In the past years, we've all worn masks. Cloth masks protect us from a deadly pandemic, but many of us are also wearing the mask of a smile to hide depression.

Even before the pandemic, The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that more than 264 million people around the world had depression. The isolation, illness and fear of the pandemic has probably made this worse.

Some of us have smiling depression, which is to camouflage the sadness with a smile. Underneath the mask, your friend may be suffering from sadness, panic attacks, low self-esteem, insomnia, and, in some cases, suicidal thoughts. Suicide can be a particular threat because others can’t tell there’s a problem. It's impossible to know how many people have smiling depression because it’s invisible.

Although I don’t suffer from depression myself, I can relate to the impulse to hide these feelings. I am a competitive swimmer for my school here in Shenzhen, China, and for a local swimming club. I have trained for years to achieve good results, including the title of national level-two athlete. After a muffed performance in an important competition a couple of years ago, I found myself crumbling. For days, I struggled with my schoolwork and other daily tasks. Friends offered solace but I didn’t want them to be affected, so I smiled back and told them I was fine. But the offer of help from friends meant a lot to me, and eventually, I recovered to my normal happy self.

There are things we can do to support our own mental health. “If you’re just feeling a little down, maybe having some trouble sleeping but functioning well, there are things you can do such exercise, social contact, getting regular sleep cycles and eating healthy,” commented Dr. Joshua Gordon, director of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health. “Put those together and you’ve got a generally good program to stave off mild depressive symptoms.”

Sometimes, though, we need a little help from others. Another well-known psychiatrist advises, “If you really can’t sleep, your appetite is changing, you can’t function, can’t work, can’t take care of your kids or can’t grocery shop, that’s a sign you need professional help. If you are wondering, ‘why should I get out of bed or reach out for help?’ those very questions are symptoms of your disorder.” In this case, hiding your depression won’t help you to recover.

Don’t hide your depression with a fake smile. It is absolutely permissible to freely and appropriately express yourself, so just take the “mask” off! And don’t be afraid to ask your friends if they are struggling. If they are, your offer to help may be just what they need.