What Is Smiling Depression & Is It Possible To Be Depressed When Smiling?

Often depression is associated with sadness, anxiety, lethargy and despair but someone who is going through the phase understands the variety of emotions one feels during depression.

What is Smiling Depression?

Smiling depression cannot be labelled as an official term but when someone tries to hide their feelings and problems by covering it with a smile, one may call it smiling depression.

Such people restore all their emotions for a public appearance and tag it with a smile. This is the reason they go undetected. But experts suggest that smiling depression could be called as Major Depressive Disorder with atypical symptoms. You must check out “This is how depression looks like” to understand the reality of depression.

What Are The Symptoms Of Smiling Depression?

In order to understand the pain your loved ones are going through in depression, there are some symptoms you can keep in check.

1. Change in appetite:

Those who are battling depression either begin to overeat or reduce the consumption of food to a great extent may be going through a depressive phase. Weight change is one of the most evident symptoms of smiling depression.

2. Body fatigue:

They always seem lethargic and their body feels restless and tired.

3. Change in sleep:

Some of them experience insomniac issues whereas some don’t feel like leaving their bed alone. Some of the symptoms of smiling depression include change in sleeping cycle (sleeping at the day time and staying awake at night)

4. Hopelessness:

There is persistent hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt and lack of self esteem.

5. Loss of interest in activities:

Activities that were usually enjoyed by them have no importance now. They have lost the interest in all those pleasurable activities that they used to enjoy before.

People facing depression may have very low energy within but they try to appear very active and optimistic in social life. But you must understand that the risk could be so high that a depressed person may even take steps to harm himself. It is a known fact that people with smiling depression are active and may even make plans to commit suicide.

What Are The Reasons To Hide Depression Under A Smile?

There are various reasons why those suffering from depression avoid expressing themselves in front of anyone and rather keep a smile on their face. There might have been big life changes like failed relationships or loss of job or anything that has made them fall into depression but the reasons to not to share their feelings are:

1. They Feel Embarrassed:

Some people with depression believe that it is a sign of weakness and feel that there is something wrong with them. They think that it could be handled by themselves and telling someone else would make them feel ashamed and embarrassed.

2. The Don’t Want To Burden Anyone:

Those who do not like to seek help have a feeling that they would burden others by sharing. They usually keep their struggles to themselves. It is however mostly true for people who spend a lot of time taking care of others and have an empathetic nature.

 3. They Are Not Able To Acknowledge Their Feelings:

Many people are not able to accept their own feelings and cannot understand what is wrong with them. As there is continuous denial, they hardly open up to seek help from others.

4. They Feel Guilty:

Apart from feeling embarrassed to share the depressive feelings, there is a continuous guilt for doing something wrong and self-blame for being depressed.

What Is The Treatment For Smiling Depression?

Depression is treatable. Depression could be treated with methods like talking to a therapist, indulging in talk therapy with a loved one who understands you, consuming medications as prescribed and bringing lifestyle changes.

If you want to help someone facing depression, you are appreciated for the step for the efforts. Apart from learning how to help someone in depression in detail, educate yourself with few points.

• Listening to them patiently without judging
• Reassure them that everything is going to be alright and the phase will pass soon
• Encourage them to help themselves with regular exercises and installing stress management apps
• Encourage them for professional help
• Be there!

Smile With An Open Heart!

Hiding your depression behind a nice smile may not help you as much as opening your heart, no matter how guilty you feel about it. If you cannot open up to someone whom you know, it is better to let an expert know about it. There is no reason to put yourself through harshness and create an aura with smiling depression.

So, better smile more and live longer!

Don’t forget to keep reading blogs on CalmSage.

More Interesting Reads:

Things You Should Never Say To Someone With Depression

Mantras To Wipe Out The Symptoms Of Depression

Why Some People Are More Prone To Depression Than Others

Top 7 That Foods That Can Cause Depression or Make it Worse