### How a character hides his depression 1. **Pretend to live a normal life** - **Forced smile**: The character always keeps a smile in front of others, even if he is in great pain. For example, every morning when he wakes up, he squeezes out a seemingly normal smile in front of the mirror, then goes to work or school, and talks and laughs with colleagues and classmates. The laughter may be a little deliberate, but it is difficult for others to detect the abnormality. - **Maintain daily habits**: Still get up, eat, and sleep on time, and complete work tasks or studies as usual. For example, a depressed character who originally loves painting, even if he no longer has the passion and inspiration for creation, will still go to the studio regularly, pick up the paintbrush, and pretend to paint seriously, so as not to let people around him see the changes in his heart. 2. **Overly busy** - **Devote himself to work or study**: Invest a lot of time and energy in work or study, so that he has no leisure to think about the pain in his heart. For example, a professional who used to have normal work efficiency, but after becoming depressed, he began to work overtime day and night, and took the initiative to undertake various difficult tasks, trying to use busyness to cover up his low mood. - **Participating in various activities**: Constantly participating in social gatherings, community activities, etc., on the surface actively integrating into the group, but in fact afraid of being swallowed by depression when alone. For example, the character will frequently attend parties organized by friends, even if he does not want to participate in his heart, but he still shows up every time and communicates with others in the lively atmosphere. 3. **Deliberately avoiding emotional topics** - **Diverting attention**: When others try to talk to the character about emotional issues or care about his inner feelings, he will quickly change the topic. For example, when a friend asks "How are you feeling recently", the character may immediately say "There is a super good movie recently released, let's go see it", leading the topic to other irrelevant things. - **Silent**: Choose to remain silent for in-depth emotional exchanges and respond with short and vague language. If you have to talk, you will simply say "I'm fine" or "I'm fine", and are unwilling to reveal more of your inner thoughts. ### Extreme behaviors of the character to express his inner struggle 1. **Self-harm** - **Cutting wrists**: When extremely depressed and desperate, the character may cut his wrists with sharp objects such as blades. Usually they choose to watch the blood flow out in the room alone late at night, as if this can release the pain in their hearts. After cutting their wrists, they may simply bandage them and pretend to live as if nothing happened the next day. - **Bumping against the wall or hitting objects**: diverting the inner struggle through physical pain. For example, when they are angry and helpless, they bang their heads against the wall or punch the furniture with their fists until their hands are bruised, in order to vent their unspeakable emotions. 2. **Overindulgence** - **Alcoholism**: Trying to numb themselves with alcohol and escape the pain in reality. The character may go to the bar after get off work and drink one drink after another until they are drunk and fall into a short state of numbness. After being drunk, they may do things that they would not normally do, such as crying and making a fuss, confiding in strangers, etc., but after sobering up, they will fall into deeper self-blame and depression. - **Crazy shopping**: Buying various items without restraint to fill the emptiness in their hearts. They may buy a large amount of expensive clothes, jewelry or electronic products at one time. Even if they can no longer afford it financially, they cannot control their shopping desires and will regret their actions later. 3. **Negative attitude towards health** - **Excessive dieting or overeating**: Excessive dieting is to punish their body and feel that they do not deserve a normal diet; overeating is to get a short-term sense of satisfaction by eating a lot when their emotions are out of control, and then they will fall into deep self-loathing. For example, the character may eat very little food for several days in a row, or eat a large amount of high-calorie food at a time, causing drastic fluctuations in weight. - **Refusal of medical treatment**: Even if they are seriously unwell, they are unwilling to go to the hospital for examination and treatment. They are afraid of facing the possible diagnosis of the disease, feel that they can no longer bear the pain, take a negative attitude towards their physical health, and let the disease develop.