The symptoms of high-functioning depression may present differently than the serious signs of major depressive disorder, such as dietary changes, sleep disturbances, fatigue and feelings of hopelessness, says April Simpkins, mother of the late Miss United States winner. Joined. Cheslie Kryst.
following her death of daughter At age 30 in 2022, Simpkins shared that Cheslie struggled with depression for years despite being a lawyer, winning pageant titles, and landing a spot as a correspondent on the TV show “Extra.” Although Simpkins is not a doctor or therapist, she began working as a NAMI ambassador.
“To some people like Cheslie, it may seem [it’s] It is normal to be in the state of feeling sadness or loneliness. And speaking specifically about Cheslie, those were some of the things I noticed,” Simpkins tells CNBC Make It.
“I think what I noticed most was his sense that the incredible, remarkable things he was doing were right. I didn’t see any big signs of euphoria, and that doesn’t mean every time, but most of the time. when I thought: ‘Wow, that was brilliant or beautiful. You did a masterful job.’ She would just see it as okay.”
we spoke with Chase Cassine, clinical social worker and licensed psychotherapist, on managing the symptoms of high-functioning depression. This is what he recommends.
- Let your support system be there for you: “High-functioning depression will tell you that you’re alone in this world, and that’s not true. So let your support system be there for you,” Cassine says.
- Break your cycle and do things outside the home: It can be as simple as running to Target or as grand as going on vacation.
- Diary about how you feel
- Create a safe space: Cultivate relationships with people in your life where you can communicate how you feel and feel comfortable sharing. For some, the people you share with may be friends; For others, it may be a therapist.
- Practice yoga and mindfulness: If you find yourself “so busy, caught up in being a winner, thinking about what’s next, practice some mindfulness,” he says. “Mindfulness makes us be present in the moment, identify what we are feeling and [realize] that emotions are fleeting, they don’t last, and that we can identify what we are feeling and we can release those things.”
- Seek professional help: “If it’s been persistent sadness, if it’s starting to affect your work, your ability to function,” then it’s a sign that you should seek additional support from a professional. “Talk to your health care professional first to rule out some [medical] things, [and] “Consider doing some cognitive behavioral therapy.”
Cassine also offers advice for people who suspect their loved one is suffering from high-functioning depression. She suggests offering to buy him a meal or asking him to accompany you while she runs errands.
“I want friends and family, that village, that community, to start with this first: leading with compassion and recognition, that everyone, all“We experience different stressors, we experience different adversities, different things that can impact us all differently,” Cassine says.
“What we all want as human beings [are] these three things: we want to feel seen, heard [and] valued.”
One of Kryst’s dying wishes was for her mother to publish a manuscript she had been working on. “By the time you read this” published this April.
“She was my best friend, she’s my daughter, she was my person and if she leaves me a wish, something she wants done that she can’t do herself, I’ll go to the mat to make sure it gets done.” done,” says Simpkins.
“I will literally move heaven and earth.”
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