Sadness is an everyday emotion that we have all felt at some point in our lives. To what extent does it stop being normal? Here we explain.
All the emotions we feel, whether good or bad, help us throughout our lives, they forge our character and as time goes by we learn to manage them. In the case of sadness, it is not objective to say that it is negative, because it is normal to feel it. What is not constructive is entering an apathetic circle in which this feeling becomes permanent.
It is important to learn to manage our primary emotions; In this way we build a clearer picture of how the situations in our lives affect us. Sadness is one of the emotions that can cause the most harm. It is important to recognize it, know what it is and be clear about how to manage and overcome it.
What is sadness?
The sadness It is one of the primary emotions that we human beings experience, along with joy, anger and fear.
It is characterized by states of anguish, melancholy and discomfort when we face unpleasant situations.
This emotion can vary in intensity, and although it is natural to feel it at times, it becomes a problem and sometimes an obstacle when it is felt constantly.
Types of sadness
1. Adaptive sadness
It appears in response to an internal or external event, after which Our body may need to lower the level of activity and process the information in order to accept it and adapt.. Per se, It’s a healthy sadnessand is characterized by the fact that over time or action it will begin to decrease and even disappear.
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2. Maladaptive sadness
Here it is possible that in some people and, in certain situations, This emotion remains continuously without being able to make assertive management, which leads to persistent suffering.
3. Pathological sadness
It is the feeling of sadness, discouragement and lack of interest in the world. Here the person shows little ability to react on an emotional level and usually produces uncontrollable crying and anxiety attacks. It can have as consequence of self-destructive attitudes and isolation.
4. Instrumental sadness
People who suffer from this type of sadness They have the objective of achieving something with it, that is, it is used voluntarily.
Tips to overcome sadness
- Don’t deny it, deal with it. Let your body express what it feels with complete freedom, let it bring out what it has inside, let it vent.
- Determine the reason for the emotion. You must find the trigger that makes you feel sad, at this point you must be totally honest with yourself.
- Reflect, but don’t judge yourself. You must understand and think about what is happening to you and accept it. You need to look for solutions to move forward, do not victimize yourself and do not look for blame.
- Look at sadness as an agent of change. Most people understand sadness as something completely negative for their lives. Although it is true that it is an unpleasant emotion, it is also a powerful agent of change to transform many things, whether thoughts, attitudes and contexts.
- Cry if necessary. Socially we have been made to believe that crying is for weak people, however, Some studies indicate that crying can be relaxing and can help you release endorphins, which are hormones related to pleasure. Crying activates the parasympathetic system, which can help recover from stress and unpleasant experiences.
- Find your purpose. In order to be happy and fight for personal development, it is necessary to work on self-knowledge to identify what motivates us and what we want.
- Do sports. We know that you don’t feel like doing anything, but it is important that you do your part and do physical activity. This will help you release endorphins and other chemicals in your body that make you feel good, regain energy and feel more positivity.
- Take care of your diet. Food directly influences your mood, so it is very important that you take care of your diet.
- Give yourself time. Overcoming sadness is not easy, so be patient with yourself. Every small achievement you have to celebrate. Be consistent, without feeling pressured, remember that each person has a different process.
- Attend therapy. If none of the previous recommendations manage to reduce your sadness, and despite all attempts it prevails and you feel that you need professional help, it is best to attend therapy with one of our psychologists.