Lots of people walk through life trying to hide their depression. Some people with hidden depression can conceal their depression like pros, masking their symptoms and putting on a “happy face” for most others.
People with concealed depression or hidden depression often don’t want to acknowledge the severity of their depressive feelings. They believe that if they just continue living their life, the depression will just go away on its own. In a few cases, this may work. But for most folks, it just drags out the feelings of sadness and loneliness.
Dealing with the black dog of depression through concealing one’s true feelings is the way many of us were brought up — we don’t talk about our feelings and we don’t burden others with our troubles. But if a friend or family member is going through something like this — trying to hide or mask their depression — these signs might help you discover what they’re trying to keep concealed.
1. You feel fatigue and don’t sleep (or sleep too much).
Depression strips you of your energy and makes you feel lethargic. You stop doing things you enjoy because you feel exhausted, and begin sleeping excessively, or not sleeping at all (insomnia).
2. Your emotions are all over the place.
One moment, you’re feeling irritable and going off on someone in a full display of anger. The next, you’re crying. Depression can swing your moods uncontrollably.
3. Your topics of conversation have turned morbid.
Suicides rarely come without the symptoms that show up beforehand. Depressed people will often talk about it. If you’re in the company of a good friend who has flipped the morbid switch to “on” and is now talking about death and dying, stay close and monitor him. He may be on the doorstep of a suicide attempt.
4. Your outlook on life has done a 180.
Having a hopeless or helpless outlook on life is the most common symptom of depression. Associated feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, or inappropriate guilt may be riding shotgun. You vocalize thoughts like “It’s all my fault,” and “What’s the point?”
5. You’ve lost interest in the things you enjoy.
Depression can rob you of the things you love, making you withdrawing from the very activities you once looked forward to — sports, socializing with friends, hobbies, etc.