How do I explain my depression when everyone thinks I'm such a happy and positive person?

Depression isn't only something you feel when you are a sad or miserable person. It doesn't go away just because things are better or you have a better life. Depression can be right there, in every moment you are happy or positive. It doesn't stop just because you are smiling and having a good time. The best way I've ever seen to explain depression was by a young man on a TEDTalk who explained that no matter how happy he always seemed it was like wearing a mask. A mask he could never take off. He would practice at being happy. He would look in the mirror and convince himself he was happy. But nothing could force him to truly be happy on the inside.

I always say it's like drowning with your eyes open. You can see everyone and feel everything. You want to be happy but your constantly being drug further down and no one notices.

I can say that depression isn't just the feeling of general sadness. You can go out with friends and have a great time with others and still have depression. Depression is when it's extremely difficult to get out of bed, you've lost interest in once pleasurable activities. Also, depression can show its symptoms at any stage of your life, even if nothing really triggered the symptoms.

Everyone experiences depression differently. For some it might be a very personal journey, they keep hidden from the world.

Try to explain to them that depression isn't a characteristic, it's an illness. No matter how happy and positive your personality is, you can get depression.

I think that it may be important to identify why you feel the need to explain your depression. You owe nobody an explanation for your illness. You are who you are, and you do what you need to in order to recover and get better. Your health is your business, and you deserve your privacy. If you feel that others should know, or you want others to know because you need help, then you should feel no shame, and no fear in stating that you suffer from depression. If they do not understand, or are insensitive, there are many resources on the internet that you can refer them to in order to understand your condition better.

In my opinion the happiest people can be the saddest sometimes. It was very hard for me to open up to people about it but I did open up to trusted family members & I felt much better after I had talked about what was going on.

It can be very hard to explain, but that does not mean that people will not accept you for being a sadder person in general. Start small, start with little hints perhaps or sit the person down you trust most and say something like "do you know about depression?" "My doctor has been discussing with me the possibility of me having it" or even discuss it in a jokey manner to gage how your friends or family will react. This should affirm you it'll be ok.

You can tell someone that you feel a heavy weight on your chest or back, and you lack motivation to do things. Or even that you find it hard some days to get out of bed and do things. I would describe my depression as "a heavy weight" "It's hard to get out of bed" "It's hard to leave home" "my chest really hurts and it isn't physical" "heavy, deep, saddening"

Even the happiest of people are capable of being sad. Everyone has their bad days! So don't be afraid to speak up! You got this! Be brave! :D