Emotion of Sadness

What is Sadness?

Sadness can often be misunderstood. Many people will jump to the conclusion that you are depressed; a medical condition that is still a taboo that cannot be talked about in every circle of society. Sadness is not depression, however. It is a emotion all on its own and usually triggered by disappointment or after experiencing the loss of a friend or family member.

It is often that people also feel sad when they are trying to look after someone else who is going through something upsetting. It can bring back memories of times that the consoler felt sad for similar reasons. However this is all linked to what it known as empathy.

It is very easy to be sympathetic but being empathetic, when you can understand how someone feels, is much for difficult. It is about putting yourself in their place and thinking about how you would feel in that situation. It also means going through that situation to know exactly how someone else is feeling. There are some situations that cannot be done through thought alone, such as consoling a woman going through a miscarriage or the sudden death of a child.

While being empathetic, boundaries need to be drawn up. It can be very easy to slip into a great sadness as you recall memories and this can lead onto a more serious form of sadness; depression. This is what professionals need to do so that they do not draw themselves into their patient’s grief.

Talking is one of the best ways to overcome sadness. If it is due to disappointment, talking to the person who caused that may be the step forward so that the matter is dealt with; that way you can move on. However, the sadness that comes from loss can be difficult and it may take talking to a professional to understand that you feelings are natural but they can be overcome.

It may also help to release the emotions. Anger is very commonly seen in sadness as the feelings build up. Do not be afraid to take out the anger out through the means of a punch bag or even by throwing something unbreakable around the room, like cushions or soft toys. This healthy explosion of feeling is better than holding it in. It can often mean that you will feel exhausted and want to cry afterwards, but that is good; it is healthy.

If you are feeling sad, write about it. A diary or journal is sometimes the best way to deal with the problem so that it does not grow into depression. It is also something that you can revisit if you are ever feeling the same way again and can help you collect your thoughts to see just why you are feeling that way.

One final thing to remember is that you are not alone, there are a number of people in the world that feel the exact same way as you. As long as you act healthily and express your feelings that is always better than suppressing and bottling up, and you are more likely to come out the other side smiling and happy.