One of the biggest misunderstandings about depression is that it’s similar to feeling sad or down. Although many people with depression feel sadness, it feels much more severe than emotions that come and go in response to upsetting life events. Knowing and understanding the differences between sadness and depression can help you recognise when to seek treatment.
Unlike sadness, depression can leave you struggling to get through your day. Sadness is just one element of depression. It’s temporary and usually passes with a little time, while depression is persistent and longer-lasting and can appear without any specific cause. Sadness can, however, turn into depression.
If you have been feeling persistently sad for more than two weeks, then it is possible that you could be experiencing depression.