Undetectable Mental Problem: 'Masked Depression'

Masked depression, which keeps the bottom alive while looking happy, is mostly seen with disorders in appetite and sleep balance, apart from classical depression symptoms. Specialist Clinical Psychologist Mustafa Eldek gave information on this subject.

It has been accepted by the scientific world that the deterioration of psychological health affects a person's daily life, social environment and way of doing business, as well as directly affecting his physical health. Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders. Depression is a psychiatric disorder that makes the person's mood, thoughts, body and mind sick, in which the person temporarily loses the ability to be happy and enjoy life. Depression in its simplest form is mental depression. According to the data of the World Health Organization, depression has been recorded as the biggest health problem seen under the age of 40. It is seen in one out of every four people throughout life. When we look at the symptoms of classic depression, it is seen with not being able to enjoy life, changes in appetite, indecision, thoughts of worthlessness, sleep disorders, concentration disorder, forgetfulness, motivation disorder, constant feeling of guilt, pessimism, clinging to past experiences, sexual dysfunctions. Depression includes many sub-titles such as major depression, dysthymic depression, psychotic depression, atypical depression, seasonal depression, premenstrual depression. One of these sub-headings, masked depression or, in other words, veiled depression, we frequently encounter in our clinical observations.

The biggest common feature of masked depressed people is that they have difficulty expressing their emotions fully. Emotions that cannot be expressed manifest themselves with bodily symptoms after a while. The biggest difference between classical depression and masked depression, that is, the depression process that is spent with a smile, is that there is more bodily pain. People generally experience problems such as chronic pain (head, neck, back, joint pain), sleep, stomach and intestinal problems, sexual problems, dermatological problems, alcohol and substance abuse. The test analyzes in the hospitals, which are applied for aches, pains and numbness, are inconclusive. The person in the depression process, who is spent smiling, lives unknowingly by sweeping his problems under the carpet. In social environments, at first, it will be difficult to wear this mask, while it will exist with a very harmonious smile. As the person rejects his feelings, the body will begin to speak. This speech of the body will be with sleep disorders and appetite imbalance. Sleep disorders are seen as too little and poor quality sleep as well as too much sleep. The other biggest symptom is an increase or decrease in appetite.

It should not be forgotten that in the masked depression process, even if the inner world of the person weeps, the person may not shed a tear or experience the feeling of happiness even if he laughs at an event. After a while, he will be alone in the crowds. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or if a physical origin cannot be determined for your complaints such as pain, sleep problems, dermatological problems (allergies, rashes, etc.), sexual problems, it will be good for your health to accept that the problem you are experiencing may be of psychological origin and seek help.