I often answer "I'm OK" when I'm not.
Friends and people I do outdoor recreation with.......the same, but then, I am helped, immensely by merely being active out-of-doors.
Family.......I may tell some that "I have been a bit depressed", like I did last month when my brother and I visited, I was amazed that he did not know that I had been depressed off and on most of my life, to the point of no longer having a career. Yet, why am I surprised that he doesn't know if I do not say something? But then, I know that my being out of work, is due to mood and personality, but do not let many others know.
I have told my supervisor at my part-time work, mainly due to breaking down and crying during tense times. Now I joke when he looks like he is going to give me input on work "wait, I haven't taken my --- pill yet!" since the anxiety pills have helped curb my crying on the job (yippee).
So, I do not feel it is in my best interest to:
-open up about personal things at work;
-open up to acquaintances? Try not to except to .....test the waters.....see someone's response by opening up a LITTLE.....see if it comes back to me, or instance;
-open up to family? - --usually not, I used to be more open to mom, but she is gone now, I get teary when I think of my father being gone, which will happen w/i next decade I suppose, so I realize that I need several other people, some younger and in better health than I, to open up to;
I do not feel that masking my more open response is necessarily the best thing to do, but I feel that in general, the majority of people I do not think of as a GREAT friend need to be told that I am NOT ok; it puts that person on the HOT seat I think. So, I believe that, for me, I need to foster some close relationships where I can comfortably say things that matter, but at an appropriate time, where possible. I think that I can (or should?) use an acquaintance's or co-workers query "How's it going" or what-not to try to answer in as positive of a note as possible, to be in the present moment (hey, I am not in bed unable to get up and going) and to make the best of it.