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How do I know if I'm sad or depressed?

341 Answers
Last Updated: 02/25/2023 at 7:32am
How do I know if I'm sad or depressed?
★ This question about Depression was starred by a moderator on 5/12/2016.
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Top Rated Answers
Ky23
August 6th, 2015 12:23am
Sadness eventually fades, just like any other feeling. When you are depressed, feelings like sadness stick around way longer then they should. You may have lost interest in things you previously loved when depressed, or don't feel the need to do much of anything. It's important to let someone know how you are feeling, in whatever way is best for you!
Anonymous
March 13th, 2016 11:32pm
You will know it because you will stay sad for a long period of time or longer and nothing would cheer you up and nothing interests you.
Anonymous
March 20th, 2016 3:23pm
If you're sad or depressed, you will find the signs in your routine behavior itself, e.g., having a low self-esteem, worrying a lot, analyzing situations on an 'either or nothing' basis, withdrawal from activities which once looked enjoyable, getting irritated on the slightest pretexts accompanied by, in some cases, appetite loss or binge eating.
Anonymous
June 20th, 2015 3:09pm
It is something that I can't answer for sure, but depression is generally more constant and debilitating than being sad. If you think you might be depressed it may be a good idea for you to talk to a therapist.
Anonymous
November 9th, 2017 10:34am
I don't know if I'm depressed because I'll feel extremely low for a certain amount of days or weeks but then I'll have like 2 happy days or something then I feel like everything's getting better but then I go back to the way I normally feel (low) or a few more days or weeks. So I'll have really bad days but also really good days but generally I've been feeling low for over 2 years now
Anonymous
December 9th, 2017 6:46pm
I need help.
Anonymous
April 4th, 2017 6:05pm
You can't really know if you are not diagnosed. I recommend the youtube video "Sadness vs depression" by The Mighty. Depression is like a sustainable weight while sadness is a temporary feeling that is more easily fixed by fun. Do some research and if you are worried, go reach out for professional help!
peacelovemusic03
December 22nd, 2017 5:11am
Sadness is a temporary emotion and is experienced by practically everyone at at least one time in their life. Depression is sadness that is constant (typically 6 months or more), severe and unrelenting and can sometimes have no noticeable cause. There may also be weight/appetite changes, over/under sleeping, thoughts of hurting oneself, lack of interest in hobbies and inability to concentrate. If your feelings match the second definition, consider asking for support and/or professional help.
SilvariAetherheart
October 17th, 2016 3:45am
Sadness is controllable. you will feel sad for a small while and you will return to normal. Depression on the other hand drags you so far down that its very heard to get out of unless you surroud yourself with people who care about you, and if need be, get the medication you need
themightypotatochip
December 11th, 2015 8:24pm
When you are sad it is a temporary thing that happens for a reason, something has happened that has made you feel this way, when you are depressed it is an ongoing wave of different negative emotions that sometimes will come for no reason.
bunnyssong
February 7th, 2018 4:45pm
Being sad is a feeling, which is "fleeting", can be remedied easier, and it's usually easy to see the reason why you are sad. For example, you can be sad because you have been planning to go to the beach with friends, but on the day itself, it rained so hard that you had to cancel it. Being depressed has to do with your mood, which is long-lasting and more general. You can say that feelings are like the weather while your mood is more like the season. If it's summer, it is generally hot. However, there is still the possibility of rain. Going back to the example about going to the beach: it would take so much effort to even start planning. You feel like you don't have the energy to think about where to go. You feel like you are being a burden just by asking friends to go out with you. And when it rains on the day itself after months of struggling to make the plan, it just rains and everything is ruined. You feel like you the world is telling you that you don't deserve to be happy, and so it decided to cast rain right on the day you were finally able to plan to go out of your room.
WarmHeart22
May 22nd, 2015 10:02pm
Depressed is when the sadness happens frequently and if you're sad at a certain high level. Depression could also mean that the sadness is affecting your life. You can also try to understand if you have depression with the symptoms or talking about it to a professional counselor or therapist.
Dan21
June 14th, 2015 1:10pm
Sadness usually has a reason behind it, depression can come and go but doesn't need an actual reason to get you down, but it will make you feel like things are going badly so it can be hard for the sufferer to tell. The best way to tell would be to talk to someone who knows, either on this site or a doctor or someone you know who's had depression.
Javillegas13
June 24th, 2015 3:22am
Depression is a medical condition that makes you feel bad for no reason ... Sadness has a clear reason ... If you ever want to talk, this is the best place to do it .
Anonymous
June 21st, 2015 4:43pm
When you're sad, it's usually because of something, like a breakup or a bad test grade, but depression is a mental disorder where you're sad with no real reason. Sadness goes away, but depression doesn't if it's untreated.
adorableAngel45
June 21st, 2015 6:44pm
i usually hold my emotions in and i tend to want to avoid talkign with others and just not want to take my medicatons and i know that its hard and i just try to realx and have faith
thegingerone
June 5th, 2016 3:53am
It can be hard to know the difference for sure! The main differences between the two, for me, is 1) how severe the sadness is and 2) how constant it is. If you feel sad after you get a bad grade, or have an argument and emotion hangs round, that ok, we can talk to you about that. However, if you wake up feeling anxious or really down for no apparent reason, if its very hard to lift your mood or if you have thoughts of hurting yourself, this is a clear indication of depression. We here at 7 cups are still here to help and support you always, we will talk to you about possible steps to get you feeling the way you deserve! Either way, feeling said isn't fun, so take a look at the listeners and give one a message, we are here to help!
Anonymous
June 21st, 2015 5:31am
when you're depressed, you had no interest in life or doing anything you actually love to do. but when you're sad, you'll still have interest doing your hobby and actually feel better after that.
Anonymous
June 20th, 2015 4:21pm
There are differences between being depressed and being sad. Being sad is usually a feeling that is a result of a situation or cause. Being depressed is a constant feeling that occurs without reason. Being depressed takes over your life even when you feel like you should be happy. Sadness is temporary, depression is not.
HeyItsMary11
December 26th, 2015 1:56pm
When your sad, you know the reason why you are sad and sadness is just temporary. The feeling will go away, also, when your sad you cant hide it. When youre depress you hide it in smiles and laughters but youre just empty inside. When youre depress you never really know the reason why...you may had from the start but in a long run, you get lost in it and the feeling never really goes away. There are good days and bad days in depression.
SmileyJess
December 27th, 2015 8:33pm
Depression is not just an extension of sadness. In addition to low mood and loss of interest, depression can have other troubling symptoms, including: Sleep problems: either sleeping too much, being unable to fall asleep, or waking up in the night Appetite issues: either eating too much, or not wanting to eat Low energy levels Concentration problems Negative thinking or feeling very pessimistic
Anonymous
December 27th, 2015 11:03pm
If you're sad you are just sad but if you're depressed you don't care about anything at all it is usually easy to tell
Anonymous
December 30th, 2015 8:55am
When you are depressed, you'll know. Depression isn't just I feel a little sad today. It's I've felt sad continuously for a few weeks or months. You may not enjoy things you use to, be more tired, and just be worn out when you haven't done anything.
Anonymous
January 6th, 2016 4:47am
I won't eat or do anything. I'll just sit in my room lost in my thoughts crying my eyes out. It's and empty feeling I can't get rid of
wonderfulhurrane74
December 30th, 2015 12:55pm
I think that sadness its a momentary feeling that will eventually pass with time. Depresion It is based on a permanent grief, sadness in the long run, a sadness that dominates our brain which doesnt allow you to feel any other feeling but negative feelings. Ill hope that i make my self clear:)
Shunyata
December 30th, 2015 1:28pm
When you don't want to get out of bed anymore, that's when you know things are getting bad again....
CarryOnMyWaywardIdjits
December 30th, 2015 6:37pm
It is not a mood. It won't just disappear, no matter what anyone says or what you want to feel like. So please, if your sadness is incurring and not going away, seek help. We're all here for you and we aren't going anywhere. Xx
Anonymous
December 30th, 2015 8:41pm
depression is when youre very sad for long periods of time. being sad is when its a day or two. but honestly you can never be sure unless you go visit a doctor.
Anonymous
January 2nd, 2016 1:24am
There is a big difference between sad and depressed, but the main one is that when you're sad, you actually feel like crying, or giving up, but with depression, you actually don't feel anything, you feel like you have a hole in your heart, and you just don't like doing anything, and there isn't a single thing that gives you any satisfaction.
Anonymous
January 1st, 2016 10:06am
It would depend on how long it lasts. If the sadness lasts a couple of weeks, it may be more than sadness.