In present times, there is not a single person, who is not afflicted with one or the other problem of the mind. Feeling of sadness is one of the most common problems people encounter. The associated feelings that come with sadness are misery, grief, melancholy and sorrow. The basic description of sadness can be mentioned as a mood or state of mind whereby a person’s mood is dipped and they feel ‘blue’. Consistent bouts of sadness may incorporate situations whereby the low feeling lasts longer and becomes more and more intense as time flies. This condition of sadness further engenders the incapacity of a person to deal with daily chores and situations. The person becomes sensitive to the incidents around them.
Sadness is a condition that may affect anyone, as it is very much a part of our everyday lives. It is at times considered a normal part of everyday life. Usually, people do not want to feel sad and repress the feeling, although this is not good for their well-being. The term ‘sadness’ is synonymously used with the term ‘depression’, but they are different. Sadness is used to denote an emotional state of the human mind, whereas depression is more like a disorder or illness. Sadness is also one of the causes of feeling depression.
Symptoms of Sadness
One of the symptoms of sadness is the feeling that the whole world is hostile to you; it is more like a sense of hurt and blackness that seems endless, out of which there is no means of escape. There is practically nothing to look forward to or brighten the mood of the affected. A lot of people are also likely to exhibit reduced energy levels in sadness with others attempting to curb it, but this feeling of countering emotions like sadness is not good either. Some people even succumb to tears. There are also mixed feelings of a sense of void, pessimism, hopelessness, worthlessness, anxiety and others that intensify sadness. Sadness makes them lose interest in life and any excitement-generating activities, It may even lead to loss of appetite, restlessness or irritability.
All-encompassing sadness may lead to depression, especially if the person affected by it does not find an alternative to venting their emotion. Physiological symptoms include chronic pains, gastrointestinal problems, headaches etc. The person experiencing sadness may even contemplate suicide in extreme situations.
Causes of Sadness
Sadness can result from various factors, one of the commonest of which is the feeling of loss. This is especially true if sadness is related to the loss of a loved one. This will make the person experience sadness. The feeling is more so if they shared a close tie with the departed, expired or divorced individual. People experience sadness when they have lost an important person or when they have disappointed them. A person also goes through a phase of sadness after a relationship fails or when they are going through disappointment or trauma with a relationship not working.
Loss of a home or employment also causes sadness especially when they are required to shift jobs based on firing. The feeling of unworthiness or displacement also makes the person go through sadness as will the loss of a home or moving away to some other place. These are some of the important causes resulting in sadness or loss. The other major reason is loneliness, or failure to live up to expectations. Loss, failure and sadness are also the result of prolonged or terminal illnesses, undeniable changes in lifestyle and the loss of a dream.
Possible Solutions to Sadness
There are various approaches to dealing with sadness and it is best if the solutions are administered early since sadness is a time-consuming process when it comes to healing the condition. The duration may last from several months up to a year or even more. The person affected by sadness should be helped to cope with the condition as sadness cannot be otherwise cured. People often resort to exercising during sadness as physical workouts release certain hormones in the brain leading to a better mood.
Company of friends and family members during sadness and sharing your worries and reasons to feel low help release their burden. You can even join a group or community support program to deal with the feeling of sadness as it helps enhance interaction, leading to a distraction of your emotions. This therapy to curb sadness helps deal with these emotions.
Optimism is one of the best ways to deal with sadness is to tap into your creativity like practising writing, singing, dancing or drawing to creatively express your sadness.
People also seek a walk in the sun for a few moments to relieve the mind. The sunlight is helpful for the body during sadness. Physically also, it works on the mind by brightening the mood, just as darkness intensifies sadness. If these don’t work, it is best to seek medical support.