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?

I'm sorry to hear that. We all go through this. However it's always a good thing to ask for help from someone. The best way to help yourself is to talk to someone who can understand what your going through. It is very hard to diagnose someone unless you are a professional. Please don't be afraid to seek out help from a friend or a therapist.

I wouldn't jump to conclusions or start to diagnose yourself like that but if you are really concerned and want a professional opinnion then try to scheadule an appointment with a therapist , good luck!!!

That sounds really tough, and my heart goes out to you. A clinical diagnosis of depression is something that can only be given to you by a psychologist or psychiatrist. I would recommend going to see one and getting evaluated. Even if you are able to sleep, eat and laugh you may have a variant known as Atypical Depression. Only you know what is normal and abnormal for yourself. Never stop seeking help.

It sounds like you are depressed and may need to pursue counseling. You may feel happy from time to time but when that sadness comes back, it can hurt your overall functioning, leaving you feeling fatigued and overwhelmed.

I was going through something very similar to this a while ago. I believe you are depressed, at least mildly. Please speak to someone you trust about this and get help. I know you'll get through this!

Do you have a reason for this? Did any sad event happened to you? If you are asking this question it can mean that this situation have been going on for a while an is affecting your overall life satisfaction. I would suggest you seek a therapist and try a few sessions. Better safe than sorry all I'm saying. Wish you all the luck!

My feeling is that being deeply and intuitively attuned to the world can make you sad a lot, our world is far from being a safe place for all, and being connected to that can make you cry a lot, and rather than a sign of depression in the medical sense, it can be a sign of deep empathy and connection with the millions of sadnesses coming and going among humans. It can be a sign that you are connected with your own emotions, which is painful often, I know. If you sleep ok, then that is precious, and I am glad you are. Crying can sometimes be the best way the body finds to release the stress that comes with understanding the pain of others, whether you know them or just know that people here and there are suffering. But it is possible that depression can start lurking around when the whole body starts modifying sleep, eating, energy patterns in response to an added stress or traumaI hitting a deeply, even sometimes unknowingly compassionate soul. To hear that you smile and laugh sometimes tells me that you are attuned to joy as well. It may seem strange to others, that you’d be experiencing both, but for me, from what I have experienced, it is a sign that you are connected to the world. I often wonder whether depression and deep frequent sadness affects empathetic people more. I don’t know, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Then being unmotivated could be your inner self gently nudging you towards an activity or job that allows you to reconcile the sadness and smiling. For example I was thinking of trying to volunteer on a improv theater project with people recovering from trauma. Another thing I am trying to do is write stories, (even if I don’t show them!), to see what comes up in my imagination to help a character when they are in trouble, and if I like what comes up, I use it for myself, to feel better. Because with or without depression, sadness can be so genuine and intense, it can affect a lot of aspects of your life. The sadness feels to me sometimes like hearing many music instruments playing but not synchronised, it exhausts you but you can tell there is a beautiful piece of music in there, something you’d like to hear, you’d need to hear, you even vaguely recognise some of it, but it is scrambled somehow, and it doesn’t stop very often. When it gets unscrambled, though, and it does happens, I feel like the sadness was... strangely, my friend, just being patient but not leaving either.

People who have depression do not always show all of the symptoms. Check in with a doctor or nurse and they can help you with this. A lack of motivation is a big sign of depression. I would recommend talking to a professional soon.

Sounds like depression. Symptoms are different for different people. Some people can be very angry all the time and it is because of depression. Being able to sleep, eat, or smile and laugh at times doesn’t mean you aren’t depressed. Also take into consideration how long this has been going on.

Depression rears its head differently for everyone. You may experience some of the symptoms, but perhaps not all of them. I recommend you speak with a doctor about this; whether it be a regular one who can refer you elsewhere or a psychiatrist. There are also hotlines you can call for help, if need be.