On TikTok you will find millions of users self-diagnosing themselves with the term “high-functioning” – high-functioning anxiety, high-functioning depression, high-functioning autism.
The term “high performer” is not actually clinical, but generally refers to those who perform well at work and school. So, if someone has high functioning depression, it means they are excelling at their job, despite being in poor mental health.
After the pandemic, when levels of depression and anxiety rose, people became more aware of the fact that you can be depressed or anxious and still excel in certain parts of your life, says Irina Gorelick, a psychologist at Williamsburg Therapy Group.
“After Covid, the focus on mental health has become much more important,” she says. “And people are more aware of signs that may have been subtle in the past.”
While the idea of a high-functioning depressed or anxious person is not new, our recent obsession with the term is. Experts believe this may signal a shift in the way we think mental health exists.
You are “hiding” your struggles with high performance
Gorelick likens high-functioning tendencies to masking. The person will work extra hard at the office to cover up their poor mental health.
“You're hiding something that you're having difficulty performing,” she says. “You're able to maintain basic aspects of your life without people noticing much change, but you're using a lot of mental effort to maintain that high performance.”
Saying you're “high-functioning” also indicates that you have economic value to society, says John T. Mayer, a psychotherapist in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“When people say 'high performance,' they're not saying, 'I'm doing a great job raising my family' or 'I'm doing a great job going to church,'” he says. “It means I'm doing a great job at work.”
Historically, admitting that you have mental health problems may indicate that you are having trouble holding down a job or doing well in school. The spike in use of this term shows that people are rethinking what depression or anxiety looks like.
“It implies that you're different in some way from someone else with that label,” he says.
Do you want to make extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC's new online course on How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about popular passive income streams, tips for getting started and real-life success stories. Register today and save 50% using discount code EARLYBIRD.
