How To Understand If Your Friend Suffers From Concealed Depression

Depression is a severe mental illness that can often go unnoticed for years. People who suffer from concealed depression are battling their demons within all alone. They aren't sharing their struggles and don't want to burden those around them.

For most of us, wounds aren't something we are open about. We tend to hide them and attempt to remedy them on our own. If you fear that a friend, partner or family member might suffer from concealed depression, then the following signs will help you understand this person better and help them.

1. They like to express themselves through art.

Many famous artists have suffered from mental illnesses, and this suffering has given them deeper emotions. If you think about it, that's in some form a source to their inspiration. While we can't always see it, their struggles are usually reflected in their works. Such people can bring something beautiful out of all the darkness that consumes them.

2. They always search for a purpose.

We all need a purpose in our lives. We want to be sure that we are doing meaningful things. People suffering from concealed depression are not exempt from that. They also want to know the reason for their existence, and they want it even more than other people. They are much more susceptible to experiencing emotions such as inadequacy and anxiety which leaves them looking for something they can never seem to achieve in their own heads.

3. They sometimes make muted cries for help.

We all need help sometimes. When we are not expecting somebody to feel weak or to be depressed, we don’t understand their cries for help. Nevertheless, if you notice their cries and can help them in any way, you can create a very close and trust-filled relationship with them.

4. They interpret substances differently.

Somebody who is dealing with depression usually understands what it is they can take to ease their pain in a sense. They know that caffeine and sugar will improve their mood and that some medicines can also help them. They have to put a lot of effort into feeling better, unlike the majority of people. It isn't as simple as taking a Tylenol when you have a headache.

5. They have a very involved perception of life and death.

A person who suffers from depression often faces their own mortality in moments of despair and seeks answers to life’s deepest questions. They tend to shift from one negative mindset into another. Sure, not all depressed people have suicidal thoughts, but some often do.

6. They have imbalanced eating habits.

People with hidden depression might not be able to eat much or at all when they are on their worst days. That being said some of them might eat more when at their worst. It varies from one person to another.

7. They have abnormal sleeping habits.

People with concealed depression will often sleep for what seems like or might literally be days. Sleep at times may seem impossible while other times may be the only thing left that this person can do. When someone is depressed, they're dealing with a state of helplessness that turns their world upside down.

8. They have abandonment issues.

If you've dealt with abandonment, then you probably know how awful it can be. When somebody walks out of your life, it can be devastating, but this impacts individuals with depression much more than other people. It makes them more and more secretive about their emotions and creates a fear within them of being rejected and left by their loved ones.

9. They often come up with ‘cover-up’ stories.

People with hidden depression can come up with believable elaborate excuses for what they're going through. Like in case they skip an appointment, or they don’t return your calls for days. They can also easily change the subject when things like that come up and turn the attention away from their problems.

10. They may have habitual remedies.

There are various lifestyle changes a person can make, as an effort to ease their minds. For example, these people might do things like exercising, listening to music, walking, and more.

11. They're always making efforts to seem happy.

Those who suffer from depression learn to fake their mood. They will often appear as happy and cheerful on the outside. When they let their inner struggles show, they feel as if they're bringing others down too.

12. They are seeking love and acceptance.

People with concealed depression are not hiding their condition because they want to be dishonest, but because they're trying to protect their hearts. They just want to be loved and accepted like everybody else.

13. They have trouble shutting off their minds.

These people process everything happening in their lives at a fast speed. They overanalyze the positive and the negative and make the impact on them much bigger. Their minds are like sponges absorbing whatever comes their way.

14. They suffer when other people suffer.

When others are suffering, it also brings depressed people down to their worst points. This sort of empathy often triggers their emotional pain.

15. They always worry of the worst-case scenarios.

While that's very stressful, it can also be beneficial from time to time. A high intelligence seems to be connected to depression, so these people can respond to anything that comes their way. That makes them excellent problem solvers for the most part.