Posted by jedi on March 21, 2006, at 23:50:30
In reply to How well can you mask your anxiety/ depression?, posted by detroitpistons on March 20, 2006, at 9:52:13
For years, while living with dysthymia, I could hide my depression fairly well. It is just not acceptable in the business world to show how you really feel, if that feeling is depression. The energy I expended while putting on this face was tremendous. I would be completely exhausted by the end of the workday. When I fell into major depression, there was just no hiding it. My depression is atypical with social anxiety, so I would just not leave the house on bad days. By this time I was self-employed, so I could adjust my schedule; but talk about lack of production. The "fake it till you make it" philosophy didn't work very well for me, when major depression hit.
Take care,
Jedi> I sometimes wonder what people think of me when I'm depressed and/or anxious. People definitely have made comments to me in the past because the way I would talk would show my excessive worry and anxiety. As far as the depression part, I don't know if people notice a big change in me. I tend to isolate myself, and so when people do see me, they probably just think I'm in a bad mood that day or just in a "funk." Inside I feel absolutely terrible, so I feel much worse than what I actually show externally.
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> It takes a lot of effort to put on this mask. My energy levels are very low as it is. It's hard for me to make conversation, and I'm not really interested in talking about anything. If something funny happens, I usually have to force myself to laugh. During these times, I just stay home as much as possible and try to avoid people and lay on the couch. I don't think anyone really suspects clinical depression.
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> What are your experiences?
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> At work, if I learned the job while I was not so depressed, then I can generally accomplish my job duties, although my performance is at a minimum.
poster:jedi
thread:622461
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060315/msgs/623220.html