How To Cope With Being Sad And Improve Mental Health
The role of sadness for emotional growth, and how to cope with being sad
Feeling sadness is an intrinsic part of the human experience, and is a valid emotion rather than something to be pushed away. Allowing space for sadness can be a healing process in itself and may enable us to find a more balanced perspective.
Acknowledging sadness, stress, and anxiety as part of healing
Acknowledging your feelings such as sadness, stress, and anxiety, may help empower you to understand the roots of your emotions and eventually find pathways to comfort and resolution. Reaching out for support during these times is an act of courage that can help you receive the guidance and resources you need to cope with sadness and other challenging emotions in healthy ways.
Mental health counselors can help to provide personalized support, offering a safe space where your feelings can be understood and expressed openly and without judgment. Seeking help is a step towards nurturing your mental well-being and learning methods for coping with sadness, stress, and anxiety in a healthy manner.
Understanding sadness
Understanding our sadness may serve as a doorway to deeper self-awareness and compassion. At its core, sadness is not a problem to be fixed but is a part of our being that helps to cultivate a balanced perspective and mental state.
Definition of sadness
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), sadness is considered a reaction to a loss or a setback and is a natural part of the human range of emotions that everyone experiences. Sadness is the state of feeling unhappy, sorrowful, or mournful in reaction to disappointing events or difficult life circumstances, and is often in response to the loss of something cherished.
Sadness as a subjective emotion
Sadness is a subjective emotion, and the meaning of sadness may vary based on past experiences, your current state of health, and also the state of your emotional health. By acknowledging and sitting with our sadness, we learn to listen to our emotions and create space for understanding, healing, and growth. It is in these moments of vulnerability that we may discover the nature of sadness and allow ourselves to accept the full picture of our emotional landscape.
Accepting sadness and a bad mood for personal growth
Sadness often serves as a signal from deep within that something impactful has occurred. Acknowledging and accepting these feelings rather than pushing them away can be beneficial, as repression may lead to the development of unhealthy coping mechanisms and detrimental patterns of behavior.
The transient nature of sadness and mood changes
Sadness is also transient. Your feelings, although deeply personal and sometimes overwhelming, will shift and change with time. Sadness is an emotion that helps us find balance in life, often leading to the development of gratitude and an enhanced capacity for joy in the brighter days ahead.
Sadness vs. depression
While sadness is an emotion we all experience, it also varies in intensity and duration from person to person. A persistent pattern of sadness may signal the presence of deeper issues like clinical depression. Learning to differentiate between sadness and depression may be necessary for healing.
Depression is a complex and multifaceted mental health condition that involves more than just a fleeting emotion. Depression is characterized by a persistent pattern of emotions of despair and disinterest in activities once found enjoyable, affecting one's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors over a prolonged period.
Unlike instances of being in a sad mood, which can be a response to life’s ups and downs, depression can occur without any causal event, and clinical depression can substantially impair functioning in daily life and may require professional assistance. Depression may be a result of underlying issues in brain health, unresolved trauma, or unhealthy mental patterns. Recognizing the symptoms of depression is a step toward seeking help and initiating healing. Some of the most common signs include:
Common symptoms of depression
- Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
- Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
- Changes in appetite
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood swings
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering
- Physical symptoms without a clear physical cause, such as headaches or digestive issues
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal ideation, or suicide attempts
Seeking help for depression from a mental health professional
Depression can manifest differently among individuals. If you or someone you know is exhibiting these symptoms, reaching out for support can help.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or urges, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Support is available 24/7.
Strategies for coping with sadness
Practicing acceptance and learning how to cope with being sad
Observing our sadness without judgment may help us gain insights into the true state of our minds and hearts. By acknowledging and experiencing our sadness fully, we can begin to process and release it, allowing us to move forward with greater understanding and resilience. Embracing our vulnerabilities may help us create a space that can guide us back to a state of equilibrium and well-being.
Recent research has highlighted the mental health benefits of accepting negative emotions and thoughts. In one study, researchers found that making a habit of non-judgmentally accepting mental experiences led to decreased negative emotional responses to stressful situations, contributing significantly to overall psychological health.
The study further indicated that the mental health benefits of accepting negative emotions and thoughts were wide-ranging. The study discovered that individuals who habitually accepted their mental experiences reported higher levels of psychological well-being and life satisfaction, and demonstrated significantly lower levels of symptoms related to depression and anxiety.
This study highlights how embracing sadness may help us accept the full spectrum of our emotions and lead a balanced life that encompasses the full human experience.
Mental self-care
Coping with sadness often calls for nurturing mental self-care habits. Mindfulness is one such practice that can be particularly grounding. The practice of mindfulness brings your attention to the present moment, allowing you to engage fully with where you are and what you are doing. Mindfulness is a compassionate and non-judgmental way to observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them or being consumed by them.
Mindfulness can be initiated through quiet meditations, spending quiet time in nature, or even through the simple act of conscious breathing. This attentiveness helps break the cycle of negative thoughts and provides a space for awareness and emotional healing.
In addition, positive affirmations can serve as gentle reminders of your worth and resilience. Repeating affirmations such as "I am worthy of happiness" or "I allow myself to feel and then release" can help shift your mindset and reduce the impact of negative thought patterns.
Self-reflection also plays a pivotal role. This involves taking time to understand the root of your sadness, acknowledging its validity without judgment, and considering constructive steps to manage your well-being. Coupled with mindfulness and affirmations, self-reflection activities such as journaling may serve as a beneficial practice for coping with sadness.
Seeking social and mental health professional support
Building relationships that are rooted in warmth and empathy can help us feel less isolated in times of sadness. Reaching out to friends or loved ones navigating through their darker days can act as a reminder that they are not alone. You offer a listening ear, a kind word, or even shared silence with empathy at its heart. It’s through this shared connection that the weight of sadness can often feel lighter.
As we begin to understand the root of our sadness, we may become better equipped to support those around us who are navigating through their own set of challenges. Seeking social support can be a helpful way to navigate the sadness that we experience. Friends, family, and even professional networks can provide emotional comfort and a listening ear.
Leaning on others can help make it easier to bear and process our emotions. Sharing our feelings with someone we trust can also lead to new perspectives and strategies to manage our sadness that we might not have considered. If you find yourself in a state of sadness and need someone to talk to, consider reaching out to a friend, family member, or mental health professional who can offer a listening ear and trusted guidance.
Working through sadness, stress, and anxiety with online therapy
Online therapy, with platforms like BetterHelp, has emerged as a beacon of hope for those grappling with sadness, offering a discreet platform for healing. With the ability to receive care in a familiar and comfortable environment, clients are empowered to explore their feelings without the apprehension or anxiety associated with traditional in-person sessions. The flexibility of online therapy may also reduce the stress of scheduling and traveling to appointments, making it easier to consistently engage in the therapeutic process.
In one study, researchers highlighted the efficacy of online-delivered CBT in helping individuals gain emotional clarity, or an understanding of the intricate relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Through this understanding, clients may be better able to identify and challenge patterns that may contribute to persistent feelings of sadness. As a form of therapy that is both structured and collaborative, it empowers clients with healthy coping mechanisms, equipping them to navigate their emotional landscapes with greater resilience and self-compassion.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by sadness, reaching out for online support can be a helpful step towards regaining your emotional equilibrium and nurturing your mental well-being.
Takeaway
How to cope with sad feelings?
Sadness is a normal emotion that can be the natural response to a tough time, or difficult life changes. However, when you experience sadness in a way that feels overwhelming, it can have a negative impact on your daily life. There are some coping strategies you can use to process sadness in a healthy way, and improve mood over time.
- Block rumination (getting stuck on negative feelings) by distracting the body. High intensity exercise or a cold shower can help
- Practice mindfulness like breathing exercises, meditation, or positive visualization
- Spend time doing your usual activities and hobbies to stay in touch and involved
- Use cognitive restructuring techniques to gain new perspective
- Spend time with friends and family members
- If you start to feel worse, seek professional help to process your feelings and potentially treat any underlying mental health condition that may be contributing
How do I stop feeling down?
Sadness is an important emotion that can be a normal part of life at times. Sadness is typically temporary, but may also be a part of a mental health condition like depression. Feeling sad alongside other symptoms like feelings of hopelessness, a disinterest in spending time doing things you typically enjoy, and in some cases in attending to basic needs, you may be depressed. Depression is a mental health disorder that if left untreated can even take a toll on physical health. However, depression is very treatable in most cases. Talk to your primary care provider or seek help from a mental health professional to start feeling positive emotions again.
How to hold in sadness?
Holding in or pushing down sadness can make things worse. People feel sad for a reason; whether it's because of an event like the death of a loved one, the mood of a season, or a reaction to a series of misfortunes. While it’s not necessarily pleasant when a person feels sad, it is often necessary to process our thoughts and feelings. Let yourself feel sad for a time, but if it lasts more than a few weeks without getting better, it can be time to seek help.
Why can't I stop feeling sad?
Typically, chronic sadness is a reaction to a traumatic experience, like the loss of a loved one, an unexpected job change, divorce, or other life event. Sometimes a situation is so upsetting that it is difficult to stop feeling sad, and everyone mourns differently. If you feel that your sadness is negatively impacting your life or relationships, grief therapy can be a helpful way to learn coping mechanisms that can help you get through.
Why do I cry so easily?
If you cry easily it may be for a number of reasons. You may be reacting to a traumatic ongoing situation, you may have grown up in a household that modeled this behavior, you may be highly empathetic, you may be exhausted or stressed out, or you may have a genetic predisposition to sensitivity.
How to comfort yourself when sad?
There are a number of self-soothing behaviors you can use when your mood starts to get low. A few of these include:
- Allowing yourself a good cry
- Listening to music
- Reading a book or watching a movie
- Cuddling your partner or a pet
- Having a robust exercise session
- Journaling
- Yoga
Why do I feel unhappy?
Feeling unhappy is a normal and typically temporary response to stressful situations. However, if you begin to feel unhappy all the time, it can start to take a toll on everyday health. If you feel unhappy for more than a few weeks, or it is unrelated to an event in your life, you may want to seek help from a therapist to determine the cause and process your feelings in a healthy way.
Am I depressed or just sad?
Sadness is an emotion that can stand alone, or it can be a symptom of a larger problem like depression. Depression is more than sadness, if you are experiencing this condition you may also notice the following:
- Feeling self-critical, to the point of worthlessness
- Feeling hopeless
- Lack of interest in previously preferred activities
- Fatigue
- Sleep problems
- Changes in appetite
How to encourage self-soothing?
Self-soothing can help you feel better in both body and mind. The best way to make this a habit is to try some of the techniques and see which ones you most relate to, and then return to them when you aren’t feeling your best. By making these behaviors your “go-to”, you can rewire yourself to use them when you feel down.
Some self-soothing behaviors include journaling, grounding, meditation, snuggling with a loved one, listening to music, positive self-talk, crying, taking a bath, or reading a book.
How to be more comforting?
If you are interested in comforting a friend or family member who is feeling low, you can help them deal with their feelings by being a supportive presence in their life. Don’t try to “fix” things, or push positive emotions onto them, but listen to what they have to say. Let them know that you are there for them, and offer practical help. If you sense that they are beginning to feel worse, you can encourage them to seek professional help.
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