 Hey, Psych2Goers, do you feel that someone close to you has internal struggles that they fight every day or maybe that's you too? Many people bottle up their emotions and conceal their troubles all to themselves. Hiding your depression can be debilitating. If prolonged without necessary help, these feelings can turn into a state of despair and isolation that can be difficult for them to escape. Are you our loved one hiding depression? Here are some signs someone is hiding their depression. Number one, they're pessimistic about the future. Do they feel hopeless about their future? When you ask secretly depressed people about their plans, they would either act dismissive, curt, or avoidant. But in truth, these people often struggle to find meaning in their future and instead view it in a negative light. They likely have thought hard about it, but they always seem to end up just short of making sense of it. These feelings stem from a feeling of inadequacy and can cause mental anguish to both them and their close friends. Number two, they have a hard time concentrating. Do you often lose their attention when you speak with them? Are they losing their train of thought during conversations way too often? This shows memory and concentration issues, a common symptom of depression. This worsened memory state is even harder for them to have an honest chat with their friends and family. Since it's hard and draining for them to articulate it, they end up pushing their thoughts aside and further concealing their burdens, which doesn't solve any problems. It helps when you can make a safe space for your friend for an honest conversation. Being patient with their scattered thoughts gives them confidence that you're there for them. Number three, their body undergoes big changes. Do they complain about pains and aches around their body? Despite the absence of external injuries? While depression is primarily a mental health issue, it can present itself in our bodies too. Gaining or losing weight are some signs of depression, as well as back aches, digestive problems, headaches, and chronic conditions. Research reports that people with masked depression are more prone to common pain than those who don't suffer from the illness. So if they have unexplainable aches and are in a constant downcast mood, depression might be something they're facing. Number four, they get unusually quiet. Does it feel like their energy has been sapped for seemingly no reason? While it's normal to just have nothing to say at times, a pattern of long silences may be a sign of something stirring up underneath. While asking them whether their fine could temporarily bring their minds back to reality, they'll eventually resort back to keeping everything to themselves as a coping mechanism. They may not feel sad, per se, but instead feel a pervading feeling of dread and emptiness, internally asking themselves, what's the point? Although they try to appear normal and could successfully do so, enjoying a conversation with friends still feels difficult. They'd much rather retreat to the solace of silence instead. Number five, they keep conversations surface level. Does it sometimes feel like they have a brick wall put up? Secretly depressed people can enjoy and have normal conversations. But when you pry on their innermost insecurities, they can feel the burn of the pain again, which forces them to hold back up. Feelings of betrayal from the past could resurface, transporting them back to how bad it felt during a time when they felt the brunt of the impact. Although their composure doesn't waver and they don't break down or lash out, they'll stick with the solace of safe topics because they know those topics won't ever hurt them. And number six, they smile to hide their pain. Do they tend to brush off their feelings and smile them away instead? What makes depression so sinister is the ease with which one can hide it all behind a smile. They force a facade of happiness to free others from the burden of dealing with their problems. However, there are times where signs of this facade show behind the cracks and reveal a shell of a lonely, sad and hurting human in its wake. In cases like this, sharing your concern with them and offering them emotional support may help them significantly. While it might feel like prodding into their business, they need to hear it is okay to let others share their burden. In times like these, knowing your near and dear one's support, you can help to a great degree emotionally and might also encourage them to seek professional help. So it's better to let them know that you're there for them, but not push the conversation any further if they are unwilling. Have you seen any signs of hidden depression that your friends may be facing above? Do any of these describe your experience? Leave a comment down below if you'd like. Please feel free to share any thoughts you have as well. If you found this video helpful, be sure to hit the like button and share it with someone who may feel like they're struggling and need help. Don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell for more new videos. As always, thanks for watching.