‘Smiling Depression’ May Make Suicide Seem Like It Came Out Of Nowhere. Here’s How You Can Help.

Jun 26, 2018 by apost team

It may be uncomfortable or saddening to discuss, but depression and suicide are both major epidemics that have arisen in the last twenty years. The American Centers for Disease Control report that suicide rates are up an alarming 30 percent since 1999, and that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, claiming about 44,000 lives every year. In the immediate wake of a suicide, reactions range from disbelief to heavy grief, and two questions tend to arise: “Why did they do it?” and “What could have been done?”

It’s difficult to pin down the answer to either of those questions, as every situation is drastically different. It’s even more difficult to pin down exactly what a suicidal person looks like, as suicidal ideation and depression don’t have a specific “look.” As the recent tragic deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain prove, simply having material wealth or an objectively “good” life doesn’t guarantee that someone won’t be depressed or suicidal.

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While some subgroups of the population have disproportionately high suicide rates than others (LGBTQ+ youth, for example), the sad reality is that absolutely anybody can suffer from suicidal ideation. Joseph Franklin, professor of psychology at Florida State University, ran an experiment in which trained psychologists were no more successful at identifying a patient struggling with suicidal thoughts than untrained passerby who decided based on a coin toss. He wrote in a thinkpiece that humans naturally love simple, concrete explanations, and that simply doesn’t work with suicide.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is among the "leading causes of disability worldwide,” but not everyone who lives with depression considers suicide. In fact, depression is not in and of itself the main cause of suicidal thoughts. Atypical symptoms and the stigma surrounding mental illness may also cause someone struggling with chronic depression to grin and bear it without seeking help, a condition that’s informally known as ‘Smiling Depression.’

Then there’s the fact that some suicide victims never show any signs at all, and not all suicides are planned, either. To combat the constantly growing threat of suicide, it’s important to raise awareness about and show respect to victims or mental illnesses, especially depression.

Spread the major hotlines around on all your social media: the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, the Crisis Text Line (text "HOME" to 741741), and the Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ people at 866-488-7386. And don't forget to pass this on to your friends and loved ones and spread awareness. 

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!