How do I know if I'm sad or depressed?

Being sad is an emotion- it's temporary. Depression is a state of mind, and arguably, a disorder. Sadness goes away with time, and you can push through it. Depression is a more permanent fixture in your life, and tends to do more damage. You don't want to get out of bed, or eat, or go to work, or school, or care much about anything. That's depression...

You know you are depressed when your sad mood stays for a long period of time. You have a loss or a gain of appetite, loss of interest in things that matter to you, feeling hopeless or even suicidal. It's best to seek professional help.

I know I'm depressed when I feel melancholy, listless, hopeless and have no motivation. It goes on for a least a week, and while I'll smile, I know I'm not really happy. I'll cry for no reason every night for at least a week, and I'll have trouble sleeping.

when you're depressed you don't talk to anyone, you avoid everyone even your best friend. You may think that's sadness but it's different. When you're sad it only lasts a little bit but when your depressed, it lasts a pretty long time.

Being sad- you are sad for a while and you can snap out of it. You cannot just snap out of depression. It is bigger than you. You are not lazy or weak. Reaching out is the first most important step!

You should talk to a professional. They can determine which is which, if you cannot identify this yourself.

Everyone has bad days, and it is completely normal. However, there is usually a reason for those sad days. Maybe you lost your job, failed a test, or had an argument with a friend. However, depression is more of a general sadness over time. A lot of depressed people experience an emptiness they can't explain, and it does not go away in the blink of an eye.

Sad is fleeting, whereas depression is more long-lasting and has other accompanying symptoms. One can be depressed and not recognize it, but have all of the symptoms. There are a number of depression tests available online, including this site. It's worth checking out. Though the tests may indicate that you fall somewhere on the depression spectrum, you should seek a professional for an official diagnosis and for help in managing it.

If the symptoms last over a longer period of time. Its usually caused by a lack of a chemical in your brain usually dopamine which helps the neurotransmitters in your brain pass messages. What you can do to help it is see a doctor to get on some meds to help dix the chemical imbalance and or a therapist.

Sadness is a temporary feeling. Though it hurts. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. It's when I can see an end to the pain or suffering. It doesn't consume every waking moment. With depression it can often be all consuming. It is my every thought. It is not something I can just snap out of. Or cheer up. Though I can appear to be happy, inside I am greatly pained.