It’s perfectly normal to feel sad from time to time. If you’re going through a particularly rough situation or hard time in life, you might have feelings of sadness more than you usually would. 

But, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re struggling with depression. 

On the other hand, it’s important to recognize depression for what it is. If you do have the signs and symptoms of depression and you dismiss it as sadness, it could easily become worse, and much harder to manage. 

So, how can you tell if you’re depressed or just sad? 

Knowing The Differences

The most important thing to understand is that depression is more than just sadness. When most people think about being depressed, sadness is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But, that’s only part of it. 

With millions of people dealing with depression across the globe, there are no two cases that are exactly alike. 

Some people have a hard time doing the things they used to enjoy or spending time with people they love. Others don’t like being alone. Some feel constantly fatigued and tired and want to sleep all day. Others struggle with insomnia. 

So, there is much more to consider about depression than just sadness. 

Episodes of depression typically last for at least two weeks. So, if you’ve been feeling sad or dealing with any of the other signs or symptoms listed above, you could be facing depression. If you feel sad about a specific event or if it seems to come and go and doesn’t last long, you are probably just dealing with the normal sadness people face from time to time. 

How to Know If You’re Sad

Think about the things that are going on in your life. Did you recently go through a breakup or lose someone important to you? Did you lose your job? We are living in uncertain times at the moment in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s normal to feel stressed, anxious, and even sad about the state of the world. 

But, regular sadness from things like these is normal, even when it feels extreme. As stated above, however, feelings of sadness typically do go away on their own after a short time. 

However, sadness can turn into depression when it’s prolonged and is combined with other symptoms. 

A good way to know if your sadness has turned into something more is to consider how it is affecting your daily life. Do you have a hard time getting out of bed? Are your relationships struggling? Do you just not feel like “yourself”? Depression changes a lot of things, and it can affect your mood in such a way that it starts to impact your overall quality of life. 

What To Do If You Have Depression

If you’re concerned that you might be dealing with depression, one of the best things you can do is to seek out professional help. Again, depression affects people differently. But, you don’t have to handle it on your own. 

That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of things you can do on your own. In fact, learning the skills to manage your depression symptoms can make a big difference in your quality of life and how good you feel on a daily basis. 

But, getting started can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to turn. If you think you’re struggling with depression, feel free to contact me. Together, we can talk about the possible underlying source(s) and work on some techniques you can use to manage your depression every day. Whether you’re feeling sad or you’re worried it might be something more, remember you don’t have to live with it in silence. Please read more about depression treatment and contact me for a consultation soon.