So you know how Disney et al. tells you to follow your heart and be true to you? That shit is a bad idea. Fake it forever.

Depression can sometimes cause your internal world to be filled with negativity and critical thoughts. Not to mention taboos and deconstructions of societal norms. It’s a lot. Still, what’s wrong with sharing your heart? What’s wrong with communicating about how unique you are? Or how boring you are for that matter?

Nothing. It’s other people that are the problem. They might judge you. They might see you as dangerous. They might form stereotypical impressions of you. And then in the case of the mental health system, they might institutionalize you, and/or make you take medicine. Because depression is typically at least in part defined by thoughts that are not considered on the metaphorical tableau of the “well adjusted.”

Would you deserve these reactions? Would it be the natural consequence of being a deviation from the norms of the less depressed? Is this really what would happen from you just following that advice and being honest about who you really are?

Well there’s also the possibility that you could find someone, or a group of people, who can provide support. And if you are prepared for the emotional weight of sharing your inner self with the world, there could be the reward of others understanding you better, and even embracing your perspective. You could even find that some of your thoughts are original as fuck, or really helpful.

So you know, maybe you just have to be cautious and set your own boundaries? If you find that being true to you privately is okay, go for it. If you want to take it public, that’s cool as well. Yet while it’s hard to feel forced to care about society’s limitations, there is often some need to rely on people outside of yourself, and so being truthful can be a delicate balancing act to make sure that you can follow your heart and still get what you need to survive.