Philosophy and psychology tend to split emotions into two different groups – basic and complex. Basic emotions are usually referred to in this way because they are associated with universally recognizable facial expressions. For example, sadness is usually associated with a downturned mouth and watery or crying eyes. Complex emotions, such as grief, don’t have such an obvious outward appearance and instead have highly variable appearances and compositions. Someone who is grieving may appear sad, angry, or even tired. It’s clear that emotions are closely linked and differentiating one from another isn’t necessarily a simple task nor may a complex emotion be universally recognized.

Sadness, grief, and depression are often confused with one another. While they definitely share some similarities, there are also some distinct differences.

 

What is sadness?

Sadness usually causes someone to feel upset about something – usually a negative experience - for a fairly short period of time. Your mind may be preoccupied with sad thoughts, but most people can still function fairly normally and go about their usual daily activities such as work and school. Sadness is also subjective to the individual experiencing it. What makes you sad may seem silly or an overreaction to someone else, but the emotion is yours and yours alone. There are no criteria for what makes someone sad or not and you are perfectly justified in your feeling.

If your sadness persists for more than a few weeks and is accompanied by other warning signs, it could be that you have a more significant underlying problem and it’s worth speaking to your doctor or therapist.

 

What is grief?

Grief is the name given to the emotion that is associated with a painful loss. This could be the death of a human or even a pet. In some cases, it’s even possible to grieve for the situation – such as a relationship that has ended or a significant life change, like having to move from one area and the life you had there, to another. Grief is a very normal reaction to loss, and it is often experienced in different stages. If you are feeling grief after the initial period has passed you will probably find that sadness and other negative emotions appear in waves and are often accompanied by positive memories associated with the person you have lost.

Grief and sadness are very closely interlinked, and it’s very common to experience both emotions at the same time. Another important thing to note is that grief doesn’t typically affect your self-esteem, which is something that usually suffers when someone has depression.

 

What is depression?

Depression is not an emotion but a mental illness in which sadness and grief can both play a role. It isn’t a fleeting problem either. Depression is an abnormal general state that can last for weeks, months, or even years. It’s possible for depression to be triggered by an event or feeling, but the effects of the depression persist long beyond the event or the initial cause of the feeling.   

The symptoms of depression can vary considerably. They can be mild or severe and even vary in intensity depending on how well you are coping at any one point. Some of the most common symptoms associated with depression include:

-       Low mood

-       Tiredness and low energy

-       Difficulty concentrating and focusing

-       Problems making decisions

-       Frustration, irritability, and even anger

-       Loss of enjoyment in activities that you previously took pleasure in

-       Sleep problems

-       Willingly isolating yourself from people and activities

-       Eating problems, including overeating, loss of appetite, or binging

-       Anxiety or worry

-       Feelings of guilt

-       Headaches, stomachache, and muscle pain

-       Taking days off from work or school

-       Drug/alcohol abuse

-       Suicidal thoughts

Depression changes your life until you can find help to get you through it. There are set criteria used to diagnose depression, though not everyone who experiences it chooses to have it professionally acknowledged.

Your therapist can help you to understand your emotions and support you in coming to terms with them. Sadness rarely requires ongoing therapy, but grief counseling and therapy for depression are extremely commonplace and there is a range of techniques that can be used to provide support, including talking therapy and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT).

If you would like more information about the difference between sadness, grief, and depression, or if you would like to speak to a therapist, please contact Comprehensive Counseling Services, LLC in Tallahassee, Florida at (850) 688-2244 today.