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

Well, in my opinion theres a huge difference. Being sad is normal, everyone gets sad now and then like maybe something happened and that upset you but after a while you'll go back to feeling okay again. Being sad will last a little bit but you'll be fine afterwards but depression (from my personal experience), it's like, this dark cloud is constantly following you around. You have no motivation to do anything, you feel down for no reason, life feels like it has no type of meaning anymore, sometimes you'll cry and you won't know why and you feel like its impossible to ever be happy again, you really feel like your life is hell.

For me, when I'm sad, it's more of an emotional symptom, whereas depression is more of a mental symptom. When I'm sad, I feel it in my gut, my emotions, my memories. It's a visceral feeling of remorse, whereas when I feel depressed it is usually because I am processing from my past and it seems to originate more in my mental state of being. In other words, when I am depressed, it is because a part of my mental character is being re-calibrated and when I'm sad it's because I'm clearing old emotions.

Sadness feels specific- you are sorrowful about something that happened or something you are thinking about. Sadness is something that can improve fairly quickly with support from friends and enough time to let whatever is making you sad diminish in its scope. Depression, on the other hand, is a lackluster often nonspecific feeling that overtakes the entire experience a person is having their life. It is hard to find any joy in anything, there is a feeling of hopelessness, sometimes suicidal thoughts. Depression often does not respond to well meaning friends who try to "cheer you up".

some days you may feel like your sad or upset when a lot of good things are happening. some days may seem cloudy but just remember, you WILL get through it!

Sadness happens to a lot of people, but depression lasts longer and occurs over several weeks. Individuals who are experiencing depression have a hard time getting out of bed and don't enjoy things they normally would.

Because I've been acting strange lately and not the same,I feel very low and I feel sad and upset all the time

"Ugh. I'm depressed." We've all said it, and even the most happy-go-lucky among us will have an occasional bout of the blues. Sometimes it's the big stuff that triggers it—like getting fired, losing a loved one, or splitting up with your spouse—but often enough, feeling low can come from things as simple as a Grey's Anatomy rerun, crappy weather, or a rough night's sleep. But does that mean you’re actually depressed? Quite the fine line between these two states of being.For most of us, these feelings come and go. But when sadness persists for more than two weeks and affects your ability to function at work, at home, or in other aspects of your life, you may have what's known as major, or clinical, depression.

i recommande to have a talk with yourself . why am i not happy ? ask yourself ... if you find an answer(i just broke up , familly problems..) then you're sad .. and since you found the problem it's easier to find a solution now ...if you're had hurts and you found no reason why you're feeling that way .. you're mostly depressed and you need someone to regenerate your cheerfullness that's all

Your activity, your sleeping schedule, your lack of sleep. Your eating habits. Your conversations. Your absence from everyone, friends. The lack of taking care of your own self, all things related to that.

Everyone gets sad every once in awhile. Its just apart of life. Depresseion is the feeling or sadness over a long period of time, beng lethargic, having little to no motivation to do anything.