Nowadays it is very common to hear family, friends or acquaintances say “I am depressed” or “I feel depressed”. Does this mean they really have depression? Or are they just sad? We often confuse depression with sadness, they are two concepts that are linked, but there are differences between them.
On the one hand, sadness is one of the most common emotions of the human being, as well as joy, anger, or disgust. It is a natural response that occurs to stressful or negative situations (such as, for example, the loss or absence of a loved one, unfulfilled expectations, divorce, loss of work, economic problems, failure of an exam …) in which pain manifests itself in different ways: crying, lack of motivation or energy, appetite, of activity…
In this sense, sadness is an emotion that should not be labeled as something negative, it is adaptive since it allows us to express the pain we feel and regulate ourselves emotionally in a certain situation. We should not worry that we will be sad for a few days. Now, if it is prolonged in time excessively, prevents us from moving forward with our lives and generates intense discomfort is when it may be becoming depression.
On the other hand, depression is a mood disorder that is characterized by a set of symptoms that affects our thoughts and emotions, the perception and interpretation of what happens around us and, therefore, with direct consequences within us and in our behavior.
Symptoms include:
- Feelings of discouragement
- Sadness Hopelessness
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Lack of motivation
- Tiredness or lack of energy
- Insomnia or drowsiness for most of the day
- Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Significant and unintentional weight loss or gain
- Recurrent thoughts of death
As we can see, sadness is only one facet of depression. People who suffer from depression are in a chronic situation of discomfort and uneasiness. It is something that goes beyond being sad, since it incapacitates and makes it impossible to feel pleasure while there is a worsening of cognitive functions (concentration, memory, reasoning, decision making …), limiting the person when it comes to continuing with their daily routine.
The main differences between depression and sadness are:
- State vs disorder: while sadness is a relatively common and transient mood before an event, depression is a psychological mood disorder that generates a chronic situation of discomfort.
- Trigger: when we are sad, we can identify what situation or event has generated discomfort. On the contrary, in depression it is more complicated to determine the origin, or at least a single fact that justifies it.
- Abulia: it is characteristic of depression. It is defined as the inability to face everyday tasks (shopping, getting ready, going to work …), as well as difficulty experiencing pleasure, satisfaction, or interest in anything.
In conclusion, sadness is an emotion that helps us face negative situations, but when it worsens, intensifies, and lasts over time, a depressive picture can develop. This occurs when people not only feel sad, but also when they are affected when it comes to developing in their daily routines normally.
What can I do if I think I have depression?
If you feel that you are going through a bad patch due to a particular situation, just by allowing yourself to express it and share it with your circle of support, the burden may be lighter and relieve you in some way. On the other hand, when we talk about suffering from depression, it does not work in the same way. In this sense we must ask for psychological help to be able to overcome it. If you have felt identified with some symptoms or want more information about it, we will be happy to help you.
Laura Maymó Gallurt
Psychologist Col. No B-03427
