What is the difference between sadness and depression?

Similarly, sadness is not an illness and is not depression either. When I describe depression—which, of course, contains profound sadness—people have a hard time individuating it in their minds from sadness, but they are quite different. Sadness is a Normal, Human Emotion Sadness is something we all experience; it’s a normal, human emotion. We experience it when we experience something unpleasant in life—a loss, a disappointment, and so on. Sadness is what happens when you get a divorce. Sadness is what happens when you’re stood up for a date. Sadness is what happens when normal events occur in ways that are hurtful. Sadness can occur at very regular intervals in our everyday lives. However, sadness is not constant. Sadness is not an every-moment-of-every-day thing like depression is. Sadness relents, depression doesn’t. Sadness is interrupted by periods of laughter; depression often can’t be budged by even the most talented comedian. Sadness may usher in negative thoughts but it does not propel a person into a place of suicidal ideation. Sadness may reduce our ability to enjoy life but it doesn’t destroy it all together. Sadness may last for what feels like a long period of time, but it does not remain constant for weeks or months. Sadness doesn’t produce significant weight changes or prolonged periods of sleep changes. Sadness doesn’t include psychosis. In short, depression is so far beyond sadness that comparing the two is almost laughable. Sadness is painful and it sucks, but it is normal and it does pass. Depression is beyond painful. It’s life-altering, it is not normal, and often does not resolve itself without medical intervention. Medicalization of Normal, Human Emotion It’s important to understand the difference between sadness and depression because it clarifies which is an illness and which is not. It’s important to realize that depression is not a medicalization of normal, human emotion. Depression is a real illness. It is very different from sadness. And skilled clinicians can tell the difference between the two. People with Depression are Not Just “Sad” Just as cell growth is normal in a person, we call out of control cell growth an illness—we call it cancer. Depression is exactly the same. Depression is when a normal, human emotion gets out of control to the point where it is no longer normal. Considering someone with an illness merely to be “sad” is an insult to that person and minimizes an illness that takes thousands of lives every year. And we can’t afford to do that, lest the illness take one more.

Sadness is something that is only experienced for a short amount of time. Unfortunately, depression is something much more consuming and that is with you every day.

While sadness might last a long time it does not invade your whole being on the same level as depression. Depression soaks through every crevice, poisoning whatever positive thoughts or emotions existed in your body. It changes your behaviour for the worse and in the beginning you will be completely helpless against it.

From my experience with talking to people who are sad and depression, is that "sadness" is more of a definite solid emotion, while depression is something more complicated; a turmoil of not only sadness, and despair, but also a feeling of "numbness"; you feel numb to many emotions, you not only aren't sure how to feel happy, but also sad. You see no purpose in your actions and life because you're numb from it. It's something that really engulfs someone from the inside and out.

From a psychopathological approach, sadness is a natural, transient emotion, and there is nothing wrong with it. As long as it maintains a reasonable balance with other emotions, it is fine. Depression is a psychological mood disorder defined by a deep, persistent sadness that continues for an extended amount of time. Depressive sadness rarely goes away and causes you to isolate yourself from others and abandon the activities you once enjoyed. You often cannot identify a cause of the sadness, and nothing you do makes it go away. When sadness consumes and defines your life for months or years, it has become depression, but you must see a licensed professional to be officially diagnosed.

Sadness is something you can easily over come or may even fade with time. Depression, is chemicals going wrong and it sucks away life from the person it effects. It's a horrible epidemic that affects millions of people. It's hard to over come and needs help to be beaten, which is why we should look after one another.

Depression is for life, sadness is a day, a week or an hour, sadness is temporally, you have to learn to live with depression without comitte suicide

While sadness usually only lasts for a little while (perhaps a day or so, depending on the situation), depression will linger. Depression is more long-term, and can have a great impact on your ability to function.

Sadness is a normal human emotion. All people experience sadness when they meet something unpleasant in their life. It is not constant. Depression is long term and does not resolve itself without help of doctor.

Sadness is a short length of low feelings with a potential happiness. Depression is longer & painful

Sadness is a temporary feeling, leaving you maybe exhausted, devastated, unworthy, disappointed or whatever it is that we're experiencing when we are sad. Being sad usually only lasts for a little while. A depression however is a clinical condition that lasts for at least two weeks, for example leaving you un-interested in former hobbies, sleeping more than usual or feeling unable to get up and get things done. There is a variety of symptons described for depression, but I think the main difference is that most times sadness goes away after quite a short time.

Everybody experiences sadness. There is an obvious reason when you are feeling sad..Depression comes out of nowhere, sometimes at the most inappropriate time and can often be extremely difficult to describe, explain and get over.

Sadness is temporary. Depression is feelings of intense sadness for a long period of time. If you're experiencing depression, I encourage you to reach out! :)

Sadness is a current situation that made you sad, but goes away within 2 weeks. Depression last longer up to 8 weeks and beyond.

When you are sad, it means you are being upset for a couple of days and youre sadness isnt too strong. When you are depressed it means that you are being really upset for months or years and you're feelings are really strong, you get suicidal thoughts, dont see the point in life or just simply feel like youre lost and everything is black and white for you.

Sadness can be cured by happiness. Depression feels like a constant emptyness inside. Like life doesn't have a purpose. Depression mocks happiness because it doesn't know how to feel happy.

Sadness comes and goes, depression is with you all the time

Sadness is when you feel hurtful, disappointment because of something and will fade/ over time and is a normal emotion. Depression is when you feel worthless, suicidal, remorse, etc. And it is a mental illness which is abnormal as an emotion, it happen when you experience a great problem that affect the way you think

Sadness is a normal human emotion. We’ve all experienced it and we all will again. Sadness is usually triggered by a difficult, hurtful, challenging, or disappointing event, experience, or situation. Depression is an abnormal emotional state, a mental state that affects our thinking, emotions, perceptions, and behaviors in pervasive and chronic ways. When we’re depressed we feel sad about everything.

Sadness can be fleeting, depression stays with you for a long time until you can find ways to manage your depression.

Sadness is a normal emotion that humans experience and go through. It can last a long time, but it doesn't take up every moment of most days of your life. Sadness can be relieved. There can be positivity. However, depression makes it almost impossible to feel positive, even for a short moment. Depression is constant negativity.

Sadness is just one of the emotions like happiness. Everyone has emotions and its just normal to feel low or high sometimes. But depression is being in constant in sadness state of mind. It effects you negatively. Worsens your abilities. Blocks your thinking and mind. Consequently, it destroys you gradually.

I´m not an expert, so I really can explain the real difference, but I found this article that might help you to understand the main differences. Hope it useful: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201510/is-the-difference-between-sadness-and-depression

Alot of people feel down and upset because of something that's happened. These people get over their worry and continue with their lives. However, when you are depressed you feel down and tires and worthless, and a lot of the time, you dont even know why. People with depression tend to blame problems on themselves and keep their pain and sadness to themselves.

Sadness comes and goes with reasoning. Depression comes around for no specific reason and you have no idea what to do to make yourself better.

To me, sadness is a feeling. Something like, I feel sad because I failed my Biology paper. Whereas depression is something I would define as cumulative sadness or cumulative stress. It is when someone over thinks about everything that takes place around him, there is a chance of that person falling into depression.

Depression is a persistent low level mood we encounter that last for more then a few weeks with little to no relief when untreated. Sadness is a normal feeling we go through that is more brief and less hindering on our daily life compared to depression. In short, depression impedes on our quality of life while sadness is a natural feeling to certain undesired events that we can bounce back from rather quickly.

Yes, I believe there is a difference between sadness and depression. When someone is depressed it is being sad for no reason. It is a meaningless, hopeless sadness, where sadness is being sad because of a reason.

sadness is felt for a short period of time, depressions drags on with you for a while. so you can be sad over something very specific. depression isnt over anything specific its just felt.

sadness is temporary and lasts a short time but depression can last a long time sometimes requires intervention