Smiling Faces, Silent Battles: The Invisible Storm of Depression
tipape matayo@tipapematayo437098
7 days ago
It's not seen.
It’s the silence between breaths.
The invisible ache masked by "I’m okay."
It slips behind smiles,
Shadows behind laughter that sounds too rehearsed.
It’s tiredness no sleep cures,
It’s hunger with no appetite,
It’s loneliness even in company.
I pen this with love,
For those whose eyes shine yet minds dim,
Whose hearts smile but faces bleed.
Those drowning, not in oceans, but in thought.
Those who’ve mastered the art of showing up,
Even when their souls beg to withdraw.
Mood swings?
Not just swings. Storms.
Anger at sunrise, tears by night.
Today, numb.
Yesterday? A battle with the weight of existence.
Tomorrow? Maybe survival again.
The anguish is subtle.
You hate what you loved.
Favorite songs become noise.
Favorite people become burdens.
Interactions are a performance—
Audience applause, internal exhaustion.
Society says:
"Cheer up."
"Just think positive."
As if joy could be summoned like a genie.
As if despair were just a bad habit.
And yet—
You are still here.
And that matters.
Not seen doesn’t mean not felt.
Invisible doesn’t mean insignificant.
You matter.
Your sadness is not weakness.
Your confusion isn’t failure.
Your tired eyes deserve rest, not judgment.
Your existence is a quiet revolution.
Depression is a monster, yes—
Too dangerous, too deceptive.
But even monsters retreat when confronted.
And confronting begins with believing:
You are not broken.
You are becoming.
UNITY starts WITHIN—
A gathering of scattered pieces,
A whisper to the soul,
"I will not abandon you."
If you’re hurting,
Know this:
Your presence is poetry.
Your endurance is protest.
You, even in silence, are louder than despair.
#poetry
#mentalHealth
#depression
