What Depression Is And Why It's More Than Feeling Sad

You're sad.

That's it, right?

You've been feeling like this for a while, but you can't seem to shake it.

Each day feels a little bit tougher to get through. It's getting harder to get out of bed in the morning. The day seems to drag on. Despite being exhausted, you can't seem to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night.

Feeling sad is a normal and basic human emotion. Everyone experiences it from time to time. There's nothing out of the ordinary about this. It will pass. You'll get over it eventually.

That's what you keep telling yourself at least. This feeling of sadness keeps lingering though. It feels like a dark, grey cloud is looming over your head, and the sun isn't able to poke through.

Here's why depression is more than feeling sad.

Sadness vs. Depression

Sadness is a basic human emotion. Just like everyone can feel happy, angry, scared, or excited, sadness is something that everyone will experience throughout their lifetime.

Depression is a mental illness that can affect multiple areas of your life. Sadness may be an emotion that one can experience with depression, but depression can also impact your mood, how you perceive yourself, and how you relate yourself to the things around you in your daily life.

Length of Time and Impact on Daily Life

While sadness is a universal human emotion, depression is not.

When experiencing sadness, you may experience this feeling for a couple of days. Sure, it may be a hard emotion to deal with, but everyone goes through it, and it usually passes with time.

Depression doesn't go away easily. It can appear in individuals for no specific reason, and it will stay for a long time.

Sadness is usually associated with a specific reason or cause. Depression can be linked to certain factors, but most of the time, this isn't the case.

How to Recognize Feelings of Sadness vs. Signs of Depression

Depression is more than just feeling sad. There are certain ways to recognize if you or a loved one is struggling with depression.

Sure, people with depression can appear sad, but the sadness is also tied to feelings of moodiness, hopelessness, and irritabilty. Individuals with depression may actively try to isolate themselves or withdraw from activities, even ones they once enjoyed.

Concentration and decision-making will be increasingly difficult in individuals struggling with depression. A once high-energy person may show signs of an energy decrease. Aches and pains may be a constant daily occurrence. Changes in eating and sleep schedule may be a factor as well.

While these are all noticeable signs and symptoms of depression, not all signs can be visible.

Next Steps

Whether you're struggling with sadness or depression, there are certain things that you can do to help with the coping process.

First things first: Allow yourself to feel. Acknowledging your thoughts, emotions, and feelings may be uncomfortable, but it's one of the best things you can do to check in with yourself and acknowledge how you're doing.

If those feelings of sadness seem to be lingering, it may be time to reach out for additional help and support. Depression can worsen over time, especially if left untreated, so it's best to reach out as soon as you can so you don't have to carry these feelings with you each day.

Whether you're experiencing feelings of sadness or if you suspect that you or a loved one is dealing with depression, reach out to me today to set up a consultation. Even if you've tried different ways to cope, there is help available to you with depression treatment.