Having the mental health problems I have it can be hard to get others to understand so I came up with an analogy. It’s like an onion. The basis is that as you peel back the layers you reach something well-hidden and sometimes very sad or distressed. When you peel an onion by the time you are several layers in your eyes are starting to water and upon reaching the centre you may well be crying uncontrollably. This is what it feels like to me. The outer layers are like the masks I wear but as you peel back layer after layer they become more vulnerable and painful.