We often imagine depression as something visible, but what if it doesn’t look like sadness at all? What if it looks like success? If you look successful but feel flat, this episode is for you.

Psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Judith Joseph calls it high-functioning depression, the kind that hides behind achievement. It’s the quiet loss of joy that can go unnoticed, even in the most accomplished people.

In this episode, I share Judith’s powerful framework; the Five Vs, for recognising and rebuilding joy before burnout sets in:

• Validation: Acknowledge your feelings instead of pushing them away.
• Venting: Find healthy ways to release pressure.
• Values: Reconnect with what truly matters.
• Vitals: Look after your body and mind.
• Vision: Protect small moments of joy and rest.

We also talk about the science behind anhedonia, the loss of pleasure, and how noticing small points of joy can help us measure recovery, not just productivity.

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