Down in the Dumps Depression and Smiling

man sitting in front of turned on screen

Depression and smiling go hand in hand when you don’t want anyone to see how horrible you feel. That’s me today. For some reason, I woke up with the depression, but I’m trudging through it with a smile on my face. Do you ever feel irritated for no reason at all? I don’t understand it, but I’m just going with the flow.

You ever wonder how people feel when they smile. Is it a true smile, or are they just masking something? If you’re good at reading faces, kudos to you. I’m not that good. I suppose you might see cracks in that smile. Sometimes, I’m not good at holding my feelings in. I wear them on my sleeve, they say. But other times, I can’t help but put on a smile to hide what’s really going on inside.

But then again, maybe it’s not about hiding anything. Maybe it’s just about finding joy in the midst of pain or chaos. Sometimes, smiling can be a way to cope with difficult situations and keep moving forward. It doesn’t diminish the struggles we may be facing, but it allows us to acknowledge that there is still beauty and positivity in life.

Masked Emotions

Humans are good at masking their emotions. We are smiling, but depressed. We are laughing, but hurting inside. Also, we put on a brave face, but deep down we may struggle with our own personal battles.

It’s important to recognize that everyone around us is fighting their own battles, and that we should never judge someone based on what they show on the surface. It’s easy to assume that someone is happy and content just because they appear to be, but the reality may be much different.

As humans, we often feel pressure to present ourselves in a positive light and hide any negative emotions or struggles we may face. We fear being seen as weak or vulnerable, so instead we put on a mask of happiness and normalcy.

Smiling Depression Symptoms

Smiling depression, also known as atypical depression, presents with many of the same symptoms as typical depression but with a seemingly positive outward appearance.

Common Symptoms:

Persistent sadness or emptiness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
Fatigue or lack of energy
Irritability or frustration
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Changes in appetite or weight
Sleep disturbances (insomnia or oversleeping)
Feeling worthless or hopeless

Unique Symptoms:

Smiling and appearing happy to others: Individuals with smiling depression may present a cheerful facade, hiding their inner turmoil.
Denial of depression: They may deny experiencing depression or downplay their symptoms.
High functioning: They may maintain a successful career, relationships, and social life despite their internal struggles.

High-Functioning Depression

High-functioning depression refers to a type of depression where people are able to keep up with their daily routines, like work, school, or social activities. But just because they seem fine on the outside doesn’t mean they aren’t dealing with the challenges of depression behind the scenes.

Around 10-15% of people with depression may experience something called high-functioning depression. It’s often hard to spot, because those dealing with it can seem to be doing just fine on the outside. But underneath, they might struggle with feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in things they used to love.

Many people think those with high-functioning depression don’t need support or treatment, but that’s just not true. Like any form of depression, getting help from a mental health professional can make a huge difference in managing symptoms and feeling better overall.

Mental Health Stigma

I had to recently face this when I was in the hospital. The doctor insinuated that I was faking the tremors in my body from Parkinson’s like symptoms. Yeah, I enjoy twitching just for the hell of it! Again, I just smiled at him, gritting my teeth.

Mental health stigma has improved over the years, but it’s still there and shouldn’t be. We are human and have feelings like everyone else. We hurt when spoken down to like that doctor did to me. Just his condescending tone irritated me. But, I was a big girl and just smiled. I believe now I should have said something, but I held my tongue.

Just because some people with mental illness fake their ailments doesn’t mean all of us do. I’m so tired of the health professionals who put us all in a collective pool, and assume we are all fakes. That scenario has to change.

Emotional Vulnerability

There is silent suffering behind that smile that you know nothing about. Some people suffer in silence because of the mental health stigma. They don’t want to be known as “not all there.” You are considered half of a human being, if you admit you suffer from depression.

There is emotional vulnerability when you admit you have depression. You’ve been suffering from it for so long, it has become your sidekick. It goes with you everywhere you go, never leaving your side. Yet, when you are diagnosed with depression, it’s like a weight has been lifted off of you. But, on the other hand, now you have a label of mental illness hanging over your head. Just sit there with the depression and smile.

Hidden depression

On the other hand, many people hide their depression. They do emotional masking with depression by doing the smiling stint. I am very outspoken (most of the time) when it comes to speaking about mental illness. But, I didn’t with that doctor, because I was still very dizzy and not feeling all up to par.

I don’t believe in hiding behind my mental illnesses. I’ve been dealing with depression since I was sixteen, so I know how the story goes. I’ve been in and out of mental hospitals most of my life. Each time I was in, I kept a piece of what I learned while in there, and kept it by my side to use when needed. I have quite an accumulation of knowledge.

Treatment for Smiling Depression

Even though you have depression and are smiling, that doesn’t make everything OK. You are just masking the depression instead of dealing with it. Here are some ways to deal with depression naturally:

Coping mechanisms

Move your body

Keeping yourself moving is easier said than done. All you feel like doing is lay around and sleep. But if you can get up and move, it will be beneficial. Just laying around gets your mind in a rut, and you stay there. I may be physically hurting, but I try to get up each hour and move my body, which in turn helps my brain.

Recognize your warning signs

Recognizing your warning signs of when you might be going downhill is very beneficial. You may be able to nip it in the butt. I recognized this morning that I was heading toward a depression episode, so turned on my favorite tunes and played a few games on my phone. It kept me from falling into that pit of despair.

Don’t compare

Don’t compare yourself to another person, thinking they are happy. Why can’t I be? You never know, they might have depression and are smiling just to hide the depression. As they say, “looks can be deceiving” or “never judge a book by its cover.” You’re going to have down days, but be proactive in fighting those feelings.

Leave your house

I kind of falter on this one, because of writing these posts. It takes a good portion of the day. Plus, I take mini breaks. Although, sometimes I’ll go for a car ride just to be outside. I like it because I listen to the tunes, look around at the scenery, and notice if anything has changed.

Anticipate something good

I have a physical therapist who comes to the house twice a week. I look forward to that because I get to talk to her. She’s here because of the vertigo. She’s only here for half an hour, but it’s nice to talk to her. I miss companionship. Anytime that I leave the house, I look forward to.

Know your limits

Knowing your limits is very important. You don’t want to overstep your boundaries. A person can only do so much and then stop. If you feel overwhelmed, take a break. Sometimes with depression, even the simplist tasks can seem daunting. Trust your instincts, and you will be fine.

Emotional Resilience

You don’t know how much emotional resilience you have until you tap into it. After all these years, I didn’t realize how strong I was emotionally until within the past few years. I came to a fork in the road and decided to try a different path, because the one I was on wasn’t working for me.

I chose the path that brought me out of depression and anxiety. If the path you’re on now isn’t working for you, create a new one. I don’t miss the old one, being depressed, but smiling and anxious round the clock. My insomnia started because of the anxiety. Until I was put on the right anxiety med, I was hardly sleeping.

Back to emotional resilience. Emotionally, I have matured into the person I always wanted to be. It took me a while to get there, but I made it! So, trust your instincts or gut feeling and you could choose the path of resilience.

Sum It All Up

Depression can sometimes be hidden behind a smile. People struggling with it might seem happy and put together on the outside, but underneath, they could be dealing with a lot.

This is often called “smiling depression,” where people feel pressured to appear happy around others. Unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to feelings of guilt or shame for not living up to the image they think they need to show.

If you or someone you care about is dealing with depression, reaching out for help is so important. This might mean talking to a therapist, exploring medication options, or making some lifestyle changes. Friends and family can make a big difference too by learning about depression and offering kind, judgment-free support.

Just a little reminder: sometimes people who seem happy on the outside might be going through a tough time on the inside. Let’s work together to break the stigma around mental health and show kindness and support to those facing depression.