You know how you can never tell what a person is thinking or feeling just by looking at them? It's a crazy concept to think that every person you know has a different version of themselves locked on the inside for just them to know. Whether you are dealing with random life crap, or struggling with a mental illness, or even if you just don't want everyone to know your business all the time, you have a side you hide.

This doesn't mean you are trying to lie to people, though it also doesn't mean you are lying to yourself; we are simply complex people.

One of the struggles with this type of complexity is dealing with people who don't believe you have a mental illness.

Constantly there are people being told "You laugh all the time, you can't be depressed" or "But you seem so happy!" It's never simple like that.

Depression can take many forms, and can come and go. It can always be there. It can get better and worse. There is no one way people experience depression. Depression doesn't mean you are constantly moody and suicidal, and it also doesn't mean that you are apathetic to everything. It means it can be both, one or the other, or everything in-between.

So how do people with depression find happiness?

For me, it was the little things.

I cut negativity out of my life; I tried to be a more positive and optimistic person. If I let myself be negative, I sucked myself back into an apathetic state.

I started appreciating those I love. Sometimes with drawings or gifts, sometimes with just a thank you. I started spending time with people who made me feel the most at ease.

I cut myself a break. I can't be perfect. I know this; I set goals for myself and meet them. But sometimes if my goal is to get all my assignments done so that I don't end up getting around to laundry, I give myself a break.

I allow myself me time. I'm going to say this really quick: if you don't feel like doing something, you don't have to. Stop making excuses and just say no. Yeah, it will piss some people off, but they can deal. If you don't want to go shopping, or to that movie, or out for drinks, then don't. You are the only one in charge of you.

These are the ways I am able to be a person that is, for the most part, happy. This can be different for other people.

The most important thing is for those who aren't struggling, the friends, the family to stop diminishing their illness. Stop pretending they are fine because they smiled yesterday. Just like any other illness, it isn't a one day thing. It is a daily struggle that people find themselves in.