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?

Not all symptoms of depression (such as poor sleeping and eating habits) are found in all people with the disorder. I am no doctor, and it would be irresponsible for me to tell you as such, however, you do have some of the potential symptoms. Depression, does not always affect someone 24/7 as well; you can still feel joy at times, although it is usually with friends. If you are concerned, I recommend you ask your doctor or a professional.

When you're depressed you are not always sad all the time. Some people's depression is worse than other's. If you really want to know if you are actually depressed, I suggest going to a therapist and asking them for help. Good luck!

It sounds like you’re going through a tough time. I used to feel the same. Don’t worry you will get through it. Being sad sometimes is completely natural.

Depression is something that lasts over a long period of time while sadness is temporary. However, there could be other things that could cause this, such as bipolar, hypothyroidism, and more. The best thing to do if you are ever questioning if you have depression or any other mental illness is to talk to your doctor.

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!

Depression is different for every person. People with depression can still sleep, eat, smile, and laugh. Often sometimes you might not even be able to tell apart a depressed person from a non-depressed person. If you're experiencing these symptoms severely and often, then it is worth it to consider seeing a professional about the problem and discuss these things with them. A professional can also give you a diagnosis and determine for sure whether or not you have clinical depression, or if you're 'just sad'. Either way, keep your head up and focus on taking care of yourself, because depression and sadness will both pass. You got this, good luck!

As I'm not a professional I can't say for sure, but based on my experiences of having depression it does sound similar to my feelings. I would almost always feel incredibly sad and tired, and I would cry multiple times a day. I found it hard to find energy or interest in doing anything, including things I enjoy. I certainly did smile and laugh sometimes, and I did have the odd day where I felt happy and did something fun. Some things I found really helpful to get through depression was seeing a counsellor, making myself spend time with friends, making myself do hobbies, and keeping a journal of little achievements like when I managed to socialise or do something fun. It was super hard to keep going at times, but the important thing is to keep trying. It's great that you're managing to eat and sleep well, keep up the good work! I hope things look up for you soon

Hey, Depression has many faces. I am no psychologist so don't value my answer heavily. Out of personal experiences, I'd say you sound like you suffer from Depression or a Depressed episode. When I first got my diagnose, I felt exactly the way you did. My psychologist also told me to go to the doctor, because that behavior can also be caused by less iron in your blood ( also fewer vitamins than you actually should have etc.) In case you haven't talked to your family about it, I'd highly advise you to do so. I know, that this might seem to be frightening at first but I felt more relieved after I did so. Sadly my parents first kind of"underrated" my problem, so I started to isolate myself more than I already did. If this happens to you as well if you choose to tell them, I'm begging you to not isolate yourself because it ends u making things worse.

First, it is important to remember that both depression and sadness can manifest in different ways for all of us. If you feel like you might be experiencing depression, making an appointment with a mental health professional is a good first step. If you can't start there making an appointment with your primary care doctor is another good place to start. In that appointment you can discuss what you are feeling and your symptoms and get the appropriate help that you need. Even if you don't end up having depression, therapy can be incredibly beneficial for a lot of people. I hope this helps.

If these feelings persist for weeks, you might be depressed. The way that you sleep and eat decently and smile and laugh might just mean that you're at the beginning of depression. You should be careful because at first, we all think we can go through it alone, that we're strong but comes the tough times when we can't even get out of bed when depression strikes at its worse. Anyway, if the feeling doesn't persist, maybe you are just sad for a particular reason and you just need the time to heal your scars. Mostly, sadness is due to a specific reason unlike depression.