Depression is more than just being sad and gloomy. It’s a chronic overwhelming feeling, self-loathing, and a feeling of helplessness. Almost everyone feels depressed at some point of their life, but not everyone talks about it or seeks treatment. The fear of judgement and criticism force them to bury their true feelings deep down, pretending to be someone totally different on the outside. You may have a dear one who is doing just the same at the moment, and you have no idea about it. But how does one identify or read the signs? Here are some characteristics of people who are silently suffering from depression. Keep your eyes open for these.
1. Personalities That Seem Happy
A major sign of people who are depressed secretly is that they don’t reflect any signs of it. They appear to be extremely happy and content with their lives. They smile a lot, and laugh a lot. Looking at them, you you would never guess that deep down they hate themselves and are silently suffocating in self-loathing. You have to closely examine their defenses and desires to see what they fear. Check for quirks, or small triggers that causes them to reveal their true selves- it may be hard to do so, but not impossible.
2. Their Brains Are Tired From Overthinking
People who suffer silently from depression or anxiety cannot shut their brains down. They are constantly talking to themselves in their heads, unable to shush their minds. They might not remember the last time their mind was at peace. It is always one pointless debate after another. One endless argument after another. One fine day the brain will snap, tired of working continuously.
3. Their Greatest Fear Is Judgement
A major reason most depressed people don’t talk about what’s going on in their heads is because they hate being judged. Our society is to be blamed to a great extent for this fear as mental illness is still considered to be a taboo by majority of the people even today. They are scared of being linked to the prejudices and stigma linked to depression and other mental disorders. What they do not realize is that depression is an illness similar to any other illness in the world- there is nothing to be ashamed of.
4. They Want To Refrain From Hurting Others
It is natural for depressed people to snap at trivial things. When this happens, their empathy kicks in hard and they start seeing themselves as monsters who are capable of hurting everyone they love. So they try to hide it from their loved ones, without even realizing that doing so would cause everyone more pain and suffering.
5. They Hardly Trust Anyone
A common sign of depressed people is that though they will have tons of friends, they will trust only a handful. They might act like social butterflies, but deep inside, they feel lonely. Only few hold their confidence. In worst cases scenarios, not a single soul would hold their confidence, causing them to feel more and more lonely and sad.
6. They Are Hard To Read And Impossible To Get Close To
Another difficult trait seen in people suffering from depression is that they are awfully closed up. You may talk to them everyday, but you will hardly know anything about what is actually going on in their lives. They hardly reveal their innermost thoughts, and always stick to general topics when you talk to them. They always have a mask on, and you keep getting the feeling that there is so much more going on underneath all the layers they choose to hide behind.
7. They Are A Smart Lot
Being depressed and being silent about it makes them smart and strong. To endure pain in silence is not a simple thing. It makes a person mentally and emotionally strong and transforms them into something else. It takes a lot of mettle to suffer silently and act cheerful on the outside- not everyone can do it.
8. They Mess Up Things For Themselves
They struggle to be normal, but they can’t. They are genuine, they carry other’s woes, and they don’t seek attention. This makes their life a difficult one to live. This is how most depressed people behave. The last thing they want to do is trouble others, so they try to deal with things on their own, only to make matters worse. If only they knew it is completely okay to reach out for help!
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