Everyone experiences sadness from time to time. According to Psychology Today, “Sadness is a normal human emotion….Sadness is usually triggered by a difficult, hurtful, challenging, or disappointing event, experience, or situation….This also means that when that something changes, when our emotional hurt fades, when we’ve adjusted or gotten over the loss or disappointment, our sadness remits.”
Depression on the other hand, is a “longer-term mental illness,” according to Healthline. Which also states that, “It impairs social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning. Left untreated, symptoms of depression may last for a long time.”
Mental Health First Aid shares that 6.8 percent of U.S adults experience a major depressive disorder annually and sadness is just one of those symptoms. Signs of depression can be often difficult to see as sufferers tend to mask their symptoms. However, here are a few symptoms that may be evident:
- Move, think, or speak slowly, with difficult interactions and awkward conversations.
- Stop caring about personal hygiene and grooming.
- Changes in appetite leading to gain or loss of weight.
- Becoming easily agitated or crying uncontrollably.
- Emotionally unresponsive/numb/beyond tears.
To discuss your treatment options with a healthcare professional, for mental health referrals, and to schedule an annual physical at any of our convenient Primary Medical Care Center community clinics, you may visit our website at www.primarymed.com, or call (305)751-1500 for our Miami-Dade clinic, or (954)289-0000 for our Broward clinic.
Source: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ord/2018/07/understanding-depression/