14 People Share Non-Obvious Signs That Are Actually A ‘Cry For Help’

Not everyone makes their wound visible for others to see. Some are really good at hiding how they’re truly feeling and when all they’ve been bottling up finally explodes, nobody is there to stop them. It is so sad, but many of these behaviors are their defense mechanism from fear of being hurt even more.

People on Reddit share all the dangerous signs that your close ones could be doing. Perhaps they looked normal or gave off the impression that they are even happy. But they’re actually not, and the first step to doing that is to be someone who realizes it!

1. They stop caring about their looks.

“The person stops caring about their appearance and neglects their hygiene and grooming because in their mind they are thinking that it doesn’t matter since no one likes them anyway, that they don’t deserve to be clean or that it won’t make their lives better, so why bother?” – Bottom4MePlease

2. They don’t like negativity.

“Purposely avoiding sad and difficult topics. Sometimes when a person is constantly feeling like sh** the last thing they want to do is bring up more negativity when hanging out with people they enjoy being around.

Oftentimes being with friends/family can be a brief escape from always feeling awful and so bringing up negative topics can ruin this feeling of escape and make the depression feel never-ending and suffocating. Maybe they took weeks to tell you they failed a test or even dropped out of school. Maybe you randomly hear from someone else that their dog died. Maybe they always switch the radio station from the news to pop songs. Could be anything big or small; usually multiple things.” – sunnyrubberboots

3. Giving away things.

“Giving a lot of personal possessions away without wanting anything in return.” – tehlmehowyareelyfeal

4. Being extra nice just so someone would ask them what’s going on.

“Reaching out and being overly nice to friends both close and casual with the hope that they will reciprocate and eventually ask them how they’re doing so that when they open up it’s not about being a burden but because they were prompted to do so.” – Zestyclose-Pea-3533

5. Detaching self from people.

“When they start cutting off contact. That outgoing, happy person suddenly “Just isn’t up to it,” or “Maybe some other time,” then something is wrong. Also if they stopped caring about their physical appearance.” – driving_andflying

6. When they start seeing no point in caring for those things.

“Oversharing and lack of filter go hand in hand with depression.” – Throw2theMoon

7. Losing interest.

“Lack of interest. Gamer all of a sudden no longer games? Gardener let his plants die? Social butterfly now hides in a cave?” – MrCellophane999

8. They sometimes burst into tears for no reason.

“When someone has obviously been crying or tears up without apparent provocation, even in a very public setting, it can be a sign that they’re in too much pain even to try masking it.” – FlourChild1026

9. They shift their focus to non-humans instead.

“Becoming attached to objects or other non-human things is one I have noticed quite a lot about some people I know who have struggled. Withdrawal from usual activities, or being overly obsessed with something or activity or hobby. Some people find their only enjoyment is one hobby, so they may spend their time taking part in the hobby to stop them feeling depressed or anxious, etc.” – VirtualRealityOne

10. A sudden upbeat change (often accompanied by actions of letting of possessions).

“Marked differences in behavior where the person becomes way more positive and energetic than normal. We tend to think of these sorts of changes as being good, but any sudden and large enough change in behavior is something you need to keep an eye on. This is especially true if they are going from a very negative pattern of thinking/behavior into an uber-positive one very quickly. Usually, those “now I feel like I can conquer the world” changes are the precursor to suicide attempts and the like.” – zx-km-space

11. Drinking.

“Excessive drinking when they usually don’t.” – MostOriginalNameEver

12. Overworking themselves.

“When someone is constantly busy so they don’t give themselves time to think. Also when someone gives up on a lot of basic things like cleaning or doing washing up because they can’t think about anything except what’s bothering them.” – Platonus44

13. “I’m sorry.”

“Saying “I’m sorry” for everything, or taking the blame for things that shouldn’t even have a blame.” – cute_oranges

14. They lose interest to go through a day.

“Sleeping all day and having no interest. No one cares, they just walk by or don’t understand. Makes you feel very alone. I don’t want someone to fix me but I do want someone to show they care.” – AeBS1978