So how can you tell the difference between sadness and depression? According to SOSSD, there are several symptoms that are characteristic of depression that you should watch for.
In this article:
- Depression is an illness and should be treated as such. Although the symptoms may be less obvious, since they affect the brain rather than the body, that doesn’t mean that depression can’t drastically affect overall health.
- People who have depressed family members, who abuse drugs or alcohol, who have certain chronic medical conditions, or who have had traumatic experiences during childhood are most prone. Women suffer from depression twice as often as men, and the first episodes occur most often in early adulthood.
- If you think a friend or loved one suffers from depression, take the initiative and talk to him or her. Depression can hinder a person’s ability to act on his or her own and get help.
It is normal and even healthy to feel a little sad from time to time.
If you allow yourself to feel a variety of emotions you will be able to feel cheerful when things are going well in your life.
So how can you tell the difference between sadness and depression? According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are several symptoms that are characteristic of depression that you should watch for.
Depression is a brain disease that affects people from all walks of life, and as with cancer and heart disease, having a lot of money and success does not protect you from depression. However, unlike other serious health problems, it may not be immediately obvious when a person has depression and some people even think that it is not serious or that it is something that can be overcome at any time.
Most of the time the first episodes occur when people enter adulthood, however, they can also occur at any age. In addition, twice as many women suffer from depression as men. People who have family members who suffer from depression are at greater risk for depression, as are people who use drugs or alcohol excessively, people who have certain chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes, as well as people who had traumatic experiences as children.
For a diagnosis of depression, symptoms must have been present for at least two weeks. Although not everyone who suffers from depression has all of the symptoms, here are some of the symptoms to watch for:
- feeling sad, empty or hopeless;
- less interest in activities you used to enjoy;
- sleeping too much or too little;
- loss of energy;
- feeling restless or down;
- feeling worthless or feeling guilty;
- not being able to think or concentrate;
- having frequent thoughts about death.
Depression affects all aspects of life, such as how you feel, how you think, and how you deal with simple daily tasks such as sleeping and eating. The shame and stigma still associated with depression and other mental illnesses often prevent people from asking for help.
If you think a friend or loved one has depression, take the initiative to talk to them because depression can affect their ability to ask for help on their own. Often, people with depression need help from others to get treatment. You can start by saying, “I’ve noticed that you haven’t seemed yourself lately, and I’m worried that something is going on with you.”