In my experience, most people confuse sadness with depression which are two totally different topics. They often use these terms interchangeably which is not correct. While sadness is a symptom of depression, being sad doesn’t necessarily mean that one is depressed. In this article, we will talk about the difference between sadness and depression, how to distinguish the two, and towards the end, I will talk a little about my experience of being depressed once upon a time. Please note that the purpose of this article is not to provide medical advice but rather to simply share the author’s thoughts on the topic.

We have all experienced sadness at some point in our lives right? It may have been because we lost a loved one, went through a bad breakup, didn’t do so well in an exam, didn’t get that job we really wanted, or wasn’t accepted into our dream university. Whatever the reason may be, sadness is a common and natural feeling that all humans on planet Earth face during a stressful and disappointing time in their lives. Sadness can cause a person to feel hurt, a lack of motivation, and an overall sense of unhappiness. The key thing about sadness is that it’s a feeling that passes after a short period of time. People can find ways to cope with sadness such as engaging in an activity they enjoy. Whenever I feel sad, I turn to my dogs for comfort and happiness. I pet them, talk to them, and when they understand that I feel sad, they would come and lay on me or invite me to play. I also talk to my mum or a close friend or designate time to wallow. I call this my wallowing time. What do you do to cope with feeling sad?

Coping with sadness varies from person to person; some may cry, talk to a loved one, shop, bake, or even simply spend time alone, knowing it will eventually pass. People are different and therefore the ways we cope with feeling sad are also different. When a person feels sad, there may be instances where they are able to laugh (like when someone does something funny). Sadness is temporary and it is a change in a person’s mood. After the feeling of sadness goes away, we are able to resume our daily activities as normal, and eventually, with time, we may even forget what we felt sad about in the first place. I know that this has certainly happened to me!

Feeling depressed on the other hand is different. Feeling continuously sad for extended periods of time (at least two weeks) which affects a person’s day-to-day functioning is known as depression. When a person is depressed, they may lose interest in activities they once found enjoyable, feel exhausted, lack the motivation to do the simplest tasks such as getting up from bed, feel like things will never get better and that there’s nothing they can do about it, sleep for extended periods of time, experience lower self-esteem (than usual), and isolate themselves from people they once enjoyed hanging out with. Some physical symptoms of depression include sudden weight loss, gastrointestinal issues, and sleep disturbances. When I was depressed I found it difficult to get out of bed - to go and brush my teeth or pee, I had a thumping headache 24/7, diarrhea, and a loss of appetite. I felt exhausted all the time and all I wanted to do was lie on my bed, stare up at the ceiling, and think. During this period, I lost a lot of weight, my skin became darker, and I had dark circles around my eyes. I lost interest in activities that once brought me joy, such as playing Xbox games with my brother or jumping on the trampoline with my cousins. These simple pleasures felt like burdens, and I found myself dreading the thought of even going to school. More about this experience is detailed in my book. While sadness is merely an emotion, depression is a mental health disorder that needs to be diagnosed by a psychiatrist.

So the next time you feel sad, know that it may be temporary and that it will pass. If you feel depressed for most of your day and it lasts longer than two weeks, it may be a sign that you need to seek medical help. Hope you enjoyed reading this article and feel free to comment below with your thoughts!

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/314418

https://www.cdc.gov/howrightnow/emotion/sadness/index.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/depression-vs-sadness

http://minddoc.de/magazin/en/differences-sadness-and-depression/

https://www.verywellmind.com/sadness-is-not-depression-2330492

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