Australians have identified the ‘subtle’ signs that someone is struggling and living an ‘unhappy and sad life’.
Many pointed to activities that would distract them, such as spending more time at work or actually taking a vacation, as indicators that something is wrong.
Others on Reddit claimed that unhappy people are either volatile and seek support from their peers, or are completely unaffected by “traumatic” events.
1) They find reasons to stay at work longer
Someone who is unhappy at home will make excuses or assign themselves more work so that they don’t have to deal with their problems.
‘I FaceTimed a friend the night before a holiday around 10pm from her office where she was ‘potting plants’ and drinking alone because she didn’t feel like going home, to her boyfriend and his kids,” one person shared.
Australians living unhappy lives have revealed the ‘subtle’ signs that someone else is struggling
2) They always look tired
People who are sad tend not to take good care of their exercise routines and diet, which causes them to look and feel exhausted all the time.
Unhappy people can also suffer from anxiety and sleep disorders, which prevent them from having a healthy sleep cycle.
‘I’m in energy saving mode all the time. Not so much from lack of sleep, it’s a different kind of fatigue. I’ve just had enough of all the bullshit in this world,” one man said.
3) Their mood depends on other people
“A huge sign is when they look for happiness in other people, and their whole day can be ruined if a certain person says or does something they don’t like,” one person said.
A woman shared a childhood experience that made her dependent on the moods of others.
‘My mother’s ridiculously fast, volatile anger scared me so much as a child and I was never quite sure what might have caused it. I would do anything to make it better. “I’m 33 and when someone talks to me angrily, I feel so raw inside,” she said.
4) They have good advice for traumatic events
Experiencing traumatic events can change your brain chemistry and the way it functions.
“I realized that I excelled as an ER tech because of childhood trauma. My brain was wired to navigate and expect chaos. The facade soon collapsed and mental health began to suffer in that environment,” one woman revealed.
Australians pointed out that activities such as spending more time at work or actually going on holiday are indicators that something is wrong
5) Holidays like Christmas and birthdays are a big deal
Sometimes people need to cling to ‘happy’ occasions to break up monotonous days.
‘I worked in a large office for thirty years and I noticed that people who had tough lives were often the ones who were hyper about things like office Christmas or birthday parties. I think these were often the only celebrations they were allowed to be a part of,” one person shared.
But it’s not always true.
‘I have a hard life and always found those occasions very sad because everyone else seemed to have good occasions and I didn’t, so I avoid them. I wish I went the other way,” one man wrote.
6) They are no longer passionate about things
A person who is going through a difficult time will stop participating in activities that used to make him or her happy.
‘After someone very close to me passed away, I quit my job, canceled a short-term lease, started a job in a new city and put all my hobbies on hold for almost two years. I can’t even explain why, I just snapped and convinced myself that nothing mattered,” one person said.
Another added: ‘I was diagnosed with terminal cancer and just haven’t done much to make myself happy. I used to love cooking, but now I just throw things together because I have to eat.”
Sometimes traumatized people need to cling to ‘happy’ occasions like birthdays and Christmas to break up monotonous days