If you're like most people, you have experienced sadness, maybe for a couple days or more. Sadness is a momentary feeling in response to a loss or disappointment. It is an emotion like anger or joy. You get sad, you get over it, you move on. Sadness does not require professional intervention.
Being depressed is not the same thing as feeling sad, although feeling sad may be part of depression. Depression is an illness like diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease. Left alone, it can linger for a long time, perhaps years. Depression can cause problems in many areas of your life, including your job and your relationships with others.
But, the best way to find out the answer to this question is to undergo a one-on-one evaluation with your doctor or a mental health professional. Share how you've been feeling, as well as any changes to your sleeping and eating patterns or energy level, and discuss how long these symptoms have lasted.
Misconceptions about depression remain powerful: Some people may see it as a personality flaw, an emotional weakness or a form of self-pity. Depressed people may see others overcome their sadness and move on with their lives, while they remain stuck in their depression. They may feel guilty about their inability to snap out of it themselves.
The problem with this outlook is that it may discourage people from seeking treatment. This is unfortunate. Can you imagine someone with diabetes saying, If only I were tougher, I could cure myself, and I wouldn't need this insulin?
