I looked around during a family dinner and realized nobody actually knows the real me

I was sitting at dinner with my family today while everyone was talking normally around me… and suddenly I had this weird realization: Nobody here actually knows what’s going on inside my head right now. Not my stress. Not my anxiety. Not the pressure I constantly feel. Not how mentally tired I’ve become lately. They know the version of me that functions. The version that jokes. The version that says “haan sab theek hai.” But not the real one. And honestly, part of me is responsible for that too. Because after years of being told “don’t overthink,” “be strong,” or “everyone has problems,” you eventually stop opening up properly. So now I’ve become really good at looking emotionally okay even when I’m not. And the scary part? I think a lot of Indian families function exactly like this. Everyone loves each other. But nobody actually talks honestly.