Covid-19 has changed people’s lives in unimaginable ways. The stress caused by such a hectic environment has the ability to negatively affect our mood and state of mind. It can be common to feel depressed and sad. In severe cases, some of us may suffer from depression. Despite the fact that they are all separate disorders, it can be difficult for people to tell the difference between low mood, sadness and depression.
As a result, some people with depression mistakenly believe they are sad, while those who feel depressed and sad mistakenly believe they are depressed. It also happens because the symptoms of these conditions are unclear and may overlap.
In an exclusive chat with Dr. Sonal Anand, Psychiatrist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, Mumbai, revealed that there is a significant difference between being depressed, sad and having a low mood. Symptoms, underlying reasons and treatment methods of each condition differ from each other. In order to properly diagnose and treat your problems, you must first be careful with their symptoms.
Difference between bad mood, sadness and depression:
Bad mood
Current stresses such as financial problems, family problems, sleep problems, chronic illnesses and stressful arguments with people at home or at work, as well as disappointments, are usually the cause of low mood . They make a person feel exhausted and more restless than usual. In fact, a person can feel depressed for no obvious reason. However, it represents the emotional state that is currently felt in light of the current situation and may disappear on its own after a few days.
General symptoms of low mood can include:
- worrying
- Sadness
- Fatigue
- Anger
- Frustration
- Low self-esteem
- feel anxious
These symptoms may differ from person to person. To improve your mood, you can try eating your favorite food, watching a movie, hanging out with friends and family, getting more sleep, or talking to someone about your problems.
Sadness
Sadness is a common emotion that is often a response to a circumstance or someone’s actions. It is a feeling that can be easily associated with helplessness, despair, grief, mistrust and grief, but not a mental state. All of these circumstances can have a negative impact on your mood. But according to Dr. Anand, “Sadness is a transient emotion and may not last much of the day or affect your work performance. It may go away by accepting or modulating the situation or engaging in self-deprecating soothing like crying or being distracted.
Symptoms of sadness can include:
- Loss of interest in daily activities
- Can’t sleep at night
- Loss of appetite and weight
- A feeling of guilt
- Difficulty concentrating
- Hustle
- Anxiety
- A feeling of worthlessness and a lack of motivation
- Loss of interest and enthusiasm
- Fatigue
If a person experiences sadness that does not go away after a few days or weeks and finds themselves unable to function normally again, this could be an indication of depression. Consult your doctor in this case.
What is depression?
While sadness can go away with a sincere conversation, depression is something that needs to involve the help of a mental health professional. Depression, also called clinical depression or major depressive disorder, is a mood disorder and abnormal emotional state. From a more general point of view, it could have an impact on the way you feel and act.
You may experience symptoms of depression such as:
- Sadness or depression
- Lack of interest in doing anything
- Sleep problems or sometimes sleeping too much
- Despair
- Feelings of anxiety, anger and irritability
- Lack of energy levels
- Changes in your appetite that can lead to weight gain and weight loss
- Constant thoughts related to death
- Having suicidal thoughts or thinking about harming yourself
Depression is a long-term clinical disorder and can last for weeks, months, and even years. To treat it, you need to follow prescribed medications, undergo therapy sessions and various other measures. Although it may take time for a person to recover, it is not a permanent condition.
