“…I put on a mask to hide my pain, not because I want to lie to others. Not because I want to hide what is truly going on. I hide my pain to save myself, and those I love, from that awkward moment of truth. To save others from feeling what I often feel…helpless. I don’t want my friends to feel obligated to offer false hope or to try and relate to something they couldn’t possibly be expected to understand.”

“I’m Doing Alright.” -The Difficulty in Fostering Healthy Relationships