It is almost impossible to find a person who never feels sad. Sadness is a natural human emotion that comes when we feel loneliness, disappointment, loss, or emptiness.
In daily life, different events can make us sad—such as the death of a loved one, distance or misunderstanding with someone close, or not achieving what we want.
Sometimes sadness comes suddenly without any clear reason. During sadness, people may stay quiet, withdraw into themselves, want to speak but cannot, or feel that no one understands them.
But does sadness always mean depression? If you feel sad, does that mean you are suffering from depression?
According to an article published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), sadness is a very common feeling. It is often expressed by crying, listening to sad songs, or wanting to be alone.
Sadness usually happens for a specific reason and goes away after some time. It normally does not have a deep or lasting impact on daily life.
Depression, however, is different. Its symptoms may look similar to sadness, but they are stronger and last longer.
According to DSM-5 criteria, depression symptoms must last at least 14 days. To diagnose depression, at least one of the following must be present:
1. A persistently depressed mood, or
2. Loss of interest or pleasure in almost everything.Other symptoms include:
• Losing interest in things once enjoyed
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Eating too much or too little
• Lack of self-confidence or guilt
• Suicidal thoughts
• No motivation to do anything
• Constant thoughts about death
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Significant weight loss or gainSo, ask yourself—do you or someone close really have depression, or is it only temporary sadness?
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Remember: Every depression includes sadness, but not every sadness is depression.
Depression is a major global health problem, affecting about 350 million people worldwide (Marcus et al., 2012). Rates are higher among women, and it is especially serious among adolescents and young adults (Albert, 2015b; Yang et al., 2024).
The first step in managing depression is correct diagnosis. If depression is confirmed, treatment usually includes medication (antidepressants) and psychotherapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or counseling. Regular therapy and proper medication can greatly reduce symptoms.
Healthy lifestyle habits—good sleep, nutritious food, light exercise, and stress management—are also important. Support from family and friends plays a big role in recovery.
Most importantly, depression is treatable, and people can get better with timely help. Research shows that combined treatment (therapy + medication) works better than either alone (Gartlehner et al., 2015). Brief psychotherapy (6–8 sessions), such as CBT or Problem-Solving Therapy, can also be very effective (Nieuwsma et al., 2012).
A Common Misconception: “Children Cannot Have Depression!”
In reality, children can also suffer from depression, though the symptoms may look different than in adults. Globally, about 21% of children and adolescents experience mild to severe depressive symptoms, and about 3.7% meet the criteria for major depression (Lu et al., 2024).
While depressive symptoms have increased in recent decades, the rate of major depression has remained stable.
Children may show depression through:
• Unusual anger or irritability
• Loss of interest in school
• Frequent crying or isolation
• Changes in eating or sleeping
• Behavioral problems
• Complaints of physical pain instead of saying “I feel sad”
Treatment for children includes psychotherapy (especially CBT and Interpersonal Therapy) and sometimes medication (McQuillan, 2003; Zhou et al., 2015). Primary healthcare providers play an important role in early detection and referral.
Mild depression may be managed through active support and monitoring, but moderate to severe depression should be referred to a mental health professional (Cheung et al., 2013).
Each child has emotional needs. Neglect, family conflict, school bullying, or trauma can seriously affect mental health. If long-term changes in behavior are noticed, parents should not dismiss it as “stubbornness” but instead seek professional help.
Depression can occur at any age—even in children. Awareness and timely treatment can help people return to a healthy and normal life.
If you are only experiencing temporary sadness (not depression), try to care for your mind—identify the reason, solve the issue if possible, or spend time with loved ones. And most importantly, take care of your mental health before sadness grows deeper.
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References
Albert, P. R. (2015b). Why is depression more prevalent in women? Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 40(4), 219–221. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.150205
Cheung, A. H., Kozloff, N., & Sacks, D. (2013). Pediatric Depression: An Evidence-Based Update on Treatment Interventions. Current Psychiatry Reports, 15(8). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-013-0381-4
Gartlehner, G., Gaynes, B. N., Amick, H. R., Asher, G. N., Morgan, L. C., Coker-Schwimmer, E., Forneris, C., Boland, E., Lux, L. J., Gaylord, S., Bann, C., Pierl, C. B., & Lohr, K. N. (2015). Comparative Benefits and Harms of Antidepressant, Psychological, Complementary, and Exercise Treatments for Major Depression: An Evidence Report for a Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine, 164(5), 331. https://doi.org/10.7326/m15-1813
https://www.cdc.gov/howrightnow/emotion/sadness/index.html
Little, C. A., Williams, S. E., Puzanovova, M., Rudzinski, E. R., & Walker, L. S. (2007). Multiple somatic symptoms linked to positive screen for depression in pediatric patients with chronic abdominal pain. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 44(1), 58–62. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.mpg.0000243423.93968.7c
Lu, B., Lin, L., & Su, X. (2024). Global burden of depression or depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 354, 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.074
Marcus, M., Yasamy, M. T., Van Ommeren, M., Chisholm, D., & Saxena, S. (2012). Depression: A global public health concern [Dataset]. In PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e517532013-004
McQuillan, C. T. (2003). Psychotherapy of the child and adolescent with depression. Boletin de La Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico, 95(3), 21–28, 33–41. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14584456/
Nieuwsma, J. A., Trivedi, R. B., McDuffie, J., Kronish, I., Benjamin, D., & Williams, J. W. (2012). Brief Psychotherapy for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 43(2), 129–151. https://doi.org/10.2190/pm.43.2.c
Yang, C., Lv, J., Kong, X., Chu, F., Li, Z., Lu, W., & Li, X. (2024). Global, regional and national burdens of depression in adolescents and young adults aged 10–24 years, from 1990 to 2019: findings from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 225(2), 311–320. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2024.69
Zhou, X., Hetrick, S. E., Cuijpers, P., Qin, B., Barth, J., Whittington, C. J., Cohen, D., Del Giovane, C., Liu, Y., Michael, K. D., Zhang, Y., Weisz, J. R., & Xie, P. (2015). Comparative efficacy and acceptability of psychotherapies for depression in children and adolescents: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. World Psychiatry, 14(2), 207–222. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20217