Hmm, when I'm really depressed I almost don't fit most of the symptoms except how I feel inside. I get dressed, do my hair and makeup no matter how exhausting. I still do what I need to do in a day no matter how painful. I don't sleep more, and when I'm around people I generally try to act as normal as possible. My boyfriend can tell some of the time but not how bad it is. No one else seems to clue in. I do try to hide it, I am a proud person and I don't want anyone to see the real me, or think I'm weak or self loathing.

I talked to my pdoc about this once as I used to do it with him also. I thought man, this I'd kinda scary, I could get in to some serious trouble with this. I mean if I'm very suicidal no one will know and I don't reach out either. I think I got really good at the masks from anorexia, that's a real hiding game I learned young.

Seems like the masks are appropriate at times in certain situations, we all have them. But can become a self destructive weapon in exess.