We often hear about optimistic individuals who laugh and enjoy life, only to be shocked when we learn of their suicide. In our understanding, depression is clearly manifested through symptoms that are easy to recognize. This trap is one that most of us fall into, especially in recent years as a dangerous phenomenon has infiltrated and taken hold of our society. "Smiling depression" or "laughing depression" is not a new phenomenon, but it is increasingly prevalent, making those affected feel as if they are jumping in a minefield.
Because a considerable number of Lebanese live in a constant state of denial regarding reality, psychotherapist and university professor Dr. Leila Sawaya Wassaf believes that "this can be accompanied by this type of depression," particularly with the decline in mental and emotional health. In a conversation with MTV, she states, "It is difficult to diagnose smiling depression because the symptoms of ordinary depression are not clear; the individual may be in denial and unaware of what is happening to them."
This is where the danger lies, according to Dr. Sawaya Wassaf, "as those suffering from this hidden depression experience the symptoms of depression but insist on hiding it and pretending to lead a successful and happy life, which makes them suffer their pain alone and increases their exposure to suicidal thoughts and self-harm without anyone noticing." She emphasizes the seriousness of this condition because the individual lives "a state of sadness internally but socially puts on a mask to present a normal and happy image, exerting great effort to carry out their daily and routine tasks."
Not only friends and family but the individual themselves may be unaware of their smiling depression due to their state of denial about reality. With the accumulation of pressures, psychological and bodily symptoms may emerge, such as pain in various body parts with no biological or organic cause, only psychological, according to the psychotherapist. They may later be surprised by changes in their thoughts without understanding them, which typically lean toward negativity and thoughts of self-harm.
Regarding what increases the risk of "smiling depression," Dr. Leila Sawaya Wassaf points out that "factors such as personality and the environment in which a person lives, as well as certain cultures, communities, and families, all play a critical role in the individual's reluctance or inability to express their depression or experience their sadness in a healthy way." She notes that "there are circumstances that may control the individual, making them unable to express their feelings generally, for various reasons, and some have no choice but to continue their life by attempting to be stronger than their poor mental state."
Signs indicative of this depression include "lethargy and fatigue, lack of concentration and forgetfulness, insomnia and inability to sleep regularly or excessive sleeping, weight change and appetite disruption, incapacity to perform simple tasks, lack of interest in their surroundings and indifference, and a significant drop in self-esteem." Everything they experience and try to hide may surface as sudden outbursts of anger, uncontrollable anxiety, and sometimes risky behaviors.
What about treatment? Wassaf stresses that "the later depression is diagnosed, the longer the treatment will take and the greater the risk to the affected individual," noting the difficulty in diagnosing "smiling depression." She highlights the necessity of receiving specialized psychological help, and some individuals in certain cases may require medications prescribed by a psychiatrist.
