Embracing Emotion & Understanding Sadness
As Maxime Lagace once said, "Trying to avoid sadness is trying to avoid life". While not a pleasant emotion, everyone experiences melancholy at times in their life. Rather than dwelling on the negative, take the opportunity to understand your emotions and support others during their struggles.
Is there a difference between sadness and depression?
There is most certainly a difference between the two. Sadness is a fleeting feeling and a common reaction to loss, disappointment, or difficult situations. Depression is a diagnosable mental illness that impacts your daily life and does not go away. It's easy to confuse the two, but if a severe sorrow lasts longer than two weeks and begins to hinder you from completing daily activities, you may want to reach out for professional help.
How can I manage my sadness?
Your feelings deserve validation. Sit with your emotions and contemplate the reason you may be feeling this way. Here are 3 suggestions:
- Communicate honestly. Talk to your loved ones about how you're feeling and express exactly how you'd like them to help. Don't be afraid to ask for help or space!
- Don't be too hard on yourself. Sadness is tough enough as is, so judging yourself for feeling this way only serves to make things harder.
- Allow yourself to feel. Don't ignore your feelings. If your mind or body is asking to stay in bed all day, stay in bed all day.
How can I help others when they experience sadness?
If you observe a loved one experiencing negative emotions, there are simple ways to truly help them.
- Be present. Actions often speak louder than words. Simply being around may be more comforting than saying "I'm here if you need me".
- Offer to talk. Let them know that if they do want to talk, you are available and willing to listen.
- Don't judge. Everyone experiences and copes with emotions in different ways. Be kind to others and their grieving process.
If you or a loved one are experiencing sadness or depression, clinicians in our Counseling & Wellness Centers are here to help.
Call our main number at 844-4-ACENDA (844-422-3632 x9500) for more information or to schedule an appointment.
Source:
https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/September-2020/How-to-Be-with-Sadness
https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/q-and-a/whats-the-difference-between-sadness-and-depression