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Actor Han Ji-hye has revealed she struggled with depression while filming a drama series years ago — keeping her condition hidden from those around her and, by her own account, acting even more cheerful on the outside. Her experience highlights how depression can be invisible to others: people living with it often continue working and socializing, appearing perfectly normal to those around them.

Han made the disclosure on her YouTube channel "Oneul-ui Jihye," in a conversation with fellow actor Kim Ji-seok, with whom she had worked on the drama series at the time.

When Kim remarked that Han had rarely socialized with colleagues during filming, she admitted, "I was actually dealing with a bit of an illness of the heart back then."

"It wasn't a celebrity thing — I genuinely had some depression at the time," she said. "People with depression often act overly cheerful on the outside."

Reflecting on her state of mind then, she said she had been young and inexperienced in professional life. "I'm not the type to open up to anyone," she added.

You can smile and work — and still have depression

Depression is often imagined as an inability to get out of bed or stop crying. In reality, its symptoms are far more varied.

According to the WHO, depression is distinct from ordinary mood fluctuations: it is characterized by persistent low mood or a marked loss of interest and pleasure in activities that normally bring enjoyment, lasting for a significant period. It can also involve difficulty concentrating, severe fatigue, changes in sleep and appetite or weight, feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, and a sense of hopelessness about the future.

The US National Institute of Mental Health notes that depression can also bring behavioral changes — withdrawing from family and friends, seeking isolation, and struggling to carry out responsibilities that were once routine.

As Han's account illustrates, smiling or appearing upbeat does not rule out depression. In settings that demand a social role — a workplace or a filming set — people may suppress their emotions and maintain a composed exterior.

However, the commonly used term "smiling depression" is not an official medical diagnosis. Rather than focusing on outward cheerfulness, clinicians look at how long low mood or loss of interest has persisted, and what changes have occurred in sleep, appetite, concentration, and daily functioning.

Avoiding others and hiding feelings can delay getting help

Depression can make the prospect of being around other people feel burdensome.

Keeping up conversations or honoring commitments requires more energy than it once did, leading some people to withdraw or reduce contact. Difficulty explaining their condition — or not wanting to be a burden — can cause them to conceal how they are feeling.

A recent systematic review examining how people disclose or conceal mental health problems found that persistently hiding a mental illness was associated with poorer mental health indicators, including depressive symptoms and lower quality of life.

Concern about others' perceptions can also delay treatment. A systematic review of 144 studies involving more than 90,000 people found that stigma around mental health was a barrier to seeking professional help — and that worry about others finding out was one of the main obstacles.

That finding resonates with Han's recollection that she was "not the type to open up to anyone." The longer depression goes unshared, the harder it can be for those around the person to notice.

Watch for low mood or loss of interest lasting more than two weeks

Depression is distinct from feeling off for a day or two.

A key diagnostic marker is whether depressed mood or a marked decrease in interest or pleasure appears nearly every day, for most of the day, over a period of at least two weeks. Severe fatigue, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of guilt or worthlessness may accompany it.

If someone loses all interest in activities they once enjoyed, or finds it noticeably harder to get through daily tasks — going to work, keeping up with studies, managing household responsibilities — it is worth taking stock of their condition.

When someone suddenly cuts off contact and avoids people, when their sleep and eating habits change dramatically, or when they repeatedly blame themselves or speak in hopeless terms, it is important not to dismiss it as a bad mood.

Depression is treatable — and it starts with speaking up

Effective treatments for depression exist.

The WHO notes that several forms of psychotherapy can be used to treat depression, including cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation therapy, interpersonal therapy, and problem-solving therapy. Antidepressant medication may also be prescribed depending on the severity of symptoms and the individual's circumstances.

Starting treatment requires putting one's condition into words. That can mean confiding in someone close, or seeking a consultation at a mental health clinic or other specialist facility.

Depression cannot be detected from a person's facial expression or usual personality. Someone who smiles and gets their work done may still be carrying considerable depression and fatigue beneath the surface.

Han's decision to speak about her depression more than 20 years later is itself a reminder that outward appearances do not always reflect what is happening inside. When low mood and loss of interest persist and daily life becomes a struggle, the more important step is to acknowledge one's condition and seek help — not to hide it and endure alone.

If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, dial the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 109, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please request a translator for English-language services.


rainbow@heraldcorp.com