Overcoming sadness is a matter of understanding and working with sadness. If you are living with depression, you might feel like you have too much sadness. In time, with treatment and therapy, the extremes of your emotions will balance out. Sadness will never go away. Feeling sad is a demonstration of our humanity. When we feel sad, we are able to recognize we have something to feel sad about. Making meaning, developing connections, and feeling attached to things in this world are healthy human traits. Sadness is the result of that.
Living with sadness rather than fighting against sadness requires building an understanding of sadness and how it works in our lives. Happify Daily outlines three ways you can start viewing sadness differently: as a bonding tool, as a way to understand our emotions, and as a mindfulness based practice.
Sadness is a bonding tool
People come together in the wake of a tragedy. After violent events, tragic losses, and other life-altering experiences, some find themselves criticizing themselves and other humans. Why do we have to wait until something terrible happens to feel as if we are brought closer together? Sadness is a bonding mechanism. Letting ourselves feel raw, vulnerable, and sad, is an open space for meeting that moment in other people. Something unique about the real-time experience of sadness removes all of our typical barriers. We are able to recognize that everyone feels pain.
Sadness helps us understand our other emotions
Perhaps you’ve experienced a moment like this. As you’ve sat an cried, sobbing away about something, you feel somewhat detached, as if you’re sitting behind the waterfall of your tears. Sometimes sadness and crying feels like an opportunity to think. Releasing the swell of emotions we are processing, we can look at all of them and get a better idea of what we are going through.
Sadness is a practice in mindfulness
According to the article, “Psychologists say the ability to identify and manage emotions is emotional intelligence at work, and existing in this space is something they often call mindfulness.” Being sad, being present with your sadness, and just letting your sadness be what it is, is an incredibly mindful practice. Mindfulness is helpful with emotional regulation because of this exact process. You can allow your emotions to be what they are as they are while you remain present with them.
Are you struggling with depression or the feeling that your emotions are out of control? We understand how that feels. To help, we’ve created a residential treatment program full of healing clinical therapy, comforting holistic treatments, and a beautiful estate to bring you serenity again. For a confidential assessment and more information on our primary mental health treatment programs call 1 888-958-7511.
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