No matter how big you smile, you know it's there.

By: Santtana Looganaden

You smile a lot. 

People meet you for the first time and often mention that. 

Your energy is infectious and full of joy. 

Your friends joke that you’re happy even when you shouldn’t be. 

You’re silly and a little loud; every photo of that exists of you online you’re seen laughing or grinning. 

To the outside world, you look so happy. You always look so happy.

But what if you aren’t?

See, there’s this idea about what pain and sadness looks like. It’s someone who doesn’t go out to socialise. 

Someone who watches TV for 6 hours straight. 

Like a human Eeyore. 

Gloomy and sad. 

Lifeless, really.

Depression, pain, heartbreak — it looks different on everyone. 

It’s not one-size-fits-all. 

And just because you can’t see it on someone, just because you can’t tell they’re struggling, doesn’t mean they aren’t being affected.
Because when you’re the happy person, when you’re the smiley social butterfly, no one expects you to be hurting inside.
No one assumes there are things that go beyond the exterior. No one thinks there’s pain past the friendly outside.