![]() Depression doesn’t look the same in everyone, which can make it difficult to recognize sometimes, Kross notes. It can be tough to tell whether you’re experiencing everyday sadness or depression. How Can You Tell if It’s Depression or Everyday Sadness? ![]() That differs from everyday sad moods, which occur all the time to all of us. “It is a very serious disease that has very serious consequences,” says Forgas. “It’s really about the degree and duration,” says Kross.ĭepression, in contrast to sadness, tends to be debilitating, making it difficult to perform everyday tasks, according to the APA (PDF). But when sadness is experienced intensely and for a long time, and is accompanied by other hallmark depression symptoms (lack of interest or pleasure in most activities, fatigue, and changes in appetite), it may indicate the presence of a depressive disorder. In nondepressed individuals, sadness comes and goes. But to experience sadness is not the same as having depression. The Difference Between Sadness and DepressionĪccording to the APA, persistent sadness is one of the two defining symptoms of a major depressive episode. Withdrawing to reflect is a very different response from the quick action of anger, says Dr. In the aftermath of the unexpected rejection, sadness might cause you to step back and try to better understand what implications that loss has for you. Think about a time you’ve experienced a major rejection, says Ethan Kross, PhD, a professor of psychology and management and organizations at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, who studies emotion and self-control. The emotion causes a slew of changes in thinking and behavior (more on that later), some of which Forgas detailed in a paper published in Current Directions in Psychological Science. Sadness tells you that you’re in an unfamiliar situation so you need to look out and be careful, he says. But now researchers believe that sadness acts as a mild alert, says Dr. “Anger is useful in overcoming resistance,” says Joseph Forgas, a doctor of science in psychology and Scientia Professor of psychology at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.įor a long time, researchers didn’t know the purpose of sadness. So when you’re angry, you might have tunnel vision and feel motivated to deal with some kind of problem. The Difference Between Sadness and Angerīoth sadness and anger can feel unpleasant and distressing, and researchers sometimes lump the two together under the umbrella of “negative affect.” (This category also includes shame, guilt, anxiety, fear, and irritability, according to research.) But sadness and anger are distinct emotions with different purposes, as other research has outlined.Īnger often occurs in response to a perceived injustice, according to the APA. doi:10.Sadness is “an emotional state of unhappiness, ranging in intensity from mild to extreme and usually aroused by the loss of something that is highly valued,” according to the American Psychological Association (APA). Your face and moves seem happier when I smile. Marmolejo-ramos F, Murata A, Sasaki K, et al. The Wiley Handbook for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, First Edition. Cognitive reappraisal and acceptance: Effects on emotion, physiology, and perceived cognitive costs. Troy AS, Shallcross AJ, Brunner A, Friedman R, Jones MC. Coping strategies and psychological outcomes: The moderating effects of personal resiliency. Smith MM, Saklofske DH, Keefer KV, Tremblay PF. Moving beyond fight and flight: A contingent model of how the emotional regulation of anger and fear sparks proactivity. Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling as implicit emotion regulation.
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