Psychiatrist Judith Joseph, MD, has created the first research-backed framework for assessing high-functioning depression, specifically designed to help Black women reclaim their joy. Her upcoming book, “High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy,” introduces powerful techniques that help readers recognize and address hidden depression symptoms through practical scoring systems.
“I don’t encourage you to keep score in all relationships. But in certain situations where there’s a repeated pattern, where there’s no reciprocity or limited reciprocity, it’s important,” Joseph explains. “Human psychology shows us that we tend to treat certain people better than how they treat us, depending on our past trauma and our low self-worth.”
Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Mental Health
Trauma can significantly impact how Black women view themselves and their relationships with others. According to Joseph’s research, any traumatic experience—whether from assault, a hypercritical parent, or an abusive work environment—can place someone at risk for reduced joy and high-functioning depression.
“Trauma makes you self-blame and internalize shame and not want to burden others, and that’s why many of us push down our feelings,” she says. “When people treat you poorly, you just become accustomed or numb to it.” This numbness often manifests as organizing elaborate celebrations for others while making excuses not to celebrate yourself.
Recognizing High-Functioning Depression’s Quiet Warning Signs
Unlike low-functioning depression with obvious signs like poor hygiene or inability to get out of bed, high-functioning depression presents more subtly. These quieter signals include mind fog after achieving work goals, spending hours zoning out instead of getting proper sleep, or not being present with loved ones due to work obsessions.
Joseph’s book highlights these warning signs so readers can identify them early. High-functioning depression can lead to maladaptive relationships with unbalanced dynamics that further diminish joy. The book provides tools to evaluate these relationships and make necessary changes.
Practical Tools for Measuring Happiness and Relationships
“High Functioning” recommends keeping score not only of relationships with others but also with oneself. The book includes simple assessment tools to help readers connect with past and present feelings.
“That’s why I put those tangible tools in there,” Joseph notes. “If you don’t understand where this is coming from, there’s no way to acknowledge it.” The book outlines methods for evaluating your three closest relationships, which heavily impact mental health.
Personal Experience Informs Professional Expertise
Joseph doesn’t just study high-functioning depression—she struggles with it herself. She regularly turns to the tools in her book to monitor her own mental health. For example, when she notices she hasn’t styled her hair, she recognizes it as a sign to explore why she isn’t making time for self-expression.
“The people in my life, they keep me accountable because high-functioning depression is something that you go back into. It’s not like you’re cured,” she says. “It’s something you need to continuously work on like any mental health condition.”
Democratizing Mental Health for Black Women
Beyond her book, Joseph educates over 300,000 TikTok followers about mental health for free. “My mission is to democratize mental health,” Joseph says. “In some parts of this country, there’s only one psychiatrist for every 30,000 people.”
“High Functioning” presents solutions for those who can’t easily access therapy. The book includes pages of reviewed, reliable resources and cost-friendly suggestions. While it contains structured scales for evaluating depression symptoms, the framework remains flexible enough for various situations and backgrounds.