Is It Burnout Or Something Deeper? The High-Functioning Trap | Dr. Judith Joseph
If we're wired for joy, why do so many successful people feel exhausted, disconnected, or emotionally flat?
On this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with psychiatrist, researcher, and author Dr. Judith Joseph, whose team conducted the first peer-reviewed clinical study on high-functioning depression. We talk about why feeling "fine" on the outside doesn't always reflect what's happening beneath the surface—and why so many people struggle to feel fully alive.
You’ll learn:
Why achievement and productivity don't always lead to fulfillment
How to tell whether you're burned out—or struggling with high-functioning depression
The surprising connection between unresolved trauma, people-pleasing, and chronic stress
What your phone, social media habits, and screen time may be doing to your mood
How to start reclaiming joy when life feels flat, exhausting, or unfulfilling
Like many people, I've spent periods of my life focused on achievement and productivity, believing fulfillment would follow. I've learned that the most important work isn't always doing more—it's understanding what's keeping us from fully experiencing joy in the first place.
Want to explore this further? Dr. Judith Joseph offers several self-assessments under the "Quiz" tab on her website, including tools for anhedonia, high-functioning depression, and trauma.
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(0:00) High functioning depression, burnout, and Dr. Hyman's personal experience
(2:37) Introduction Dr. Judith Joseph
(5:13) Depression among medical professionals and defining anhedonia
(7:04) Joy as part of our DNA and identifying high functioning depression
(13:23) Biological causes, biomarkers, and differences between burnout and high functioning depression
(18:18) Avoiding trauma processing by staying busy; hedonism and anhedonia
(22:14) Identifying roots of trauma, childhood patterns, and using transitional objects
(25:51) Finding points of joy amidst depression and people pleasing in high-functioning individuals
(30:39) Neurological shifts, lack of joy, and the biopsychosocial model of depression
(36:56) Digital depression, reducing screen time, and healthy tech relationships
(49:09) Women's hormones, midlife shifts, and distinguishing hormonal from psychiatric conditions
(58:30) Reclaiming joy, the five v's, and processing emotions
(1:01:21) The significance of venting, emotional boundaries, and healthy outlets
(1:05:28) Defining values, mind-body connection, and social relationships
(1:09:05) Planning and scheduling future joy and connection
(1:13:22) The evolution of psychiatry, spirituality, and Gen Z's spiritual study
(1:18:03) Finding meaning, purpose, and learning more about high functioning depression
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