Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we're talking about high functioning depression. And Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist, is here to tell you something that will change how you see yourself.
High functioning depression isn't in the medical literature. Know why? Because you don't check the box for "not functioning." You're over functioning.
In this clip:
- What high functioning depression actually is (and how it's different from burnout)
- Anhedonia explained - that feeling of being "meh" about things you used to love
- "Depression needs a rebrand - it's not someone in bed crying, it's someone who gets up, shows up, but doesn't feel excited about life"
- The difference between happiness (an idea) and joy (an experience)
- Dr. Judith's own story: Board-certified psychiatrist giving talks about mental health in 2020 while secretly depressed
- "Pathological productivity" - using work to avoid processing pain
- Why naming the feeling is a therapeutic intervention in itself
- Why the medical model waits for you to "break down" before treating you
Dr. Judith and I get real about why so many of us are struggling behind a mask of productivity. Getting up every day, showing up, crushing it at work, but feeling empty inside. That feeling of "meh" or "bluh"? That's anhedonia.
That's high functioning depression.
The red flag is this: You're doing all the things. You're succeeding. But you're not enjoying it. And deep down, you know something's off.
This conversation explores "mental health," "depression," "anxiety," and "personal growth" in a completely new way.
It's about recognizing symptoms before you break down. It's about naming what you're feeling so you can do something about it. It's about understanding that "self improvement" doesn't mean pushing harder, it means stopping to feel.
#DrJudithJoseph #HighFunctioningDepression #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #Anhedonia #DepressionNeedsARebrand #MentalHealth #Anxiety #PathologicalProductivity #SelfCare #HappinessLab #Aspire #AspireArchives #PersonalGrowth #MentalWellness #therapy
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we're talking about high functioning depression. And Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist, is here to tell you something that will change how you see yourself.
High functioning depression isn't in the medical literature. Know why? Because you don't check the box for "not functioning." You're over functioning.
In this clip:
- What high functioning depression actually is (and how it's different from burnout)
- Anhedonia explained - that feeling of being "meh" about things you used to love
- "Depression needs a rebrand - it's not someone in bed crying, it's someone who gets up, shows up, but doesn't feel excited about life"
- The difference between happiness (an idea) and joy (an experience)
- Dr. Judith's own story: Board-certified psychiatrist giving talks about mental health in 2020 while secretly depressed
- "Pathological productivity" - using work to avoid processing pain
- Why naming the feeling is a therapeutic intervention in itself
- Why the medical model waits for you to "break down" before treating you
Dr. Judith and I get real about why so many of us are struggling behind a mask of productivity. Getting up every day, showing up, crushing it at work, but feeling empty inside. That feeling of "meh" or "bluh"? That's anhedonia.
That's high functioning depression.
The red flag is this: You're doing all the things. You're succeeding. But you're not enjoying it. And deep down, you know something's off.
This conversation explores "mental health," "depression," "anxiety," and "personal growth" in a completely new way.
It's about recognizing symptoms before you break down. It's about naming what you're feeling so you can do something about it. It's about understanding that "self improvement" doesn't mean pushing harder, it means stopping to feel.
#DrJudithJoseph #HighFunctioningDepression #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #Anhedonia #DepressionNeedsARebrand #MentalHealth #Anxiety #PathologicalProductivity #SelfCare #HappinessLab #Aspire #AspireArchives #PersonalGrowth #MentalWellness #therapy
