The difference between sadness and depression?

[goose]

Hi all I havn't been here in a long while, I hope life is treating you good.

I am very sad and the moment and I have difficulty seperating those feeling from those of depression. I have legitimate reasons to be sad, but the feelings are so like those of depression that I am afraid of these feelings and fear that they will bring me into a full depression. I am so scared of depression hitting me again, it is my constant fear.

Goose

[Lana73]

Hi Goose,

I know that it is difficult to separate depression and sadness. Sadness for me is an emotion. When I am sad, I am still able to laugh if I see something funny. When I am depressed, I am numb. Can't really feel much.

I am too glad you decided to come back. Are you taking any meds?

[malign]

Hi goosey, welcome back (even if it does mean you're having trouble, at the moment.) It's good to hear from people (well, and barnyard fowl) ...

Anyway, for me, the time when I start being concerned about depression is when sadness starts to change my thought patterns. When I start "awful-izing" and thinking in absolutes, I know I need to shake myself up a bit. So, when I start hearing "everything's terrible", "it'll never get better", "no one could do this", and similar, then I know I have to get to work rephrasing, so that the unrealistic words don't overcome my ability to keep fighting.

{I experience the numbness that Lana talks about, too (called "anhedonia", the loss of pleasure in things that once gave pleasure) but because that's a feeling, I personally find it harder to notice than the change in thinking. But then, I'm a Myers-Briggs thinking type, so that makes some sense. You might need to modify your "detector" to match what you have the most skill at detecting ...}

And of course, we're here if you want to talk about it.

[goose]

Thank you for your replies. Lana thankfully I have not reached the 'numb' stage yet. That is what I am trying to prevent. Ken I think I look at a set of symptoms and conclude that I am depressed - such as tearfulness disturbed sleep etc. Whereas it is quite ok to have theses reactions to a stressful ongoing situation, but it scares me and then the negative thinking starts which it think is what Mark is talking about.

Mark I believe I am capable of thinking myself into a depression. Rumination can be my biggest downfall. A lot of negative self critical thoughts. I only see my counsellor occasionally but he has recommended some self-soothing thoughts and trying to limit the amount of time I spend thinking about worrying issues.

It is helpful and a relief to be here again.

Goose

[IrmaJean]

Hi Goose and welcome back. Your flower avatar is very beautiful.

I'm sorry you are feeling sad. I think it's very good that you are being self-aware, especially if depression has been a struggle for you. I agree that it's a good idea to try to counter your negative self-critical thoughts. I enjoy self-soothing thoughts myself. I also like reading poetry and pretty quotes, listening to beautiful music, and sitting outside in nature. What soothes you, Goose? Can you do something today just for you?

[malign]

Goose, some people describe depression as "thinking yourself sad". Others describe it as "anger turned inward". I think both views are worth reflecting on.

For myself, I distinguish between "planning", which is thought that produces a valid plan, and "worrying", which is thought that has stopped caring about either validity or planning. Worrying, almost by definition, is a symptom of anxiety, and one of the easiest places to circumvent it. If you can cut off worrying-type thinking, by any reasonable means, it keeps the anxiety from building. When I start to worry, I know it's time to shift to some kind of action.

The anger side may also be worth exploring. Spending some time thinking about where the anger comes from, and realistically attributing at least some of it to others ;-) along with some means for expressing it safely (some people do primal screams, but if you're not willing to be loud, you could try drawing the hell reserved for your tormentors, or something.) A rich fantasy life has its uses. :-)

[goose]

Thank you for your kind words IrmaJean. Certainly I like to be outdoors, even on a wild and windy day like today. I would like to take up a craft of some sort, I just need to overcome the motivation issues. You know it is suggestions like this that I need at the moment because it helps me to focus, thanks.

Mark, you make me smile . The very thought of me screaming made me chuckle - I could become the "mouse that roared". However I think your suggestion of expressing my anger externally is an excellent idea - it diminishes its power over me.

[malign]

Well, if you do become the "Mouse That Roared", goosey, make sure you don't get Peter Sellers to play all the lead parts. :-)

"On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." Maybe it's time she starts snoring! I mean, roaring ... :-)

[IzzyBee]

Hi everyone, hope y'all don't mind if I bump in here... Is it the sadness that sends you into the depression? When every tiny little thing makes you livid and nothing can make you happy and you just want to be struck dead? I try to wake up in the morning telling myself that I'm gonna have a good day and not snap at anyone but it never works. i used to be the most patient person I know but now I have no tolerance what so ever. I think I'm just gonna stay in bed all day except when I have to go feed my critters.

[malign]

I don't know, Izz; it may be different for everybody. You say that you get angry easily, and clearly that only makes you feel worse about yourself. Do you have an awareness of what you're angry at? What sorts of things set you off?