Ask Kati Anything Are You 'High-Functioning' but Secretly Depressed? (Psychiatrist Explains)
Sep 25, 2025
Dr. Judith Joseph, a psychiatrist, researcher, and author of 'High Functioning,' sheds light on high-functioning depression, highlighting its silent struggles. She discusses the flawed medical approach that waits for crisis before diagnosis and emphasizes the importance of a preventative mindset. Dr. Joseph explores the connection between trauma, constant busyness, and the pursuit of joy versus transient happiness. She offers practical tools to reclaim joy and encourages celebrating small moments while recognizing the impact of social validation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Hidden Depression Behind Productivity
- High-functioning depression presents with classic depressive symptoms while people still perform and hide distress behind productivity.
- The medical system often waits for crisis before diagnosing, which prevents early preventive care.
Busyness as Trauma Avoidance
- High-functioning people often 'outrun' their pain by staying constantly busy instead of avoiding triggers directly.
- This busyness functions as distraction and prevents processing of past trauma, producing restlessness when still.
Trauma Goes Beyond DSM Boxes
- Clinical trauma definitions are narrow, excluding many painful experiences that still produce PTSD-like responses.
- Judith Joseph affirms that non-textbook hurts can still be traumatic and shape a person's life.
