How To Deal With Sadness ? Learn 10 Heathy Ways to cope with this Emotion.
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In this article, you will learn how to deal with Sadness, which has become an emotion that is difficult to tackle.
You can trust our Certified Professional Psychologist, Shreedvi Kulkarni methods for accuracy and recommendation on how to deal with Sadness.
Even if Devdas was an excellent movie, it romanticizes sadness. There was sadness everywhere in that movie. Not even a moment of break to feel better. So, whenever my friend insists I watch it, I get pretty annoyed. Sadness doesn’t need romanticizing it. Sadness is a normal emotion, but glamourization of it is terrible.
It isn’t very easy to deal with sadness because it is a very complex emotion. It has a lot of things intertwined with it. You will find that sadness is mixed with several emotions. Just as every emotion, even sadness, is complex.
यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च ।
न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥
A quote from Bhagwat Gita.
The determination with which an ill-minded does not give up dreaming, fear, sadness, grief, and pride, that, Parth, is darkness.
Ill-minded people, with a stubborn nature, don’t try to change their lifestyle which brims with imaginative daydreams, fear, sadness, grief, and pride. They live in the darkness. We should at least try to give them up and move towards happiness and light.
What is Sadness ?
You need to understand first,
Sadness is classified as emotional pain associated with, or characterized by, feelings of disadvantage, loss, despair, grief, helplessness, disappointment, and sorrow. An individual experiencing sadness may become quiet or lethargic and withdraw from others.
Sadness, which can vary in intensity and duration, is temporary. This is a defining feature of sadness. It is fleeting. If it stays persistent and doesn’t change for a long time, you should seek professional help. When it doesn’t leave for a long time, it can be a possibility that it is depression. It is a very normal emotion. It is healthy to have sadness, but the vital point to note is that it should be short-term.
The movie ‘Inside Out’ explains the importance of sadness very well. Riley, who has always been a happy child, suddenly feels down and has a very bumpy ride with her life due to being unable to cope with this change. She wishes to be happy but doesn’t understand that a healthy mind also needs to accept sadness as a part of life. The whole movie explains that sadness is a normal emotion.
Everyone has good days and bad days. To be down on bad days is okay.
Key Takeaway
Sadness is an emotion that makes you feel low and unenergetic. It makes everything around you uninteresting even if you used to find them exciting earlier.
Why does Sadness happen ?
To exactly know how to deal with sadness, you need to know this first,
Sadness is one of the many emotions that have been designed in this human being. Each and every emotion has its importance.
Sometimes, Sadness has a precise cause. It is okay to be sad, but we should try and understand the reason behind it. Sadness usually has a specific cause- for example, you may have been disappointed with your breakfast choice, or your day began badly. You could have missed your assignment’s due date or had a bad breakup. If we can identify the root of our sadness, we will be better able to cope with it and move on from the situation effectively.
But there will also be times when Sadness may not have a valid reason. It might not seem to have a logical reason why you are feeling down and sad. But that is okay too. I might have a reason but maybe you are just not able to figure it out.
The important part is that Sadness has its own space within our lives. The goal in our lives is to be happy but you will appreciate happiness when you have understood sadness properly and learned ways how to deal with it.
Key Takeaway
Sadness might sometimes have a pinpointed reason while sometimes it may not but the most common reason for sadness is the feeling of loss. The feeling that you have lost someone or someone or yourself.
What does Sadness feel like ?
Then you might wonder, what does sadness feels like….
Sadness is a particular feeling that makes you feel that everything around you has stopped seeming exciting. The things that made you happy earlier have suddenly stopped making you feel that way. It is like being in a closed glass case, you see things happening around you but there’s a glass wall that keeps you from actually associating with those you see outside. You feel like that bird in the zoo that nobody is interested in seeing. The fleeting emotion which makes you uneasy with people and places. Those same old places you used to love do not seem so interesting anymore.
Where Sadness Comes From ?
This is what I dived further into while understanding the emotion that sadness is,
When you have figured out that oh, I’m feeling sad, you feel confused. “Why is it that I feel so sad?”, you’ll ask yourself.
It comes from a place of loss. You feel like you are lacking something. Or that you have lost something very dear to you. That is the majority of the reason for sadness.
It could be the loss of anything. Just as simple as the fact that you have not eaten your favorite fruit. But do not cross it out as anything. It is okay. You are not being dumb. It is just being human.
Human life brims with the duality of existence. Sometimes you are happy and sometimes you are sad.
But Why Do Sadness with No Reason?
You’ll think now that, okay, I understand that the most popular cause for sadness is the feeling of loss but then,
You might not have lost anything but still, you feel sad. Why?
It is how our mind works. The same mundane routine might be happening and your mind desires a change. Things might be going great but still sadness can take over.
“I was on a career high, and everything was going well, so there was no reason or no apparent reason why I should’ve felt the way I was feeling, but I would break down for no reason. There were days when I just didn’t want to wake up, I would sleep because sleep for me was an escape, I was suicidal at times,” reported news agency ANI.
“My parents live in Bengaluru and every time they visited me, even now when they visit me, I always put on a brave front, like everything’s okay, you know you always want to show your parents that you’re fine…so I was doing one of those things like I’m fine”
“until they were leaving one day, they were going back to Bengaluru and I broke down and my mother asked me the usual hygiene questions and then like…is it a boyfriend? Is it someone at work? Has something happened? And I just didn’t have answers…it was none of these things. And it just came from a really empty, hollow place. And she knew instantly, and I think that for me was God sent.”
No one can put it in better terms than Deepika Padukone herself.
Key Takeaway
Sometimes sadness is not about a reason. You just feel hollow. Although everything is going great, you just feel like you are hollow on the inside. Things are great but they’re not exactly making me as happy as they can.
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Can Sadness go away ?
The next question that will come to your mind is, can sadness really go away?
Yes, this is the definitive feature of sadness that makes it different from depression. Sadness is temporary.
Let me repeat that for you.
Sadness is temporary.
You can become happy again. Yes, it is very much possible. The feature that differentiates sadness from depression is that you do think “I will be happy again. It is possible. I am sad right now but I do believe that I will eventually become happy again.”
Now that you have understood sadness and that it can happen, you should get down to business,
How to deal with sadness
If sadness is not handled healthily, it might become overpowering and destructive. It’s crucial to allow sadness the opportunity to appreciate happiness while maintaining an even balance between the two emotions.
First things first,
1. Allow Yourself To Be Sad
Accepting sadness is one of the first steps in dealing with it. Understand that feelings such as sadness are part of a creature’s cognitive function, and if you try to suppress them or not allow yourself to express them, they will eventually build up until something explodes. This would be very harmful and may lead to depression or other mental health issues.
When you have done that,
2. Cry If Needed
Sometimes, the best way to overcome difficult obstacles is by shedding a few tears. Crying can help us release all of our pent-up emotions and allow us to begin moving forward again. It’s okay to cry – it will do you good in the long run. So don’t be afraid to let out your feelings when you need to. A little bit of crying may just be what you need for a healthy resolution.
Then, next, you should,
3. Try To Find Its Source
Loss, whether it’s of something small or large, can cause sadness. When this happens, you will feel sad and unusual changes may occur. Perhaps you won’t be able to get what you wanted after all, or maybe things just don’t seem as exciting anymore. Don’t worry about these feelings – they’re normal, and identify a phase in your journey that needs attention. Recognizing the source will allow you to ride the wave calmly and successfully toward your destination.
Try out this next,
4. Try To Indulge In Hobbies
There are many ways to spend your time and express yourself, some of which are more creative or interactive than others. Write a journal, make art, listen to music, read books (or any literature), take breaks at quiet cafes or restaurants, call friends on the phone – do whatever strikes your fancy. Experiment with different activities and see what inspires you the most.
But most importantly, remember this,
5. Avoid Toxic Coping Mechanisms
Trying to cope with sadness incorrectly can become habit-forming and lead to even more problems. These unhealthy habits will not help, as they only make you feel worse and increase your feelings of sickness and unhappiness. In fact, using drugs or alcohol may make matters worse by causing you further dependency on these substances, which can then take control over your life. Believe us when we say there is a much better way to deal with sad emotions – without resorting to harmful behaviors.
In place of that, try,
6. Reach Out To Friends And Family
When you are sad, your best friend is only a phone call or text away. They will always be there for you and offer support when you need it. Friendship is strong enough to withstand both happy moments and difficult times – it’s there for you no matter what. So reach out to them; they care about you deeply.
Talk to your sister or brother. They are your closest family member, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them. They will understand how you’re feeling and be there for you.
If you need help, some people will be happy to meet you and video call or text you. It’s not wrong to take help when it is available.
Deepika would have never reached out for help and realized that she felt depressed if it wasn’t for her mother talking to her. Even today, Deepika thanks her mom for recognizing her symptoms and giving her a helping hand.
Further,
7. Find Healthy Outlets
To combat sadness and discouragement, make a journal to help you organize your thoughts. Create sections for writing about your feelings (including those that are difficult to express), recalling happy moments, listening to music or watching movies, engaging in activities you enjoy, and taking action towards goals. This way, you can keep track of progress and find new ways to escape the negative moods that may be clouding your outlook.
One of the suggestions I would give is,
8. Connect With Nature
When you’re unhappy, finding the motivation to do things that used to bring you joy can be challenging. Nature has a beautiful way of helping you heal. If spending time outdoors doesn’t feel like an option because of the weather, consider stepping away from your usual activities and doing something that will help relax you–such as reading a book or taking a walk in nature. Spending time outside has many benefits for both your mental health and physical well-being.
If going out is not your cup of tea and you’re like me, a hyper-introvert,
9. Try Out Spirituality
Buddhism is significantly focused on how to deal with sadness. I have been told by many of my friends that spirituality has helped them immensely to come out of sorrow. It helps them re-energize their soul and bring some peace. When you feel sad, seek out your deity or spirituality. They have good ways to cheer you up.
That might not be everyone’s go-to thing but the next suggestion has a great range of people reaching out,
10. Go Seek Laughter Medication
Ever heard, “Laughter is the best medicine”? I have found it to be a great way to help through sadness. Watch a comedy movie or find ways that allow you to laugh. Laughing apparently has a massive lot of neuroscience of its own. They release endorphins that make you feel good.
Laughter can fire up and then cool down your neural stress response. This effect will cause your heart rate and blood pressure to increase or decrease, respectively.
Here’s the part I now further want you to focus on,
Know When It Is Time To Get Help
Sadness is a symptom of depression. Often, we fail to recognize the difference between sadness and depression. Depression has often been pushed away as sadness. That is the trouble. As a rule, therapists say that if your sadness has persisted for longer than two weeks, you should try to seek professional help.
Depression is a serious mental health problem. If your sadness has stayed longer than two weeks and your mood doesn’t seem to lighten up with any of the above suggestions.
That's not all,
Sadness to Happiness Quotes
1. Happiness is like those palaces in fairy tales whose gates are guarded by dragons. We must fight in order to conquer it. – Alexandre Dumas
2. Sometimes we get sad about things and we don’t like to tell other people that we are sad about them. We like to keep it a secret. Or sometimes, we are sad but we really don’t know why we are sad, so we say we aren’t sad but we really are. – Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
3. The word “happy” would lose its meaning if it were not balanced with sadness – Carl Jung
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At the end,
Final Thoughts
We all have good days and bad days alike. So, we also have happiness and sadness alike. We should, as a result, learn to accept happiness and sadness alike. Do not treat sadness like a terrible disease. It is a temporary emotion accompanied by loss, failure, or disappointment. It should most come and go away.
But don’t shy away from seeking help if you need it. We at The One Liner have the motto of helping people in their hard times.
