David Steinbok, PsyD, is a Boca Raton, Florida-based psychologist. Over the course of nearly eight years in practice, Dr. David Steinbok has provided diagnostics and treatment to individuals living with anxiety, depression, and various personality disorders.
For some individuals, it can be difficult to differentiate the symptoms of depression from general sadness. There are a few questions to ask in order to determine whether or not you may be dealing with a clinical disorder.
Most distinctions between sadness and depression can be attributed to the fact that sadness is a normal emotional state, meaning every aspect of sadness has some logic to it. Sadness is caused by a triggering event, the thought of which can renew or intensify the corresponding emotions, which may also include anger and frustration. Individuals can often find relief from sadness, even temporarily, by addressing the emotion in any number of ways, such as crying or discussing matters with a loved one. Though it may take a significant period of time, depending on the event, sadness generally dissipates, allowing a person to return to a balanced emotional state.
Depression, on the other hand, is an abnormal emotional state that fundamentally alters a person’s perceptions and emotions over long periods of time. In essence, a person dealing with depression feels intensely sad about all things, all the time, and cannot find relief from these feelings. In many cases, a person may struggle to identify the triggering event for the sadness, or the event may be minor compared to the chronic emotional state it has yielded.
Depression pervades every aspect of a person’s life. Someone dealing with sadness might find relief by avoiding the source of sadness or doing something they love. An individual living with depression, meanwhile, struggles to find enjoyment in any activity, and may be unable to muster up the energy to engage in a former hobby or pastime. Individuals who feel they may be suffering from depression should reach out to an experienced professional.
For some individuals, it can be difficult to differentiate the symptoms of depression from general sadness. There are a few questions to ask in order to determine whether or not you may be dealing with a clinical disorder.
Most distinctions between sadness and depression can be attributed to the fact that sadness is a normal emotional state, meaning every aspect of sadness has some logic to it. Sadness is caused by a triggering event, the thought of which can renew or intensify the corresponding emotions, which may also include anger and frustration. Individuals can often find relief from sadness, even temporarily, by addressing the emotion in any number of ways, such as crying or discussing matters with a loved one. Though it may take a significant period of time, depending on the event, sadness generally dissipates, allowing a person to return to a balanced emotional state.
Depression, on the other hand, is an abnormal emotional state that fundamentally alters a person’s perceptions and emotions over long periods of time. In essence, a person dealing with depression feels intensely sad about all things, all the time, and cannot find relief from these feelings. In many cases, a person may struggle to identify the triggering event for the sadness, or the event may be minor compared to the chronic emotional state it has yielded.
Depression pervades every aspect of a person’s life. Someone dealing with sadness might find relief by avoiding the source of sadness or doing something they love. An individual living with depression, meanwhile, struggles to find enjoyment in any activity, and may be unable to muster up the energy to engage in a former hobby or pastime. Individuals who feel they may be suffering from depression should reach out to an experienced professional.
