What's the Difference Between Depression and Sadness? | Dr. Rami Nader

People often use the terms depression and sadness interchangeably, viewing them as the same thing. However, there are some important differences between depression and sadness. Although the term depression has been co-opted to seem equivalent to the experience of sadness, the terms differ in a number of important ways including: sadness is an emotion, whereas depression is a clinical condition, with a specific set of diagnostic criteria; sadness usually occurs in response to a specific situation, whereas depression can be an abnormal general state, independent of what is going on around the person; sadness is a subjective emotional state, depression has a much broader impact on a person’s life; and sadness tends to be brief and time-limited, whereas depression persists much longer. By understanding some of the differences between sadness and depression, you can become better at recognizing the difference between the normal emotional experience of sadness versus the problematic and interfering condition of depression.

#Depression #Sadness #DepressionvsSadness

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[shawnaford]

Very informative. As someone with depression I rarely feel sad. And yet if I feel anything it is irritability. One thing that triggers my irritability is when people say cheer up you have nothing to be sad about.

[tman]

Bang on & anyone who's suffered with depression in any form from mild to chronic will understand.
Unfortunately those that haven't suffered from it, can only try & understand.
Sadness & Depression are chalk & cheese.

[gregorysanchez]

Your videos encouraged me to get help. Thank you.

[neginpedersen]

Another great video, thanks for the time and effort.

[samiii]

With the help of a therapist and your videos, I successfully came out of a depression. Now listening to this one make me emotional of what I could achieve. Thank a bunch!!!

[claudia]

Thankyou, for your work. It helps me a lot.

[amandada]

Thank you so much for this video! I'd like to ask you if it's possible to feel sad and not depressed while struggling with panic attacks, cause I often find myself thinking and fearing how this will never end, and then one more panic attack if provoked. Thank you so much once again!

[kamilakwiatkowska]

I really like and appreciate the video, as always. But from your description it looks like I suffer from persistent sadness that lasts for years. I know the reason of it, but I always thought it's depression, althought I don't really have other symptoms. Is it possible?

[theultimatereductionist]

So only a difference in magnitude (that includes duration). No fundamental difference.

[tabithaormiston-smith]

Seems to me that if sadness is like getting 'flu, then depression is when it develops into pneumonia.