Even when we are sad, we can continue to parent our children, function at work and still enjoy our hobbies. We may not be moving at the same pace, but we arrive at our destination just the same. In some instances, sadness can even be a positive or motivating force. It can nudge us to reevaluate our circumstances and empower us to view ourselves differently. Sadness can prompt us to challenge our reactions to life's events and trigger a new perspective.
Depression is a different entity altogether.
It is a serious mental health problem, and fortunately not as commonplace as sadness. Depressed people are not actually broken, but they are bending downward. And if sadness is like walking through a muddy swamp, depression is like flailing helplessly in quicksand. When it overtakes us, we feel powerless, lost, with no options. Brought to you by the NYU Department of Psychiatry.