Thanks for sharing. I am sorry you have felt your pain is discredited. I have sometimes felt this way. Although, while I may be doing well by societal standards in terms of work or school I may in fact not be functioning in all areas of my life--not doing chores, taking care of myself, etc.

Even when I have said I am really not doing well to friends they might think I am just feeling a bit down. Like this past year when in a pretty bad mixed episode, before I knew what it was, I had friends tell me I was probably just stressed about exams and I would feel better soon. Even my psychiatrist at first thought I was just having a little more anxiety starting an SSRI. It was kind of invalidating, as it was really a terrible experience. I kept trying to articulate the severity. I don't know if this had to do with being high functioning or not, but my friend said later she never would have known how much I was struggling.