How Do You Know if You Are Depressed or Just Sad?

Contrary to what some people may believe, depression and sadness are not the same thing. Sadness can come and go and affects your mood, while depression is a lingering cloud that affects your overall ability to function. Sometimes it can be tricky to distinguish between what is normal for going through a rough patch of life and actual clinical depression. Read the signs below to determine if your Eeyore mood could be something more. Feeling sad about everything. Sadness is generally related to a specific situation. We are down in the dumps because we lost a job, experienced a breakup, are having financial struggles, etc. But feeling sad about everything in life can be a sign of depression. There may not be a single incident that triggers it, in fact it is possible that a depressed person’s life can appear great on paper. Things are less enjoyable. When the things you used to enjoy doing no longer bring you joy or energy, then depression could be a factor. Depression denies our excitement, pleasure, and happiness so everything is less enjoyable than it used to be. When sadness is the factor, the things we enjoy doing can usually brighten our mood, but this is not the case with depression. You can’t simply snap out of it. If you are experiencing sadness for any amount of time, often you can give yourself a pep talk and engage in an activity that will make you feel better. If you are suffering from depression, simply snapping out of it is not an option. People suffering fro...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Bipolar Depression Happiness Inspiration & Hope Self-Help Bipolar Disorder grief Mood Disorder Sadness Seasonal Affective Disorder Suicide Source Type: blogs