Have you ever heard the term, smiling depression?

你有聽過「微笑抑鬱症」嗎？

High-functioning depression or hidden depression?

有聽過「高功能憂鬱症」或「隱性抑鬱症」嗎？

As these names may imply, this is when a clinically depressed person tries to keep their depression a secret from others.

如同這些名字暗示的，這些憂鬱確診病患會試圖把憂鬱症當秘密，不讓別人知道。

They often appear cheerful, successful, and seemingly put together...leading you to the belief that their lives are perfectly happy, fine, and without mental illness.

他們很常看起來開心、成功、一切都在掌握中...讓你相信他們的人生完美、一切都好，他們沒有心理疾病。

Is there someone you think might be secretly depressed?

你有覺得誰偷偷地在憂鬱嗎？

Look out for these 8 telltale signs that they might have hidden depression.

看看這八個小徵兆，他們可能有隱藏起來的憂鬱症。

1. They feel emotions on a much deeper level.

第一，他們以更深的層次感受到情緒。

Does your friend become emotionally volatile in response to a simple question or comment?

你的朋友在回答簡單的問題、或回覆留言時，會不會突然情緒波動很大？

Those who are secretly depressed will often feel things more intensely than usual because of how much they bottle up inside.

那些其實有憂鬱症的人會比一般人對事情有更深的感觸，因為他們已經累積太多情緒。

They're more susceptible to crying, getting upset, or even having a full-fledged breakdown because they feel overwhelmed with the depths of all of their emotions.

他們更容易哭泣、悲傷，或完全崩潰，因為他們已經被所有的情緒壓得喘不過氣。

This swings both ways, being more affectionate and loving towards others while also more easily angered and saddened.

這會讓他們來回擺盪，對別人更好更友愛的同時，也會更易怒與更容易悲傷。

2. They're less positive and optimistic.

第二，他們不那麼正向樂觀。

Does your loved one, who used to be so easygoing and light-hearted...become cynical and pessimistic?

你愛的人以前曾經隨和、正向，現在有變得憤世嫉俗與悲觀嗎？

They might be internally struggling with a lot of dark thoughts they are too afraid to share.

他們也許正與心中的黑暗思想打架，他們不敢分享那些想法。

They may adopt a more nihilistic point of view, and become less positive and optimistic than you're used to them being.

他們可能採取了更虛無觀點的想法，變得你無法習慣的不那麼正向樂觀。

3. They're obsessed with being the best.

第三，他們執著於要當最好的。

Depression, hidden or not, is often a thief that robs us of our ability to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

不論是不是隱藏起來的憂鬱症，都是一種小偷，會把我們享受生活中小樂趣的能力奪走。

People with concealed depression will often throw themselves into their work in order to find meaning in their lives and make sense of their suffering.

隱藏起憂鬱症的人，通常都會投身於工作，只為了找到生命的意義，或合理化自己的痛苦。

By overworking themselves, they get a sense of reprieve from their depression, and distract themselves from all the negativity that they feel.

透過過勞，他們從憂鬱中暫時得到緩解，可以讓他們不去想自己感覺到的負面情緒。

4. They have sudden mood swings.

第四，他們有突然的情緒變化。

Depression isn't always gonna look like sadness.

憂鬱症並不總是悲傷。

Sometimes depression manifests as anger, irritability, and sudden changes in mood.

有時憂鬱症會以怒氣、易怒、突然的情緒變化示人。

Depression makes feeling happy and even enjoying things they used to love...incredibly difficult.

憂鬱症讓感到快樂、享受以前熱愛的事物，變得極其困難。

Their response is a tendency to lash out and become emotionally unhinged.

他們的反應通常都是發怒，變得情緒失常。

There's just too much rage and desperation for them to suppress.

他們真的有太多怒氣和失望被壓制了。

So, like a volcano, they let it erupt and throw tantrums.

所以就像火山一般，他們讓情緒爆發，發幾場脾氣。

5. They've started abusing drugs or alcohol.

第五，他們開始濫用藥物或酒精。

Occasional recreational drug use and drinking are fairly common.

偶爾的娛樂藥物和飲酒是正常的。

However, the red flag for hidden depression starts to wave when it stops being occasional and becomes regular and then turns into dependence.

但是如果藥物和飲酒變得常態、且讓人依賴時，隱藏的憂鬱症就已經很嚴重了。

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, (or A.D.A.A.), found that approximately one in every five people who are depressed, also had a substance use disorder.

美國焦慮與憂鬱症協會 (A.D.A.A.) 發現每五個人就有一個人是憂鬱的，同時也濫用藥物。

6. They're always out of it lately.

第六，他們最近好像不太正常。

Is your usually punctual friend suddenly forgetting your lunch dates?

你通常很準時的朋友，突然忘記你們的午餐約會了嗎？

Does your friend zone out more often than usual when you're talking to them?

當你跟朋友說話時，他是不是比平常更分神？

Difficulty concentrating and remembering is one of the symptoms of depression.

難以專注和記住東西，是憂鬱症的症狀之一。

The depressed person often has a hard time keeping their train of thought, and struggles with finishing tasks affecting their grades or work performance.

憂鬱患者通常難以保持思緒連貫，較難達成影響成績和工作績效的任務。

They have difficulty with decisions and remembering recent events.

他們也比較難下決定或記住近期發生的事。

They may even start to speak and move more sluggishly as a result.

他們可能會開始講話或移動地比較遲緩。

7. They feel bad about asking for help.

第七，他們對要求幫忙感到糟糕。

Does your friend tell you something's wrong, but then waves it away saying it's just silly or unimportant and they'll just deal with it on their own?

你的朋友會不會告訴你有些事出錯了，但接著又說沒事的，這件事很蠢、不重要，他們自己處理就好？

When someone's trying to conceal their depression from others, they'll often send subtle cries for help that they immediately take back.

當人們試著隱藏憂鬱症時，他們通常會傳送微弱的求救訊息，但他們一下子就會把訊息收回。

They apologize for asking for help, even when they're struggling, and never want to burden anyone else with what they're going through.

他們為求助道歉，即便他們已經很難熬了，卻仍不願讓其他人為他們經歷的事感到負擔。

And 8. They always try to look or act happy.

第八，他們總是試圖看起來開心或展現開心。

Do you know someone who's constantly smiling and cheerful?

有沒有你認識的誰，總是在微笑、看起來很快樂？

Usually denying that something is wrong, even when you know, there is.

通常他們會拒絕承認有事情不對勁，即便你知道有事情不對勁。

They won't let others see them cry, or be sad so, they make up excuses about why they can't see you much.

他們不願意讓人看到他們哭或難過，所以他們會找藉口推託你不能見他們的原因。

Usually, when they think no one else is looking the facade will be dropped and you'll see things aren't okay.

通常，當他們以為沒人在看時，這層偽裝就會掉下來，你就會發現事情一點都不好。

Those with depression won't always show the symptoms commonly associated with the condition.

憂鬱症患者不一定會展現出一般與症狀相關的跡象。

Does this bring anyone to mind?

你有想到誰嗎？

Because of the negative stigma surrounding mental illness, many patients often feel the need to keep their struggle a secret for fear that they'll be judged shamed or mistreated for their illness.

因為心理疾病的污名，很多患者認為自己要把疾病當秘密，擔心他們會因為生病被羞辱、被不好地對待。

If you know someone who you suspect is secretly depressed, you can do them a solid and show your support by reaching out to them, this may help them move towards getting the professional mental health care they need in order to improve.

如果你懷疑有誰是默默地在憂鬱，你可以關懷他們、展現你的支持，這可能會讓他們向專業的心理照顧求助，得以改善情況。

Paying attention to these signs could make you a lifesaver.

注意這些跡象會讓你拯救生命。

If you know someone who may benefit from online counseling, we actually partnered up with better help: an affordable online counseling platform that you could utilize.

如果線上諮商對你知道的誰有益，我們其實有合夥想出更好的幫助：你可以使用的線上諮詢平台，收費不貴。

They're constantly striving to improve their services in terms of conditions.

就條件而言，他們持續在改良他們的服務。

The link will be in the description below.

連結會在下方敘述中。

Thank you!

謝謝你！