How do you know if you’re strong on the outside but broken inside?

You may seem like a strong person to all your friends, but only one of you knows what thoughts and worries are going on in your head. You try to remain resilient and ambitious, to overcome any difficulties, but deep down, you feel tired of fighting and ready to give up.

Here are some signs that you may be strong on the outside but broken on the inside.

8 Signs You’re strong on the outside but broken on the inside

1. You’re used to wearing masks

We all have our ways of hiding how we feel. For example, we may wear social masks to appear full of life and energy. We always have an infectious laugh, a smile that never leaves our faces, and a positive outlook that we successfully broadcast to those around us.

But behind this facade lies another story. If you act this way, you are one of those who want to protect yourself from the world to hide the pain you are struggling with deep inside.

Often, social masks hide dissatisfaction with life, fatigue, and loneliness. You may seem the happiest in public, but you feel like you’re not needed by anyone when you get home.

It can be hard to admit to yourself that you wear social masks. But it’s important to do so to start changing your life for the better and enjoying it for real rather than pretending to be happy at all costs.

2. You often help others

It may seem strange, but because of the negative feelings built up, you may want to channel your energy into helping others. You are a friend who will always listen, comfort, and give advice.

This helps take your mind off your own problems, emotions, and pain. Also, the need to always be helpful to someone is often a search for validation. Helping others makes you feel valued and considered—perhaps this is the feeling you find so hard to find in yourself.

3. You’re a perfectionist

The inner struggle often translates into a craving for perfection. You always strive for the highest standards and may also have exaggerated expectations of others.

Behind the craving for perfection is a deep-seated fear of failure or judgment. You feel obligated to be perfect to protect yourself from criticism or rejection from those around you, which translates into a huge amount of daily stress.

Not all events are within your control, and there is no such thing as perfection in this world. Perfectionism pushes you to pursue the unrealistic, making you believe there is no room for joy.

4. You’re prone to self-isolation

It is expected that you want to isolate yourself from the world for a while when experiencing unpleasant emotions. It often arises when we experience grief, disappointment, and pain from broken relationships.

But if the need for self-isolation becomes chronic, it is worth reconsidering your approach to life. Self-isolation is often a way to protect yourself from others and hide the fact that you are broken inside.

So, if you notice that you always choose solitude over socializing, it’s time to start helping yourself and getting rid of negative feelings. It may be worth seeing a psychologist if you feel that you can’t cope with what’s on your mind on your own

5. You’re struggling in a relationship

Navigating relationships can be difficult, especially when you are broken inside. Because of your emotional state, you experience fear of being alone or being rejected.

Your relationships become filled with anxiety and insecurity rather than joy. You find it difficult to maintain deep conversations, spend much time with loved ones, and develop trust and intimacy.

All you need is empathy and patience from those around you. And it’s important to talk about it so other people understand you.

6. You rarely ask for help

You may habitually deflect praise, downplay your achievements, or ignore kind words altogether. And it’s not about false modesty; it’s about self-image.

Despite the fact that you think you are strong and try to appear so to those around you, deep inside you lurk insecurity. You are your own most prominent critic and, therefore, react incorrectly to compliments. You have a hard time accepting them because you don’t believe you deserve them.

7. You have a hard time expressing your feelings

When you put on the mask of a brave and strong person, you try not to show others what is going on in your heart. Over time, this becomes a habit that takes work to get rid of.

It, in turn, leads to the fact that you not only do not know how to ask for help, but you do not know how to talk about feelings, even if you are ready to open up to someone close to you.

You’re afraid of appearing vulnerable and have no idea how to describe what’s going on in your heart. By constantly hiding your feelings and keeping quiet about them, you store up stress and experience emotional exhaustion, reinforcing the feeling that you’re broken and ready to give up.

8. You don’t know how to take compliments

You may habitually deflect praise, downplay your achievements, or ignore kind words altogether. This is not about false modesty; it’s about self-image.

Even though you think you are strong and try to appear so to those around you, you lurk in insecurity deep inside. You are your own most prominent critic and, therefore, react incorrectly to compliments. It’s not easy for you to accept them because you don’t believe you deserve them.