Depression, on the other hand, can be a paralyzing affliction that has a drastic impact on daily living. Speaking metaphorically, we might say that sadness is a superficial scratch, while depression is more like a wound that may require a tourniquet. Sadness can distort our vision, so that rich colors are dimmed, but depression blots out all light and leaves a blackened, desolate landscape. And while sad people may need to be comforted, depressed people need to be treated. There is no stigma associated with being sad.
Sadness is seen, heard and discussed everywhere.
We can talk about it over dinner, at a sporting event, even at work with our colleagues. It is found in novels and on the silver screen, and television actors suffer through it on our favorite situation comedy. Because its reach is short, sadness always remains above the surface, never penetrating through to the depths of the human psyche. In addition to the dimensions of sadness, we know its origins. It started with a bungled interview, a perceived humiliation, some added stress at work or a disappointing blind date.