Joseph Nguyen

How many people have to show up for their teams, for their loved ones and push through pain in order to appear high functioning? And why is it that in mental health, we wait for people to break down, to intervene? I thought that was a broken model.

And that led me to be curious about high functioning depression, which is not a term recognized by the medical community, but it's a term that's used quite often in therapy circles because we see it in our clients. We see our patients regularly.

And that led me to be curious about high functioning depression, which is not a term recognized by the medical community, but it's a term that's used quite often in therapy circles because we see it in our clients. We see our patients regularly.

And that led me to be curious about high functioning depression, which is not a term recognized by the medical community, but it's a term that's used quite often in therapy circles because we see it in our clients. We see our patients regularly.

pushing through, appearing high functioning, but they have all these symptoms of depression, like poor sleep, low mood, poor concentration, feeling guilty when they don't show up for others, when they fall short because they're overwhelmed and overworking. And that busyness and restlessness that they can't sit still. If they're not busy, if they're not working, they feel restless and empty.

pushing through, appearing high functioning, but they have all these symptoms of depression, like poor sleep, low mood, poor concentration, feeling guilty when they don't show up for others, when they fall short because they're overwhelmed and overworking. And that busyness and restlessness that they can't sit still. If they're not busy, if they're not working, they feel restless and empty.

pushing through, appearing high functioning, but they have all these symptoms of depression, like poor sleep, low mood, poor concentration, feeling guilty when they don't show up for others, when they fall short because they're overwhelmed and overworking. And that busyness and restlessness that they can't sit still. If they're not busy, if they're not working, they feel restless and empty.

And something called anhedonia, which is a lack of pleasure and interest in things that they once enjoyed. And people not knowing what that is, they'll say, I feel meh, I feel blah. They don't know that's actually a symptom of depression, right? Because no one's ever talked about it.

And something called anhedonia, which is a lack of pleasure and interest in things that they once enjoyed. And people not knowing what that is, they'll say, I feel meh, I feel blah. They don't know that's actually a symptom of depression, right? Because no one's ever talked about it.

And something called anhedonia, which is a lack of pleasure and interest in things that they once enjoyed. And people not knowing what that is, they'll say, I feel meh, I feel blah. They don't know that's actually a symptom of depression, right? Because no one's ever talked about it.

There are many people like that walking around with these symptoms of depression, but instead of breaking down like what we think of in terms of the classical clinical depression, they're actually over-functioning. That's how they cope. That's how they avoid dealing with their feelings. They over-function. They over-commit. They over-show up. They're constantly on the go.

There are many people like that walking around with these symptoms of depression, but instead of breaking down like what we think of in terms of the classical clinical depression, they're actually over-functioning. That's how they cope. That's how they avoid dealing with their feelings. They over-function. They over-commit. They over-show up. They're constantly on the go.

There are many people like that walking around with these symptoms of depression, but instead of breaking down like what we think of in terms of the classical clinical depression, they're actually over-functioning. That's how they cope. That's how they avoid dealing with their feelings. They over-function. They over-commit. They over-show up. They're constantly on the go.

But these people are left out of the support network because their doctor says, well, come back when you're no longer functioning, then we'll do something about it. And that is a broken model. And John, we're seeing this. renaissance in physical health where people are saying, let's catch the cancer before it even develops. Let's catch the heart disease before it even develops.

But these people are left out of the support network because their doctor says, well, come back when you're no longer functioning, then we'll do something about it. And that is a broken model. And John, we're seeing this. renaissance in physical health where people are saying, let's catch the cancer before it even develops. Let's catch the heart disease before it even develops.

But these people are left out of the support network because their doctor says, well, come back when you're no longer functioning, then we'll do something about it. And that is a broken model. And John, we're seeing this. renaissance in physical health where people are saying, let's catch the cancer before it even develops. Let's catch the heart disease before it even develops.

Let's prevent the osteoporosis with menopause treatments and so forth before it happens. But where's this excitement for mental health? We're still in the dark ages saying, well, let's come back when you've broken down. Then we'll have to be, then we could do something about it. And I think that's a broken system.

Let's prevent the osteoporosis with menopause treatments and so forth before it happens. But where's this excitement for mental health? We're still in the dark ages saying, well, let's come back when you've broken down. Then we'll have to be, then we could do something about it. And I think that's a broken system.

Let's prevent the osteoporosis with menopause treatments and so forth before it happens. But where's this excitement for mental health? We're still in the dark ages saying, well, let's come back when you've broken down. Then we'll have to be, then we could do something about it. And I think that's a broken system.

And I think if we don't change the way we think about mental health, if we don't start shoring up and supporting those of us who are functioning, quote unquote functioning, We are losing out on an opportunity to prevent a mental health epidemic that we already know is on the horizon. It's happening already.