Haider Shabaz Asks: Is It Possible To Feel Sad For No Apparent Reason? Or Is There Always A Reason for Feeling Sadness?
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The writer is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
The feeling of sadness is an integral part of life. In fact, it is one of the fundamental five emotions that humans feel. Some days we find ourselves generally feeling blue. While at other times, there is a particular reason for feeling sadness, like having relationship troubles, conflict with parents, etc. Sometimes sadness follows major life events experiencing rejection, losing people, being let down, moving away from home, etc. In short, there are numerous reasons why we feel sad at times.
However, it is safe to say that a general air of sadness does not emerge from a vacuum. At the same time, sometimes, we cannot pinpoint what is getting us down. In this case, it is crucial to understand that man’s life is split into the conscious and the unconscious. We are all aware of what is happening around us. We can easily remember and understand events that we have full knowledge of. Unconscious processing, however, is tricky territory. Moreover, emotions such as sadness do not only have physical and emotional causes. A depressive feeling can have a hormonal reason as well. Because, after all, emotions are produced in the brain, which is primarily governed by chemicals.
Furthermore, several conditions manifest primarily as prolonged sadness, like dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder), major depressive disorder, or seasonal affective disorder. Such conditions can be understood and effectively managed by consulting a professional.
If a major condition does not exist, several habits can help you feel better when you are down. Staying active can be extremely helpful. Walking, jogging, or exercising helps release endorphins, hormones that are effective for happiness or making you feel good. Also, spending time in nature can help boost mood because the stress hormone cortisol decreases when a person is in contact with nature.
Most importantly, being gentle and kind to oneself will help cope with the feeling of sadness and bring a person towards self-compassion. Self-compassion is essential because it elevates self-esteem and eases depression. Consequently, feeling sad without recognizing any apparent reason is primarily due to chronic underlying emotional or psychological issues. It is, therefore, important to seek professional psychological help and mitigate the causes associated with sadness. Suppose a person finds it hard to deal with emotions and mood and experiences constant sadness. In that case, they should consult a professional. However, sometimes when people feel sad for no obvious reason, it is okay. They should let this feeling pass by applying techniques discussed in this article.
Ultimately, it is important to understand that life is not all about being happy all the time. The complete joy of existence can only be experienced in real time, which means that if you put yourself out there, you cannot entirely avoid sadness. However, experiencing sadness to the degree that your everyday life is affected certainly warrants your time and attention.
