I feel sad a lot, unmotivated, and I often can't stop crying for many hours. But I sleep and eat decently and I also can smile or laugh sometimes. Am I depressed or just sad?

Definitely depressed. Why else would you feel so sad while everything seems to be going peachy in life? Its more than just sadness thats causing this...

It depends. Being depressed requires certain symptoms to happen over a period of time. Eating, sleeping, motivation, and feeling down are all aspects of depression and to be considered. Ultimately, more information is required to determine if one is depressed based on the information given.

Do you know the specific reason why you are crying? Is it just a general feeling , or are there certain factors in your life that contribute to it, such as a divorce, loss of a loved one, losing a job, financial stress, etc. I think knowing that will help with the answer to this question. I hope you are having more happy days since writing that.

Speak to a doctor, something is likely to be underlining the reason for your current state of mind. Talking about it may help identify why its happening and will help promote a better quality of life.

Well, I cannot diagnose you with depression or anything else since I'm not a professional. And I'm not diagnosed with depression myself since I am too afraid to talk or be around people- but I can at least say I totally get what you're feeling. Depression is feeling low if we try to put it to words- but you must remember there can be good days along with the bad ones. Feeling unmotivated, having a lack of concentration, feeling like you have no energy to complete simple tasks are some of the symptoms of depression. If you are experiencing them, I suggest you see a professional in order to understand yourself better. But I understand that you may have worries- for example I get worried and feel bad sometimes because I have a good day. Am I faking? Am I mentally healthy, or am I doing this for attention. I just went out and had a good time- does that mean my depression isn't valid? I like to think have a decent relationship with my parents and they do not abuse me, I don't get bullied at school, and even though I have my concerns about how I look or what I eat, I still eat pretty decent- so what's with these depressive episodes? But when I think back with a healthier state of mind I can say that it's okay to have a good day. It's normal behavior to laugh about things and have fun with friends. If you really feel the need to get help, please do. Don't let the thought of "What if I'm just sad and don't need help" stop you from getting it. Everything is better when you have some nice little help- please be safe.

Depression comes in many different forms, and just because you might still be functioning doesn't mean that you are okay inside.

In my opinion, you could be sad about something happening in your life. Would you like to talk about your situation more?

I am not qualified to give you a definitive labelled condition. However, I used to feel very similar to this and I often cried for many hours when I was alone but was able to laugh in front of others. In my case, I was just trying to please the other people in my life and not cause any worry but I do not know if this is the same for you. How long have you been feeling like this?

Depression has many faces and can manifest itself in many different ways. Sometimes you may just need someone to talk to and support you for a chat or two, but other times it could be more serious. For a full understanding and/or diagnosis of depression seek a mental health professional as they are the ones qualified to make such an assessment.

It would be impossible to tell without a professional diagnosis. However, I can tell you that people with depression are able to experience brief sensations of happiness sometimes, and lack of sleep and appetite are only outward symptoms of depression. A person can still be depressed even if they are sleeping and eating normally.