Difference between Sadness and Depression
Difference between Sadness and Depression:
Being sad or depressed may sound, look and feel similar but differences exist between the both of them. Sadness and depression can be difficult to differentiate, as both can cause same feelings. The symptoms of depression can coincide with day to day sadness and make it hard for the 'mangoman' to tell the difference between sadness and depression. However, there are some basic differences between the two that can help you identify which one you might be experiencing and what's the difference.
Sadness:
Sadness is an emotion and normal human experience that everyone will experience at some point in their life. Sadness is a normal human emotion often accompanied with other emotions such as anger, fear or irritability. It often occurs from a triggering vent and has a specific cause, such as the death of a loved one or breakup, stressful life, rejection, divorce, and financial worries. Sadness can be a natural response to these events and can help us cope with them. It's certainly can range from mild to moderate intensity in itself. People who experience sadness and feelings of sadness note them as being time specific, and they tend to fade away as the triggering event is over, or time has lapsed and as we start moving on. Although when you're feeling sad, you are able to laugh and continue with life without it impacting your relationships, work and social obligations. To summarise, sadness is temporary and sadness usually doesn't last long enough and part of life like other emotions.
Sadness can be manifested in different ways, depending on the individual and the situation. It can be expressed through tears, a heavy feeling in the chest, lack of energy or motivation, or decreased social interactions. While everyone feels uncomfortable and unpleasant, once in a while, it is a normal part of the human experience which fades with time.
Depression:
Depression, is a mental health disorder termed as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) or Depressive Disorder that affects a person's emotions and thought patterns. Depression is also a more severe and consistent form of sadness that can last for weeks, months, or even years.
Depression is more than sadness, but depression is a mental disorder and a mental health problem that doesn't just go away on it's own. Depression is a much more serious mental health condition and can develop into clinical depression. People with depression often experience an imbalance of chemicals in their brain. Treatment for depressive symptoms may benefit from antidepressants with professional help and psychotherapy treatment. Like sadness, depression may cause a person to feel persistently low, with no outwards signs and rational explanation. The signs of depression include loss of appetite, insomnia, and feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, which can be determined using depression test batteries such as DASS-21 and self reported questionnaire, etc.
A diagnosis of depression is defined by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt that do not go away, and can interfere with a person's ability to function in daily life. Part of depression can also cause physical health problems such as fatigue, sleeping problems, and changes in appetite and weight due to increased thyroid hormones causing hypothyroidism. To have a diagnosis, it is empirical to know that depression lasts longer than 6 months.
Depression is a syndrome that is separate from sadness. Aside from having a flat mood, the symptoms of depression typically causes insomnia, loss of interest in sexual pleasurable activities and appetite, social isolation, low energy, feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts, feelings and actions. risk factors for depression include genetic distortion, chronic stress, traumatic life event, unresolved grief, drug use, etc.
Difference between Sadness and Depression:
Peer-reviewed studies suggest the main point of difference between sadness and depression is that sadness is a normal emotion that everyone feels usually a concept that is time limited. Whereas depression is an abnormal and prolonged emotional response that can have a variety of causes, and it is often longer-lasting.
What makes it different from sadness is that depression is a medical condition, that requires people to get help. If you're sad, the emotion will be temporary and will subside with time and effort. Whereas, treatment for depression will include treatment from a mental health professional through psychotherapy and medication that will help you manage more severe symptoms.
If you’re depressed, or you’re experiencing depression or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of depression, it is important to seek help.
Commonalities:
Sadness and depression share common features in terms of the emotions and symptoms experienced. Some of the commonalities between sadness and depression include:
Feeling Down: Both sadness and depression can be accompanied by feelings of depression, but these feelings vary in intensity and duration.
Loss of Interest or Pleasure: Both sadness and depression can interfere with daily life by causing a person to lose interest in and enjoyment of activities they used to enjoy.
Lifestyle Changes: Both can cause changes in appetite and sleep patterns, as well as lifestyle changes, it may cause sleep disturbances or hypersomnia.
Lack of Focus: Both sadness and depression can lead to difficulty concentrating and making decisions.
Feelings of Guilt or Worthlessness: Both sadness and depression can lead to feelings of guilt and worthlessness, but in depression, these feelings are more intense and last longer than two weeks or more.
Are you Sad or Depressed?
Academic research institutions point out that unfortunately some people become addicted to sadness. This can occur when a person uses sadness to escape reality and avoid dealing with difficult emotions and situations. It can also occur when a person begins to rely on sadness to live their daily lives. If you find yourself overly feeling sad, it's important to seek help because it can progress to depression that requires medical attention. If you continue to feel depressed and hopeless, it may be a sign that you need to see a qualified mental health professional.
Seek Help:
It's important to note that sadness becomes a problem when it is prolonged, severe, or disrupts your daily life. If sadness persists and interferes with in your daily life, it can be a sign of a more serious mental health problem, such as Clinical Depression. In such cases, it is advisable to talk to your doctor to help you feel better.
Your doctor may also be able to assess your symptoms and provide you with the best course of treatment for depression where the doctor will use Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIS.
Seeing a trained therapist or counselor can help you understand why you're feeling this way and get the support and skills you need to manage your emotions.
It's also important to focus on activities that make you feel good and spend time with your family, and avoid activities that make you feel bad and get you back in the mood.
Takeaway Message:
The takeaway message is - 'If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health or is in immediate danger, reach out and ask for help'.
Please know that there is help for depression, seek help and know when you need support.