For all appeareances I come across as a good natured and cheerful person, who joins in the banter and regularly has a smile on my face. However, this is often not how I feel inside - upset, anxious, stressed, depressed, frustrated and sometimes angry.

I really struggle to communicate how I am feeling emotionally to others. It's like I walk around with a mask on whenever I am with other people, and am never my true self. I guess it all started as a defence mechanism so that people didn't know I had mental issues, especially in the workplace. But now I feel it impacts on my relationships as I find it hard to get close to people and I also find it hard standing up for myself in challenging situations.

I don't want to be walked over anymore, but I don't know how to change myself and don't want to alienate the couple of close relationships I do have.