01 Nov 2009
In my practice, I often come across successful personalities who suffer from depression. It made me wonder: Why does depression afflict such high achievers? If I were them, I would have been very happy and proud of myself. But the truth is that depression can happen for many reasons.
In my practice, I often come across successful personalities who suffer from depression. It made me wonder: Why does depression afflict such high achievers? If I were them, I would have been very happy and proud of myself. But the truth is that depression can happen for many reasons.
Me, myself and I
Success can be isolating. Sometimes, the closer you get to the pinnacle of your career, the harder it is to find a person whom you can truly confide in at the office. Other successful colleagues often become your competitors, hence the probability of cultivating deep friendships becomes almost nil. I know someone who, after being promoted to the position of department head, could not forget the equal status and cordial relationship he had enjoyed with his former colleagues. This led to great difficulty in adapting to his new, more senior role.
Also, a higher position and a fatter paycheck come with greater pressure to perform. I have encountered cases where a middle-manager finds himself sandwiched between his superior who demands results from him and his subordinates, who want a respite from work.
Faced with an avalanche of challenges every day, it can be difficult for him to avoid feeling inadequate when matters are handled less than satisfactorily. Depression can set in if such feelings of inadequacy occur repeatedly.
This brings to mind a Chinese saying (高官不如高薪，高薪不如高寿，高寿不如高兴) that, loosely translated, means: A high salary is better than a high position, and a long life is better than a high salary. What’s best of all, however, is to be happy.
In a nutshell, there is nothing better, and more important, than happiness. Often, a man who has struggled for many years to reach the top has already made his choice in life, for which he has to pay the price – success at the expense of family relationships.
The chief executive officer of a large company once told me that as he was out-stationed in another country, he missed important milestones during his daughter’s childhood. It is truly lamentable that the things one misses in life just cannot be brought back the same way you rewind a scene in a movie.
Mind games
A person’s mode of thinking can affect his perception of social norms and the way he selects information.
Successful personalities who are susceptible to depression fall into two kinds of typical schemas – those who feel they must be successful and recognised by others (Achievement Schema), and those who feel they must do better than their colleagues (Power Schema).
Some successful people make career accomplishments and the accumulation of wealth their one and only objective in life. This group of people can easily feel frustrated and plunge headlong into depression when things don’t go the way they want.
Those who have made it to the top sometimes cannot help but wonder what the next challenge for them should be.
Although they have finally attained what they have striven decades for, they cannot help experiencing a sense of loss or dejection because they can no longer savour that bittersweet experience of struggling to reach the top. This sense of loss is a rather subtle feeling. Medical studies claim that biological factors account for more than 50 per cent of cases of depression, but it can be caused by psychological factors too. The more talented a person, the greater the pressure he feels.
This is why some people call depression “a sickness of the talented”. People who suffer from psychological illnesses should not be stigmatised.
Unfortunately, those of high standing may find it difficult to seek help for fear of “losing face” or being labelled “crazy”. When these people are not able to find a proper channel to seek solace, they may sometimes turn to extramarital affairs or alcohol in their search for momentary respite. Naturally, these poor choices of escapism often end up creating more problems for the sufferer, and may even aggravate their disorder.
In order to keep depression at bay, one should avoid adopting upward mobility and continuous promotion as the sole yardstick for success. Instead, one should try to develop a multiple-value perspective on life. As another Chinese saying goes: “A lone tree does not make a forest”.
Everyone needs a sturdy safety net and strong psychological support. Social support networks make us feel cared for and give us confidence and a sense of value, making us feel like a partof society.
As I conclude my views on this topic, two lines from a Mandarin song, Turning Back Again (再回首) by Taiwanese singer Jiang Yuheng come to mind. Translated into English (sans the linguistic rhythm), the lines (曾经在幽幽暗暗反反复中追问， 才知道平平淡淡从从容容才是真。) mean: “I have been searching for an answer repeatedly through ups and downs, only to discover that the truth lies in simplicity and graceful moderation.”
Success can be isolating. Sometimes, the closer you get to the pinnacle of your career, the harder it is to find a person whom you can truly confide in at the office. Other successful colleagues often become your competitors, hence the probability of cultivating deep friendships becomes almost nil. I know someone who, after being promoted to the position of department head, could not forget the equal status and cordial relationship he had enjoyed with his former colleagues. This led to great difficulty in adapting to his new, more senior role.
Also, a higher position and a fatter paycheck come with greater pressure to perform. I have encountered cases where a middle-manager finds himself sandwiched between his superior who demands results from him and his subordinates, who want a respite from work.
Faced with an avalanche of challenges every day, it can be difficult for him to avoid feeling inadequate when matters are handled less than satisfactorily. Depression can set in if such feelings of inadequacy occur repeatedly.
This brings to mind a Chinese saying (高官不如高薪，高薪不如高寿，高寿不如高兴) that, loosely translated, means: A high salary is better than a high position, and a long life is better than a high salary. What’s best of all, however, is to be happy.
In a nutshell, there is nothing better, and more important, than happiness. Often, a man who has struggled for many years to reach the top has already made his choice in life, for which he has to pay the price – success at the expense of family relationships.
The chief executive officer of a large company once told me that as he was out-stationed in another country, he missed important milestones during his daughter’s childhood. It is truly lamentable that the things one misses in life just cannot be brought back the same way you rewind a scene in a movie.
Mind games
A person’s mode of thinking can affect his perception of social norms and the way he selects information.
Successful personalities who are susceptible to depression fall into two kinds of typical schemas – those who feel they must be successful and recognised by others (Achievement Schema), and those who feel they must do better than their colleagues (Power Schema).
Some successful people make career accomplishments and the accumulation of wealth their one and only objective in life. This group of people can easily feel frustrated and plunge headlong into depression when things don’t go the way they want.
Those who have made it to the top sometimes cannot help but wonder what the next challenge for them should be.
Although they have finally attained what they have striven decades for, they cannot help experiencing a sense of loss or dejection because they can no longer savour that bittersweet experience of struggling to reach the top. This sense of loss is a rather subtle feeling. Medical studies claim that biological factors account for more than 50 per cent of cases of depression, but it can be caused by psychological factors too. The more talented a person, the greater the pressure he feels.
This is why some people call depression “a sickness of the talented”. People who suffer from psychological illnesses should not be stigmatised.
Unfortunately, those of high standing may find it difficult to seek help for fear of “losing face” or being labelled “crazy”. When these people are not able to find a proper channel to seek solace, they may sometimes turn to extramarital affairs or alcohol in their search for momentary respite. Naturally, these poor choices of escapism often end up creating more problems for the sufferer, and may even aggravate their disorder.
In order to keep depression at bay, one should avoid adopting upward mobility and continuous promotion as the sole yardstick for success. Instead, one should try to develop a multiple-value perspective on life. As another Chinese saying goes: “A lone tree does not make a forest”.
Everyone needs a sturdy safety net and strong psychological support. Social support networks make us feel cared for and give us confidence and a sense of value, making us feel like a part of society.
As I conclude my views on this topic, two lines from a Mandarin song, Turning Back Again (再回首) by Taiwanese singer Jiang Yuheng come to mind. Translated into English (sans the linguistic rhythm), the lines (曾经在幽幽暗暗反反复中追问， 才知道平平淡淡从从容容才是真。) mean: “I have been searching for an answer repeatedly through ups and downs, only to discover that the truth lies in simplicity and graceful moderation.”
Click here for jpeg format
« Back to previous
page
back to top