‘People are not faking depression they’re faking plastered smiles. People are not faking anxiety, they’re faking a calm demeanor. People are not faking trauma, they’re faking being unfazed by triggers and memories. Remove the notion that people are faking their struggles.’
If there is one thing many people become surprisingly good at, it is pretending, faking and lying. First to themselves. Then to everyone else. And sooner or later, that affects every part of their lives.
People fake smiles and happiness.
People pretend they are happy in their relationships and marriages.
People fake LOVE.
Love!? People stay in unhappy relationships and marriages because of the many fears that keep them trapped.. creating the public image of being loved and happy. Yet dead inside.
People fake kindness. Loyalty. Respect.
People fake many things in order to be accepted, admired or approved of by others. The list of reasons is long, but most of them have one thing in common: fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of judgement. Their attention is focused far more on how other people see them than on who they truly are.
Many people become so skilled at deceiving themselves and lying that it gradually alters their reality. That self-deception shapes the way they see themselves, their relationships and, ultimately, their entire lives.
We live in a world full of people pretending to be someone they are not. Disconnected from their true selves, yet deeply connected to other people’s opinions, lies and expectations.
Luckily, we are not all the same. There are people who understand that pretending has never brought anyone lasting peace. Only honesty with yourself can do that.
Please do not fake things, especially your feelings.
So.. let us stop focusing on other people. This is something I keep reminding you throughout my writings: ALWAYS FOCUS ON YOURSELF.
People pretend because they have lost touch with their true selves.
And.. how exhausting must it be to fake happiness? To fake love?
Stop pretending. Stop faking.
Be YOU. Be your real self. Not who other people expect you to be, but who you truly are. Reconnect with your core self. It is liberating. Do not become a prisoner of your thoughts and feelings.. learn to accept them and understand why they arise.
Work on yourself. Accept yourself.
Do not become a people pleaser. Do not repress how you truly feel.
Do not spend your life trying to live up to other people’s expectations just to be accepted or loved. That is not what love is. Let people love you for who you truly are, not for a false image you have created to please them. Otherwise, they will love the mask.. not you. And that is painful. It becomes a burden. A burden you have to carry every single day.
It is heavy. Set yourself free.
All those unexpressed emotions you keep inside will eventually find a way to come out. Sometimes through emotional breakdowns, sometimes through physical symptoms, sometimes through deep emotional pain, or even disease. You can prevent much of that by facing what you truly feel instead of pretending it does not exist.
Your feelings are not permanent, but do not ignore them. Your thoughts are not who you are. Do not identify with them. Instead, learn to observe them. And speak up!
If you feel like you cannot cope anymore, or everything feels too heavy, please ask for help. Just do not pretend you are okay.
If you feel sad, allow yourself to feel that sadness. Do not laugh just for the sake of other people. If you are unhappy in your relationship, say it. Talk honestly with your partner. And if the relationship can no longer be saved, have the courage to end it instead of living a lie.
Faking a smile hides your true pain. Keeping your sadness inside only makes healing harder.
People are not faking depression. They are faking perfect smiles with bright white ‘Turkey teeth’. Because image has become more important than essence. And that is often one of the reasons they end up depressed.
Awareness is the key to all of this. Accept your feelings without guilt. Choose your mental health first. Choose relationships built on emotional support, not on maintaining a false image.
Stop faking. Start taking care of yourself.
This isn’t the only text. But today, it might be enough.