How do I know if I'm just feeling sad, or if I really have depression?

I would say that if you are feeling down for a short period of time you are just sad, and if you are feeling down regulary and for long periods of time, I would say that you are depressed and it would be wise to seek professional advice.

If your sadness has become a long term state of mind that is affecting your every day life then it might be worth going to a doctor. The only way to know for sure is to have a diagnosis from your doctor.

Sad is a temporary feeling that you know will go away. Depression is being afraid that you will never feel happy again. You feel hopeless and helpless.

Sadness can be the short term result of an experience you have had, if this sadness keeps clinging to you and you are feeling fatigue, feel like you aren't worth anything or gain or lose weight the sadness probably transformed to depression.

Being sad and crying are normal things. We usually get a good cry out and then we feel better after a good nights' sleep. Depression will tend to present itself as a person withdrawing away from their friends and families. They don't attend this same places/events that they once wouldn't miss for anything. They're tired all the time and just want to sleep. They let things go around the house, with their relations and at work. Depression is a very scary issue, but always keep in mind that this too shall pass. The sun will shine brighter tomorrow!!!

You are depressed when you are really sad for a longer period of time. Everyone is sad sometimes but once you are really low for a long time and almost every day there might be something else going on other than just having a bad day.

Sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish the two at first. To feel sad is common, and perfectly okay To feel depressed is as well, however, it tends to manifest in different ways. One major aspect of depression is that it tends to persist over a longer period of time. It begins to seep into every aspect of our lives. When one is sad, there is typically a particular reason. However, depression makes us feel that sadness more generally. Depression also tends to lead to other stronger negative emotions. For some, depression leads to anxiety. For others, irritability. It can devalue your sense of self-worth, and make you lose interest in things you love to do. The forms that depression take vary from person to person. However, I believe the main difference between depression and sadness is the fact that depression leaks into different aspects of our lives and amplifies negative emotions far more.

Sadness and depression are two different things. Depression is the feeling of numbness and nothingness.

Depression can only be diagnosed exactly by a psychiatrist.If you have been having feelings of sadness,worthlessness, suicidal thoughts,for a long period of time,you could be suffering from depression.

Being sad every once is awhile is allowed however having depression is a diagnosis from a doctor. Once you have that diagnosis you can tell the difference from being sad and depressed . Sad is where you want to cry and your upset about something .. depression is like weight of saddness on your chest you feel fatigued you might feel like a headache, sensitive to the light. Those sorts of things.