How To Know If It’s Depression or Just ‘Normal’ Sadness

“Feeling sad is normal, but depression is not

It’s a critically important distinction. Feeling distressed and sad is a normal and expected response to what we’ve endured these past several years, including the social isolation and loss of human life brought about by the pandemic. It would be remarkable if we didn’t feel worried, anxious or sad given what we’ve experienced.

But unlike everyday sadness, clinical depression is never a normal response to stress or trauma; it’s a serious medical illness that is associated with significant impairment in our ability to function in major areas of our life — in relationships, at home and at work.

So how can you tell if you are depressed or just plain sad?

To start, depression is a syndrome that involves far more than sadness. Aside from a sad or flat mood, depression typically causes insomnia, loss of libido and appetite, social withdrawal, low energy, feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts, feelings and actions.

Sad people are unhappy about a specific event, while depressed people feel bad about themselves and have a loss of self-confidence. If you’re not sure, ask yourself just two questions: how often in the past few weeks have you lost interest and pleasure in doing things? How often have you felt down or hopeless? You can check your score on this Patient Health Questionnaire. If your score is 3 or higher, there’s a high probability that you are depressed, not merely upset. But as with anything, you should consult your physician!”

Read the full article on The Washington Post

✨Takeaway: Sadness is a universal emotion that will eventually pass. On the other hand, depression is a serious medical illness that should not be confused with sadness. Numerous studies have shown that different abnormalities in the brain's circuits that control mood, sleep, energy, and hunger are linked to clinical depression. It is important to be able to distinct the two.

✨Reflection: Have you ever been confused between sadness and depression?

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