Although “smiling depression” isn’t a clinical diagnosis, for many people, it’s a real problem. Typically, smiling depression occurs when individuals who are experiencing depression mask their symptoms. They hide behind a smile to convince other people that they are happy.

Consequently, this type of depression often goes undetected because when most people imagine a depressed individual, they think of someone who looks really sad or cries a lot. And while it’s true that sadness and unexplained bouts of crying are common characteristics of depression, not everyone looks sad when they’re depressed.

Signs and Symptoms

Whether you’re the one who works hard to pretend you’re happy when you’re not, or you have a loved one that you suspect might be hiding their pain, understanding smiling depression can help you take positive action. Here’s an overview of the signs and symptoms of smiling depression.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that almost 265 million people around the world have depression. Individuals with smiling depression may experience many classic symptoms of depression, including profound sadness, low self-esteem, and changes in their everyday lives. Some of these symptoms may be observable to others, while other symptoms may be kept private.

It’s not uncommon for people with smiling depression to work really hard to disguise their symptoms. For this reason, it’s important to look for other less-obvious signs that something is wrong, like changes in their habits, fatigue, and a loss of interest in things they once enjoyed.

Here’s a list of possible signs to look for:

• Changes in appetite: While some people overeat when they’re depressed, others lose their appetite. Weight changes are common with any type of depression.
• Changes in sleep: Some people struggle to get out of bed when they’re depressed because they want to sleep all the time. Others can’t sleep and they may report insomnia or exhibit major changes in their sleep habits, such as staying awake at night and sleeping during the day.
• Feelings of hopelessness: Guilt, worthlessness, and feelings of hopelessness are common.
• Loss of interest in activities: Individuals with smiling depression may not be interested in the activities they usually enjoy.

Despite these signs and symptoms, individuals with smiling depression are still likely to appear high-functioning. They may hold down a steady job and continue to maintain an active social life. They may even appear cheerful and optimistic. For this reason, it’s important to talk about mental health issues in an open way. Doing so may give them the courage to open up about their feelings.

Why People Smile When They’re Depressed

It’s not uncommon for people to keep their depression private. From wanting to protect their privacy to fearing judgment by others, there are many personal and professional reasons why people hide their symptoms of depression and may mask it with a smile. Here’s a closer look at why people keep depression a secret.

Fear of Burdening Others

Depression and guilt tend to go hand-in-hand. Consequently, many individuals don’t want to burden anyone else with their struggles. This fact may be especially true for people who are used to taking care of others rather than having others take care of them. They simply do not know how