Are you depressed or just sad? How to tell the difference?

The ability to showcase different emotions forms the crux of human life. We would be happy, sad sometimes, angry when things do not go our way and display a variety of other emotions. But what if one of these emotions is constant, especially sadness? We can find hundreds of people around us who are constantly sad. But have you ever thought this prolonged sadness could also be a sign of depression? 

Depression, which is also called Major Depressive Disorder, is a mental health condition that affects the way people feel, think and act. A person suffering from depression exhibits extreme emotions, which in the long run can affect their personal and professional life. 

One of the symptoms of depression is exhibiting sadness. So, now comes the big question: are sadness and depression the same? Identifying the signs can help you recognise the emotions that you are going through and will help you lead life more healthily. 

What are these signs, and how can you identify them? 

How is sadness different from Depression?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has defined Depression as one of the most common mental health illnesses. Feeling sad is a symptom displayed by people with depression. However, feeling sad and being depressed are entirely different things. Let’s check them out:

Sadness

• Sadness is a common emotion that we usually experience during a stressful period. Many reasons can make an individual sad, like losing a loved one, losing a job, getting separated from the people close to you, or even failing exams. Though they may be severe at the moment, they pass with time.
• Apart from these external events, sometimes even physical changes (hormonal changes due to puberty) can also cause sadness in some. 
• Like any other emotion, sadness is an experience that fades away with time. Even though this emotion continues throughout our life, it comes in lapses, and during such times, you will be able to carry forward with your everyday life. 
• Though sadness can change your mood, your mind is still preoccupied with other thoughts and can continue with your day. 
• Ultimately, the power to determine whether or not you are experiencing sadness lies within you. It is a subjective experience, and there is no way anybody can deny it. 

Depression

• Depression is a critical mental health condition that includes periods of prolonged sadness. Various external and internal reasons can make a person fall into depression, and if the person is feeling sad for long periods, they must seek medical help. 
• When a person is depressed, their entire lifestyle is affected. They show various kinds of depressive symptoms like feelings of discouragement and sadness, feeling hopeless throughout the day, and losing interest in activities they once liked. These symptoms tend to last for a long and cause feelings of distress in the individual. 
• Persistence sadness is only a part of depression. Other things that can aggravate this condition are the behavioural changes, your constant thoughts and various physical experiences that you go through. 
• If it is depression that you are going through, then you may not be sad because of a particular person or situation. The sadness you experience is present all the time. If a person is depressed, then you may notice that their concentration power is lesser, and they have a negative view about the future and start feeling unreasonably guilty. Failure to address these symptoms on time can harm the individual as time passes. 
• At times when you are uncertain, make sure that you consult a specialist who can guide you through regular counselling services for depression and medication. 

Sadness is an emotion, whereas depression is a medical condition. Though constant sadness can be one of the signs of depression, consulting a medical expert will help in ruling out the possibility of serious medical conditions.