I think the saddest people always try their hardest to make people happy.”
—Robin Williams (Comedian)
Sometimes Tasha feels like everything is just about perfect in her life.
She excels at her job serving others as Creative Director of an e-learning company based in New York, and she has a few hours during the week to revise a novel that she has been writing.
Would you believe that Tasha just got married and enjoyed the process of decorating their new house, too?
In fact, because of her pleasing nature, she has a strong social life and regularly visits restaurants and bars with her husband and their friends. (They also enjoy exercising together.)
But here is the thing.
Often, Tasha feels like her life isn’t going anywhere.
She is still working on her novel, the old paint job on their house is driving her crazy, and there were some mishaps during the wedding (the main dish came out cold)
Tasha spends days feeling “off”, with a deep sense of worthlessness. Eventually, she can’t muster enough energy to get out of her pajamas.
However…
On the outside, she appears well together. A hyper-achiever at work, cheerful, and optimistic.
Tasha’s smile remains shining on her face for the world to see.
But, behind closed doors, she suffers.
Perhaps you can relate to Tasha a bit
The TRUTH About Smiling Depression
“Smiling depression”—also known as dysphoria (or Atypical Major Depression via the DSM-5)—is misunderstood by most people. And it is easy to understand why.
See, the key to understanding “smiling depression” is that you don’t have to see someone cry or hear them say they are depressed to realize they are. Sometimes, you just need to look closely.
When looking closely at your loved one, here are two things that will lead you to understand if you should reach out for professional help.
- Have you noticed any weight changes? For some, gaining weight happens when experiencing a cloud of depression. For others, they lose weight. So, look for drastic weight changes.
- How’s your sleep? This is another area where we see changes in behavior for someone with “smiling depression.” Whether it’s on the side of an inability to sleep (insomnia) or the lack of energy to rise from bed…look for changes in sleep patterns.
These two signs, coupled with a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed are telltale signs of depression.
Now, to be fair…these are two quick ways to alert yourself to the need of reaching out for help. But, this list is not exhaustive. For example, remember that those with “smiling depression” appear to be high-functioning and well.
We have a network of professionals that can be a supportive hand for you if you need it. We’ev seen many today strugg;e with thoughts of worthlessness and clinical depression. Reach out to us via our contact card above. We can help.
Below is a few other important thing to do if you or a loved person is experiencing a mental health crisis.
Suicide prevention:
You can never be too safe. If someone you know is thinking about harming themselves or someone else, here’s what to do:
• Call 911 or whatever your emergency services number is• Calmly stay close to the person until help arrives.• Remove any weapons, medications, or other things that may potentially cause harm.• Listen to listen. Don’t listen with the view of judging.
Get help from a crisis or suicide prevention hotline. Try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.