When things are rubbish in your life, how honest are you about it with colleagues/acquaintences?

I say I e got stuff going on at home but usually tell my manager.

It depends on what it is.

I’d tell my line manager about anything that could potentially affect my work e.g. if I was likely to need to disappear off for appointments / to make calls / take short notice leave.

Beyond that, I only tend to mention significant life issues (e.g. serious illness / death of a family member) to close colleagues. Sometimes vent about work stress to one particular colleague (who does likewise with me).

Oh, I'm as open as anything. More open than with my family. Quite content to share my stresses and struggles at work. I'm quite a mature/senior/mentor/old type figure at work, though. It humanises me.

100% this. My openness has been used against me in the past.

I generally find I tell one person some of it. But I've never been able to be fully open. I need to keep some or all of it back in order to function.

Currently I have 3 things going on, each of which alone is potentially challenging. If I was to be completely open about them it would all just be too much.

Additionally, I am in a newish job and don't want to jeopardise my position.

Between a rock and a hard place.

I'm like you OP. Currently going through a really rough ride, and no signs of it being over yet. And yet nobody knows, apart from my DP. I've cried so much over the last 24 hours and yet still manage to turn up for work with a smile on my face. Always have done - but I'm starting to wonder if this way of coping is doing more harm than good

for me - when things are shit, having to put on a front makes it even shittier.

depends on the situation and who the colleague is. My line manager and I have worked together for years in a couple of different companies: I would tell her if having issues at home. Other colleagues? Probably not

Had a family situation last year that was horrendous and involved a police investigation at one point. I had to take time off for stress so had to say something to my LM but kept it vague, as PP have said. With friends a few close friends knew the details. I think people don't need to know everything.

We are a small immediate team and I spend a couple of days a week with them but I don’t tell them about any personal issues. I don’t really tell anyone tbh, I’d rather work through things on my own and once I have done I’m usually happy to talk about it but when things are tough I appreciate the opportunity to put it to one side and compartmentalise for a few hours. I’m quite good at it.

I'm like you OP. I actually find it really hard to talk to friends and family about important stuff, let alone colleagues. Generally I just keep everything to myself. Probably not healthy!

Totally depends on your work environment. We are all quite friendly and supportive where I work so most people wear hearts on their sleeves but we do all have a rather black sense of humour too

Other than DH and my closest friends? I tell no one anything, I smile and make polite conversation. I’ve had it used against me far too many times.

Random colleagues? Completely private.

Colleagues that are more like work friends? Bit more open. Things like "we all had a sickness bug last week so not been the easiest time" or "partners dad is in hospital, it's not looking good so it's been a tough time for the family this week" or "eldest child is acting up at home and school so I'm absolutely knackered lately." Things like that as opposed to something as heavy as "I'm in a dark pit of depression and can't see a way out."

I'm fine btw before anyone says about getting help for depression ^ they were just random examples to show the kind of sharing I'd be comfortable with.

Not very because it’s. Ice to escape from it if they don’t know it’s not mentioned and it doesn’t dominate conversation

I’m an open book

I tell everyone I am good and keep life private.

I have been open in the past and very quickly realised even family and friends don’t care and aren’t interested so why would anyone else be.

I’m open and honest, although my approach isn’t really healthy either. Sometimes people we know don’t want the best for us, and keeping them on an information diet can actually protect us in the long run. I’ve learnt this the hard way.

I hope things improve for you soon.