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?

Depression hits everyone differently, and sometimes it can manifest in completely different ways every time. Sometimes I am bed-bound. Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I feel empty. And sometimes, I feel like I can break through and experience happiness and/or feel less empty. This does not mean I am not depressed - it comes in waves sometimes. Knowing that there can be reprives from depression can be very motivating... seeing the silver lining can take work and practice, but it can be ultimately helpful. None of the feelings of depression are anything to be ashamed about - and sometimes feeling "happy" during depression can illicit some sort of "imposter syndrome". I try not to focus on the negative thoughts, and try to focus instead on the little things that make me smile.

you are going through life it appears differently by different charactors but I think what you have to ask yourself is there something you are missing and most of all when you get such experiences you mentioned above? I would try to remember the time before I had such experiences to find out if I can find the triggers for such experiences,and no matter how long it take the time is your all of it and all of your life time,you need only to lift up your right hand lay it on the left half of your chest and recognise the heart you hear is only working for you just for you and as long as you are.isn`t it a better thing to be happy about knowing this you can go through other moments (less plesant) much easier and if sometimes come that you doubt,all you need to do is again lay your hand on your heart. I wish you all the best and a long life.

If this is something you are wondering it's worth discussing with a therapist. It depends how long you've been feeling like this. You don't need to "tick all the boxes" in order to be depressed, which means just because you can smile and laugh it doesn't mean you are automatically not depressed. Some people have trouble sleeping when they are depressed, others not. It can help to have a diagnosis and a label. Your feelings are valid either way. It's important to speak to a health professional bcause it helps you understand why you are feeling this way. Is there a physical explanation or is it due to something that happend? The way to deal with it might be a different depending on those factors and the diagnosis.

I'm sorry you're feeling that way ____. What's important to note is, feelings can sometimes be temporary. You may be feeling this way now, but you have no idea how you will feel the next day! What makes you think of the word depressed when it comes to yourself? Can you remember what you think about when you are stuck in the crying cycles? Let's try to get you to where you are more understanding of yourself. How was your day? I always find myself creating a safe new hobby or reading a new book or even going for a hike when i am stuck in my own head.

You can be depressed and still be able to perform basic tasks! Depression impacts everyone differently. Having depression doesn't necessarily mean that you're incapable of smiling or laughing either, a lot of people who experience depression can still feel joy and will smile or laugh at times. Everyone feels sad or unmotivated some days, but if these are feelings that you're experiencing on a regular, reoccurring basis, then it's very possible that you're experiencing depression. I've also personally struggled with intense emotions and not being able to control them as a symptom of my own depression, and for me that includes crying for prolonged periods of time and not feeling like I could stop. If you're feeling like you may be depressed, the important thing is to try to understand what may be causing that, and being proactive about taking care of yourself. ❤

depression takes many forms. one factor that sets depression and sadness apart is the fact that often, when depressed, it feels like there is no particular reason for the sadness. however, its important to note if there is a big change going on in your life. try not to be hard on yourself. take rest, and maybe speak to someone u trust, a friend, an adult. if you have been feeling like this for an extended period of time, maybe consider visiting a doctor. they will ask you some questions about your life and how you're feeling. typically they may prescribe some herbal or antibacterial medicine first, offer therapy or if you agree, medication. best of luck, you are loved

The first part of the question refers to some true emotional pain. Sleeping and eating decently show that it's not very severe but more moderate. Although do remember you do not need to fit all the criteria to be depressed but it does beg the question and it also depends on how long you've had these happening, is there a trigger or not, etc Factor these in, depression stops you from living a fairly normal life with daily activities such as studying, concentration, enjoying things you like to do (hobbies for example), going out with friends... Sadness can be intense but it doesn't last for really long, every day, and doesn't stop you from having a fairly normal life Hope this helped you! A professional can help you address your concerns.

The core of depression is loss of interest and feeling of sadness. If during the last two weeks, you feel sad almost all the time and no longer feel pleasant to do things previously can bring you happiness. You should consider if you are on a track of depression. Apart from this and your well status of sleep and eat, please have a check on your other potential manifestation. Do you feel restless or very slow, cannot remember things, low energy (even for small things, you have to make great efforts), and these concern you so much that you cannot work/study/socialize adequately? Collectively, you may have a better idea that whether you are depressed or just sad. Hope this helps.

I cannot tell if you are depressed or sad but I understand exactly where you are coming from. For me, if this sadness is impacting your life whether that be physically or mentally, reaching out for some professional help is always a good idea. However, whether it be depression or sadness, you should never undermine these feelings of yours. Try to find the trigger for these feelings, maybe it is because of some past feelings or something that just recently happened to you. Once you find the answer, talking to a friend or a family member first can help then eventually reaching professional help.

Depression can be complicated and sometimes not every box is checked in the symptoms category. For me it’s about how long has it been going on, it’s intensity, and how it is impacting my life. If things have been bad for over 2 weeks, or I feel suicidal, or I stop going to school (I’m in college) then I contact my psychiatrist. Sometimes just speaking to an actual professional is the best answer to am I sad or depressed? They have experience and can treat you better. I like having a resource so I don’t get stuck in a bad emotional place.

This would most likely be a better question for a clinician who can properly evaluate you. It's important to note though, that experiences with depression (and all other disorders) don't exist in a vaccuum. Sure, there are behavioral patterns and similiarities in symptoms that make up the diagnosis of a disorder, but you don't have to perfectly fit every requirement in order for you to have a disorder. If this sadness/darkness is interfering with your life and ability to function, it's more than just sadness. Evaluating where this feeling may have come from/started is also important to understanding it.

I understand that depression is a bit complicated to pin down and figure out at first. For starters, lack of motivation and extended moments of sadness are some potential indicators of depression. But everyone is different! People that are depressed don’t always have issues with sleep schedules or eating, and many of them laugh and smile on a regular basis! If this feeling has persisted frequently over a few weeks, that is another indicator of depression. If you’re concerned about a potential mental illness, a professional is the best person to consult with. I hope you find the answer to your concerns and that you feel better soon.

You're depressed. Try to find a hobby you're interested in, or spend some time with a loved one. Focus on why you're depressed. I'm available if you wanna talk. A lot of times, things feel out of our hands or cloud our thoughts. We're just so confused when we can't even figure out what's wrong. It makes us feel like we're needy or just plain drama queens. But we're not. You're not alone, buddy, and it's a big problem because it's yours. Only you can judge if it is a problem or not. I can't promise it's gonna get better, but you don't know if it can if you don't try. Best of luck.

Being depressed doesn't mean you have to be crying 24/7. Even when you are struggling with depression, you can still have some good moments and days. Sadness is an emotion that everyone in the world feels at times, but depression is a persistent problem that feels almost like a sort of underlying sadness that remains throughout most moments of everyday life, minus those rare moments of fleeting happiness, like laughing with a friend or having fun with a pet. Talking to a psychiatrist, therapist, or counselor can be really helpful in distinguishing whether you are feeling sad or have depression.

Well, I am not a psychologist or therapist so I cannot diagnose you. I think that you need to look a bit deeper and reach out to a therapist. Your emotions are your own and depression can look different to everyone. Keep a log and write down some of the times you feel unmotivated and see if you can change some of those and if you feel sad, maybe check and see if you have isolated or dedicated too much of your time to something that you do not enjoy. These types of things can be affecting your mood. If nothing works, please seek help!

If there is no hopeless, helplessness or loss of concentration in the presence of crying spills and sadness, than its not a depression. Its sadness which might be exceeding its limit so you have to go to therapist or for some help for betterment in the daily functioning. To cope with sadness accept your emotions, give name to your feelings communicate it with yourself or someone closer , it can be your therapist as well. Unmotivation cause due to sadness in the daily functioning, explore what is making you sad , what are the behaviors, emotions, or things which trigger your sadness . So it can be avoided

The difference between sadness and depression is sadness is temporary, whereas depression can last for a very long time, especially if not treated. For example, if you are grieving a lost one, you would experience great sadness, but it would eventually go away. If you are upset for seemingly no reason, very often, that could be depression. Think about why you are feeling this sadness, this might help determine whether you are depressed or sad. Also, even if you have depression, there can still be moments in between the sadness where you feel a little happier. Just because you don’t have all of the symptoms of depression doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have it.