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Healing | Poetry | Mental Health

The Pretty Face of Depression as I Know It

Poetry

Sylvie
Know Thyself, Heal Thyself
6 min readDec 3, 2024

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A picture of a face tilted slightly to the side and all covered by an elaborate glitter other than the ear, hair and bare shoulders. Used to signify vulnerability and the mask of beauty that depression can wear.
Photo by Vitaliy Zalishchyker on Unsplash

“Depression is being colorblind but constantly told how colorful the word is”
— Atticus Poetry

Pretty, but is it?
On the outside, maybe.
An elaborate and fascinating concealer,
An alluring glitter.

Beneath,
My smile is lopsided.
Lipstick I wear to brighten my dull face.
Mascara,
Widens eyes that beg to disappear into their sockets,
Perhaps washed out by tears,
But disguised by a sexy eye mask.
All covered up but still feels bare,
Vulnerable.
A façade of beauty.

It feels like a rollercoaster
I’m up, and I’m down.
For a moment,
I’m on a high, cruising in utopia,
Suddenly, without warning, the ride descends.
Caught off-guard,
I plunge down with a thud,
And before I know it, I’m face down.
And it can stay down there or come back up right away.

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Know Thyself, Heal Thyself
Know Thyself, Heal Thyself

Published in Know Thyself, Heal Thyself

Authenticity, vulnerability, awareness & growth through storytelling, sharing of personal experiences, and knowledge on spiritual matters.

Sylvie
Sylvie

Written by Sylvie

I see extra in the ordinary & give it words; chasing mental health/healing. Love forests, nature, fitness, clean eating. Yoga trainer, fitness coach. CoffeeSnob

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