think if you've reached that point and there's a lot of steps that happen before you reach that point, please know that you need help immediately at that point.

So, that anhedonia... That complete absence of pleasure to me is the most dangerous because you have absolutely nothing to live for. Nothing in this world is giving you any sort of happiness. So that's, I think if you've reached that point and there's a lot of steps that happen before you reach that point, please know that you need help immediately at that point.

And thank you for saying, throwing those terms around, because people do throw these terms around. Oh, I'm depressed, oh, I'm OCD, oh, I... Having a bad day. having a bad day, you're traumatized because your boss yelled at you, that's not PTSD. Please don't, let's not minimize the struggling of people with these real disorders by, you know, just tossing these terms around.

And thank you for saying, throwing those terms around, because people do throw these terms around. Oh, I'm depressed, oh, I'm OCD, oh, I... Having a bad day. having a bad day, you're traumatized because your boss yelled at you, that's not PTSD. Please don't, let's not minimize the struggling of people with these real disorders by, you know, just tossing these terms around.

And thank you for saying, throwing those terms around, because people do throw these terms around. Oh, I'm depressed, oh, I'm OCD, oh, I... Having a bad day. having a bad day, you're traumatized because your boss yelled at you, that's not PTSD. Please don't, let's not minimize the struggling of people with these real disorders by, you know, just tossing these terms around.

Yes, and I'm so glad you asked. One of the first things we do when someone comes in with a mood disorder is do a complete blood work. Because a lot of times medical stuff masks themselves in cycles, in Psychological symptoms. So if your thyroid is hypo, as in it's not working the way it's supposed to, one of the first signs is depression.