What is the Difference of Sadness From Depression?

It seems that the most of the responses here are like taken from a book of psychiatry. By the view of the science of psychology these are all true but I don't trust in this science. Hundreds, even thousands of years people were just sad in any cases, no matter whether they were "very sad", "sad for a long time", "deeply sad" or whatever. But then, starting from the point some hundred or less years ago, they suddenly began to become "depressed" and "having a depression". But what has really changed? Does the psychological structure of human being nowadays differ from the structure of our ancestry? Let me think that no. I know all these statements about chemical processes in brain, about the decrease of the level of serotonin etc. I agree these are all serious arguments. At the same time, it doesn't prevent me from a consideration that all this is just a game of words (depression versus sadness). It is build on the concept of "normality" and "abnormality" which was made to realize the power of the state by putting The Mad in clinics and letting the other, who correspond to the category of Normal, be free.

It seems that the most of the responses here are like taken from a book of psychiatry. By the view of the science of psychology these are all true but I don't trust in this science. Hundreds, even thousands of years people were just sad in any cases, no matter whether they were "very sad", "sad for a long time", "deeply sad" or whatever. But then, starting from the point some hundred or less years ago, they suddenly began to become "depressed" and "having a depression". But what has really changed? Does the psychological structure of human being nowadays differ from the structure of our ancestry? Let me think that no. I know all these statements about chemical processes in brain, about the decrease of the level of serotonin etc. I agree these are all serious arguments. At the same time, it doesn't prevent me from a consideration that all this is just a game of words (depression versus sadness). It is build on the concept of "normality" and "abnormality" which was made to realize the power of the state by putting The Mad in clinics and letting the other, who correspond to the category of Normal, be free.

sadness is an emotion and depression is an illness where one of the symptoms is extreme sadness. with depression there is a chemical imbalance in the brain, where chemicals are produced that cause feelings of sadness, or those chemicals that induce feelings of happiness are not produced enough. other symptoms include lack of energy, lack of motivation. lack of appetite. all in all, a lack of life in you. and if you are sad, there is a cause to be sad. whearas depression is there even if everything in your life is absolutely as perfect as you wish it could be. you could have a job you love, a perfect and attractive partner, perfectly behaved and well adjusted children, a perfect house, no financial or health worries, and you can still go to bed and cry yourself to sleep. and there's no reason for the feelings, just your illness is causing the emotion without any other reason for you to feel that way. many times I've been in tears, and when people have asked me what's wrong, the only answer I could give was that nothing was wrong, I am just miserable. there are times when depression is linked with negative things that are happening in your life, but ultimately, with depression, taking away the bad things won't improve your emotional state. whearas sadness, removing the cause of sadness would remove the sadness. so in summary. Depression is an illness. like athsma or diabetes, or any other illness, anyone can suffer from it, at any time in their life. it's something in the body not working as it should. one of the symptoms is extreme sadness. sadness is an emotion.

Hello, In terms of psychology sadness is normal, depression is not. Depression originates due to a sustained submission to sadness. We can be sad, but then we have to reason ourselves out from that position. That we often do. But when you are depressed you just start to enjoy being sad. Somehow you can't accept your present situation and try to revolt. But while you're depressed all the agitations are carried out inside your mind. You don't express your depression. The pent up feeling of sadness that arose from one or several causes, come together and form a depressed state of mind. Often our depression originates from our inability to accept the situation as it is. But more importantly, a depressed mind knows no way to change that situation, so it aggrieves inwardly. Depression is more intense and confined form of sadness and cause more harm. Thanks. God bless you.

Hi Grace Sadness is a temporary phenomena, a state of mind from which we pass, you too say that, but if you keep remaining sad always, it may lead to depression, it is kind of disease, it may get worse day by day.. That you are suffering from depression is evident from this posting, a normal person will not ask this question usually.. Thanks for sharing. Cheers. Professor. .

Sadness is generally a natural reaction to environmental stimuli. Depression, however, is a chemical imbalance either by a low serotonin level or a low dopamine level. Antidepressants cannot treat sadness, because there is no mental disturbance in sadness. However, if the sadness prolongs longer than a month, it is most likely a depression.

Sadness is only for a short time. Depression is for a longer period of time and there are different types. There is clinical depression that comes even when things are wonderful, there is also depression that arises out of circumstances of life, and there is low grade depression where one is more sad than happy or one always looks on the dark side of life. There is also SAD seasonable depression that comes when it is rainy or cloudy, and with that, you want to go to bed most of the time and do not want to do anything. With that, you will have to get out and maybe get a sun lamp. The best thing is to talk to a professional, like a pastor, or if it is clinical to see a doctor. The trouble is if you always look on the dark side of life, you may do something drastic and talking to a pastor or a doctor will keep you from doing something terrible. And that would mean your depression if it is not just a temporary blue, will be made much worse.

For me sadness is just the preliminary form of depression. With depression in my experience, it is heavy sadness combined with the inability to/disabling of performing your usual tasks, set goals and achieve them effectively. Basically a loss of inquisitiveness, ambition/drive, and focus. But if you are sad you can still do those practical things, and usually disappears within a reasonable time. In this sense, depression may have some linkage to procrastination, anxiety, fear, and or frustration, or just over-victimizing/blaming of oneself due to over-focusing on certain negative belief systems that just rehearses itself. But then again it could also be clinical depression, which may be even worse than the former i.e. could be due to brain damage/neurochemical imbalance/some other unclear cause, and usually lasts for an unreasonable amount of time, generally affecting one's health/wellbeing and life completely, probably leading to devastating results. In the past I would get depressed very easily due to clinging to the negative side of my personal upbringing. But today I've countered this by fully focusing on set goals, and valuing them to the highest, as well as eating healthy, and living an adequately peaceful lifestyle. Einstein once wrote, "If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things." This line has changed my life ever since.