Contrary to popular belief, depression is not simply a sadness that hits you on a random Tuesday afternoon. It is a heaviness from head to toe; it paralyses then consumes you whole.

It’s a dark cloud that seeks you out on a sunny day. A predator dead set on its prey. A criminal who holds you hostage. A weight on your chest. A knife to your neck. It strips you down to the bone, devouring your flesh, laying you bare. It transforms you into an unrecognisable creature, formerly the person that once was.

And yet, life must go on. The immense weight and ugliness must be hidden, lest anyone see. Because, how dare anyone see you in such a state? In a society that prioritises perfection and showing face, who would want to see that? Who would want to bear witness to such an unsavoury thing? So with your mask securely on, you venture back out into the world all smiles. Meanwhile inside you’re fighting a losing battle with yourself.