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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?

277 Answers
Last Updated: 05/27/2022 at 2:23am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Polly Letsch, LCSW

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

I provide non-judgmental, person-centered, objective therapeutic treatment for individuals of all ages to improve social, emotional, mental and other areas of functioning.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
December 8th, 2017 6:17pm
In my opinion, you could be sad about something happening in your life. Would you like to talk about your situation more?
Anonymous
December 13th, 2017 7:47pm
I am not qualified to give you a definitive labelled condition. However, I used to feel very similar to this and I often cried for many hours when I was alone but was able to laugh in front of others. In my case, I was just trying to please the other people in my life and not cause any worry but I do not know if this is the same for you. How long have you been feeling like this?
ChamomileTea5202
December 15th, 2017 9:52pm
Depression has many faces and can manifest itself in many different ways. Sometimes you may just need someone to talk to and support you for a chat or two, but other times it could be more serious. For a full understanding and/or diagnosis of depression seek a mental health professional as they are the ones qualified to make such an assessment.
LetsTalkLife24
December 16th, 2017 6:51pm
It would be impossible to tell without a professional diagnosis. However, I can tell you that people with depression are able to experience brief sensations of happiness sometimes, and lack of sleep and appetite are only outward symptoms of depression. A person can still be depressed even if they are sleeping and eating normally.
SilverisSarah
December 22nd, 2017 11:46pm
Hi, I really hope you get better soon and I am sorry that you feel down. If you want I may talk with you if you need to vent about this. A certified therapist would be the best resource to help you getting a diagnosis, as they specialize in the field of the mind.
IAmARainbowFlower
January 9th, 2018 7:02am
You might be. I am depressed at times and I eat, smile and laugh. I find it hard to cry most times even though I need too.
softSugar96
January 11th, 2018 1:13am
This can be a sign of a relapse of depression, but it could also be stress-induced. I know that when I am depressed I feel some of the same symptoms, but can still function somewhat normally for the most part. Some relapses can be more severe than others, and it may not last as long either. I hope this helps!
BlueberryCoffee
January 11th, 2018 9:23pm
Depression doesn’t mean you’re sad 24/7, or that you can’t function at all. Many people with depression can sleep perfectly well, or function at work, or feel excitement around a crush, or belly laugh at a good joke. Depression manifests differently in different people, or even at different times in the same people. Like most illnesses, symptoms vary and you won’t necessarily have every single one. Just like a bad day every once in a while doesn’t mean you’re depressed, a good day every once in a while doesn’t mean you aren’t.
lovelyJewel61
January 12th, 2018 1:49am
Being depressed is more then just being sad, on occasions. what you are going through can be depression. i cannot say it's not. do you feel sad even when you smile and laugh? do you feel sad even when your out with friends or at an event that is supposed to make you feel good? depression isn't just being upset is is more to it then that. it's an feeling that you have that feels like you cant get rid of.
Anonymous
January 13th, 2018 4:24pm
If you feel like you are depressed, try and contact a therapist or GP. They can decide if you're depressed or just sad. But try talking to people and motivating yourself to keep going. There are different sides to depression.
happyrainbow93
January 14th, 2018 11:15am
My suggestion for you is to go to the doctor or to have an appointment with a psychologist to know more about your situation since this is not enough information. Don't jump to conclusions or diagnose yourself. it is possible you have a mild or moderate depression. However, sometimes I think it is not so important to diagnose or label your symptoms but to start to do something about it. It is good that you are here at 7 cups, this can be the start to increase your skills to deal with your symptoms.
JulietSivan
January 26th, 2018 11:51am
Depression is not about feeling down (!)all the time(!). It’s a serious mood disorder but you still can laugh sometimes and have fun with closest friends, it works like a distraction. Generally, depression is about how you feel (!)most of the time(!). It causes symptoms that affect the way you work, think & etc. In that case I recommend you to visit therapist so you can get some help from a professional doctor. Wish you all the best.⭐️
Anonymous
February 3rd, 2018 10:20am
I found that if I am sad more than 75% of the time for over 3 weeks, then I consider myself depressed and will reevaluate my life to see where that depression comes from. If it is psychological, biological or something else.
Anonymous
February 8th, 2018 8:12pm
I think you're just sad. It would be better if you reach out and communicate with your friends and family more. Having positive people around you would light up your day.
LearningEmpathy
March 3rd, 2018 5:44am
This really depends on the causes. If a death just happened then it is grief, if it is because of stress it is probably depression, if you just had a bad day and know you will feel better in the morning sadness. If you do feel depressed try and change something in your life, I have connected depression with stress and overwhelming responsibilities before. Sometimes it is just the body's way of coping with the stress. However, I am not a professional this is just my experience.
FromDrewWithLove
March 4th, 2018 4:38am
While I'm not a medical professional, nor can I diagnose you with anything, I'd say it is possible you're depressed. Depression isn't necessarily straight sadness all the time; it has its hills and valleys. Sometimes you are capable of feeling happy or at least decent for a little while before crashing again. Plus, while getting good sleep and eating decently can help people feel better, it's not really a cure-all for depression, so it's possible to do those things and still have depression. It sounds more like depression than being just sad, but I could be wrong.
MotherWillow93
March 14th, 2018 3:01pm
Depends how long you have been feeling this way and what is causing your sadness. There are two things that I have always found helpful when needing an emotional boost: Surrounding yourself with loved ones like friends, family, or a pet. And engaging in activities/hobbies you enjoy and are passionate about (singing, building things, dancing, being out in nature, taking a hot bath, reading...)
IrisEM
March 30th, 2018 10:20pm
That ultimately depends on you. Do you feel like this has been going on for longer than usual? Have you felt like this over a long period of time? Feeling sad and unmotivated can be a product of a situation we're going through in life or signs of depression. How long have you felt this way?
Anonymous
April 1st, 2018 6:34am
That is full blown depression and you need to talk to a psychiatrist about your feelings. It’s ok to ask for help. Depression is real.
newbiebunny
April 1st, 2018 8:33am
Depression has many faces and levels to how it effects a person. I personally dont think the emotion of feeling "just sad" should be taken so lightly like it is not as important either. What I feel is more important to focus on is rather on understanding yourself in various aspects (example, emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually etc). Also rather than trying to diagnose lightly on one or the other, I believe it benefits a person to seek professional assistance from people who have more knowledge on say depression, to be more honest with yourself while discovering what exactly is making you feel the way you do. Especially if it makes you feel uncomfortable and stressful.
TheCynicalOptimist
April 4th, 2018 8:37am
Depends on how long that state lasts. If it lasts longer than two weeks, you might be showing first signs of depression.
Anonymous
April 13th, 2018 12:30am
Only a doctor can answer that question. I would suggest journaling you symptoms and feelings, then bringing them to a doctor. You can also look into high functioning depression
PhoenixMoon19
April 14th, 2018 1:34pm
I’d say there’s a good case for depression depending on how long you’ve felt this way. Lack of motivation and uncontrollable crying can be warning signs of depression if they continue for a while.
Anonymous
April 15th, 2018 4:19am
Your not alone in this, maybe going to talk to your doctor may help you. Talking about when this started and what made you feel these emotions to begin with will help
SociallyAwkwardMatthew
April 15th, 2018 8:14am
That isnt for any of us to say considering we are not medical experts. It would be best to go to a doctor and get professionally diagnosed so you can be given the best course of action.
Ameera411
April 21st, 2018 2:25pm
Well at first you need to know if there's a reason behind getting sad, demotivated and crying so much.If there is a solid reason, then it's just that you're feeling sad about it.But even after a lot of brainstorming you can't figure out a reason behind the stress, then it's definitely depression.Depression can be of different levels, you're probably at the lowest ones whete it's not extremely serious.So I would suggest you to talk to people, take care of yourself more and do what's possible to deal with the depression.You'll be fine absolutely :)
Anonymous
April 25th, 2018 1:56am
It's possible to smile and laugh but still be depressed. Not everyone who's depressed experiences a change in sleep or eating either. The biggest indication that it's more than typical sadness is if it starts to interfere with your life. Are you so unmotivated that you no longer do the things you used to or hang out with friends? Do you feel worthless or hopeless? Is your sadness causing you lots of distress? Have you been feeling sad or empty most of the time for at least 2 weeks now? If you answered yes to any of those questions, please consider seeing a professional!! You don't need to go through this alone
AprylFools
April 26th, 2018 12:35pm
This sounds like you may have depression, yes. But the best place to go for an actual assessment is the Doctors. They'll analyse your answers and if they think you could use some help, provide you with medication. As scary as it sounds, you needn't worry too much! They're there to help you both physically and mentally.
lenimentus
May 2nd, 2018 9:06am
Please, please, please do not take anything someone tells you online seriously enough to label yourself. In addition, if you can, disregard any potential labels as they usually do not help you (diagnoses are helpful to professionals). I would suggest that you at least talk to someone about the reasons you feel sad, unmotivated and do cry for that amount before taking any further, potentially more serious steps(or do both by talking to a therapist).
CoreDad87
May 2nd, 2018 11:47pm
Depression can happen even at the high points in our lives. It doesn't affect everyone the same or in the same circumstances