Difference Between Sadness and Depression:
How to Know If You Need Help

Published: 02/22/2025 | Updated: 12/30/2025

Authored by: Jemma Strain, B.S. Psychology

Edited by: Emma Loker, BSc, PgDip

It’s OK to feel sad. Sadness is a normal, powerful human emotion that can help us better understand who we are and even help us release negative emotions. Plus, happiness would mean very little if it wasn’t balanced out by sadness.

But when does sadness become something to worry about? Well, while sadness is a typical response to certain events, it tends to go away in a short space of time. On the other hand, depression is a mental health condition that causes a sad mood that lasts for two weeks or longer.⁴

If you’re worried that what you’re feeling might be more than sadness, there is support available to you. You are not alone.

You may be wondering how to know if you’re depressed as a teenager. This article can give you all the facts you need by discussing:

The difference between sadness and depression in teens
How teens can identify depression vs. normal sadness
What to do if you think you have depression
When to seek help for depression as a teen

Key Takeaways

If low mood lasts 2+ weeks, feels “bigger than a bad day,” or starts interfering with school, sleep, relationships, or daily life, it may be teen depression—not normal sadness.
A key difference: sadness is usually tied to a specific trigger and fades; depression often isn’t caused by one event and can make day-to-day functioning feel overwhelming.
What should a teen do if they think they’re depressed? Start by telling a trusted adult (parent/caregiver, teacher, school nurse) or a close friend, and stay connected instead of isolating.
Mission Prep offers teen depression treatment through evidence-based options like CBT, DBT, interpersonal therapy, EMDR, and TMS, delivered in residential and outpatient levels of care.

What Is Depression in Teens?

The teen depression definition, according to the American Psychological Association (APA), is “Extreme sadness or despair which lasts more than days.” In other words, while moods can shift relatively quickly, depression can persist for longer than just having a couple of “bad days.”

Depression can affect all aspects of a teenager’s life, including their ability to think, sleep, eat, and learn. It also impacts their beliefs about themselves, often causing them to see themselves as “worthless” or “unloveable.”²

Additionally, depression is one of the most widespread mental health conditions in the United States – and it commonly starts in the teenage years.³Therefore, targeting the early signs and symptoms of depression can help offset long-term effects on a teen’s emotional and physical health.

Difference Between Sadness and Depression in Teens

To first understand the differences between sadness and depression, let’s consider the definition of each:

According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) definition of sadness, it is an “emotional state of unhappiness, ranging in intensity from mild to extreme and usually aroused by the loss of something that is highly valued.”¹

In contrast, the APA’s definition of teen depression is “a negative affective state, ranging from unhappiness and discontent to an extreme feeling of sadness, pessimism, and despondency, that interferes with daily life.”²

At first glance, both of these definitions might sound similar. Yes, both involve a negative emotional state of unhappiness which can range in intensity. However, here’s where the similarities end – because there are quite big differences between sadness and depression.

The Three core differences between sadness and depression:

While there are many differences between sadness and depression, the main ones can be considered “core” differences to help understanding. The three core differences between sadness and depression are:

Sadness Is a Response to an Event or Trigger

A big argument with a friend, not getting the grades you’d like, or feeling left out – these are all situations that trigger normal sadness.

Depression is Typically Not Triggered By One Specific Event

It may be triggered by multiple things, but many teenagers report not knowing what this is.³

Sadness Passes in a Relatively Short Period of Time

This could be minutes, hours, or days, but, nevertheless, it goes away on its own.

Depression Lasts

How long it normally lasts varies on the type, but to be diagnosed with depression, you have to feel an ongoing sense of sadness for most of the day, every day, for at least two weeks.⁴

Sadness Doesn't Interfere With Your Life

While typical sadness may make you not want to do daily tasks such as taking care of chores, going to school, or spending time with family, you can generally still function.

Depression Can Seriously Impact Your Ability to Function in Daily Life

The symptoms of depression can make it very difficult, if not close to impossible, to go about daily activities and tasks.⁵

To recap, the three main differences between sadness and depression are:

Sadness is a response to an event. Depression is not triggered by one thing.
Sadness passes in a short amount of time. Depression can last.
Sadness doesn’t seriously interfere with daily life. Depression can make it very difficult to function from day to day.

Understanding these three differences between sadness and depression can be a good start when trying to figure out if sadness is a sign of something deeper. However, they’re only the start. The next section can help you figure out how to identify depression in more detail.

How Teens Can Identify Depression vs. Normal Sadness

To help you identify depression vs. normal sadness, it can help to consider the symptoms of depression in teenagers. We discuss the emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms in detail in our article “Common Signs of Depression in Teenagers,” but the ones below can give you an idea of what to look out for.

Signs of Depression in Teenagers^6-8:

Feeling hopeless, “numb,” or “empty”
Becoming overwhelmed by negative emotions such as sadness or anger
Losing interest in hobbies, activities, and friend groups
Low self-esteem, self-blame, and feelings of “worthlessness”
Spending too much or too little time sleeping
Frequently feeling tired or exhausted
Changes in your appetite and eating patterns
Feeling restless or anxious
Withdrawing from family and friends
More awareness of negative emotions than positive ones
Arguing a lot with family or friends
Regularly experiencing physical ailments such as stomach aches or headaches with no apparent medical cause
Struggling to find pleasure in daily life
A lack of motivation to complete responsibilities
Risky behaviors, such as self-harm

The signs of depression can vary from person to person, but after considering these symptoms you might be able to pinpoint if any apply to you. To help you understand further, you could ask yourself the following three questions based on how you’ve been feeling lately.⁴

Teen Depression Self-Assessment

1. How long have you been feeling sad?

As mentioned, sadness can last for a few hours or a few days, but then it typically passes on its own. However, depression can feel like extreme sadness or despair which can last for weeks or longer.⁹

2. How severe are your symptoms?

Sadness can feel intense and all-consuming, but depression causes serious changes to someone’s outlook and personality. Are you still interested in spending time with friends or taking part in hobbies? Do you still get pleasure from small or big things in life? Has your appetite, sleeping patterns, and confidence stayed mostly the same?

3. What areas of your life is sadness affecting?

Sadness often tends to apply to the area of life that triggered it. For example, you might be feeling sad in school because you’ve had an argument with friends, but mostly feel OK at home. However, depression affects all areas of life, such as your relationships, mental and physical health, school performance, and interest in hobbies.

Your answers to these questions might help give you a better idea of whether you’re experiencing sadness or depression. If you think you might have symptoms of depression, it’s important to know that you’re not alone – and you’re not to blame for how you’re feeling. There is support and guidance available to you, including actions you can take in the here and now to improve your mental health.

What to Do if You Think You Have Depression

If you’re experiencing the signs of depression, then you may be feeling quite distressed and alone. However, depression is one of the most common conditions in the world, so there are people who can understand and who will be willing to support you.¹⁰

The following steps can help:⁵

1. Understand What You’re Going Through:

Teenagers with depression are prone to self-blame and guilt, so you may be giving yourself a hard time for what you’re going through. But it’s OK not to be OK. Accept that you’re feeling this way and might need support.

2. Talk to Someone You Trust:

It can be difficult to open up about our feelings, but it’s important to share so that you can get the support you need. You could consider opening up to an adult such as a parent, caregiver, teacher, or school nurse – as long as you trust them that’s all that matters. Adults such as these are usually aware of depression and its effects, but you could also show them our article “What Is Depression?” to help them better understand.

If talking to an adult feels like too much right now, perhaps think about speaking to a close friend. They might be willing to support you or go with you when you choose to talk to an adult.

3. Try to Stay Connected With Others:

Depression can cause teenagers to withdraw from family and friends, but isolating yourself can only make depression worse. Humans are naturally social creatures, but we don’t always have to make spending time with others a “big” event. Think of your favorite people – those who usually make you feel like the best version of yourself. Ask them if they want to go for a walk or watch a movie; hanging out together in gentle ways can really boost your well-being.

6. Stay Active:

Exercise might be the last thing on your mind right now, and that’s understandable. You might feel tired and unmotivated. However, exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous. Even doing gentle stretches or a short online exercise video can boost the “happy” hormones in your brain and help you sleep.

7. Take Care of Yourself:

If you’ve been experiencing symptoms of depression, chances are you might not be taking the time to relax and look after yourself. Try to keep eating a healthy diet, do light exercise, and create a sleep routine. You could also try mindful breathing to help you tune out of negative thoughts and focus on your surroundings.

Although these steps can help you look after your mental health, they’re not a replacement for professional mental health treatment. It can be difficult to manage depression by yourself – and you don’t have to.

When to Seek Help for Depression as a Teen

If you think that what you’re going through is depression and not sadness, it’s important to seek help for your well-being. Depression can hurt your emotional and physical health – sometimes in long-term ways if left untreated. You don’t have to handle this alone.

It might seem scary, but there are people who can understand what you’re going through and who will be willing to get you the support you need. Professional mental health treatment is the best decision anyone with depression can make for their mental health – and a doctor or therapist can talk you through the options.

Therapy Options for Depression

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT can help you identify and understand the thoughts and feelings that lead to your depression. It can also provide you with the skills to challenge these thoughts and feelings as well as ways to handle stress outside of therapy.

Interpersonal Therapy

Sometimes, our relationships with the important people in our lives can contribute to depression. Interpersonal therapy can help you understand these issues and how to work through them.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Depression sometimes comes from negative experiences in our past. If this is the case for you, EMDR can help you process these experiences in a safe, supportive environment – helping you build positive self-beliefs and ways of coping with challenges.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

TMS can be effective in treating treatment-resistant depression. It’s a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic fields to activate nerve cells in targeted areas of the brain – helping improve your outlook and mood.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

At times, intense emotions and feelings can be difficult to experience and put into words. DBT can help you build skills such as distress tolerance, mindfulness, and coping strategies for distress.

Depending on your needs, these therapies can be offered as a part of a residential mental health treatment program or outpatient program. A doctor may also recommend medication as part of a treatment plan. While medication sometimes has an important place in treatment, it’s usually most effective when combined with therapy.

Also, group therapy for depression can be an excellent way to see that a lot of people your age often go through the same difficulties. Plus, it can be a way to build new, supportive connections.

How Mission Prep Can Help

At Mission Prep, we understand that depression is not simply something you can “snap out of.” Depression can be difficult to cope with alone, so our team of trained professionals offers depression treatment based on each teenager’s unique needs in various locations – and ensures that their voice is heard. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and we can help you see it.

References

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Sadness. In APA Dictionary of Psychology. https://dictionary.apa.org/sadness
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Depression. In APA Dictionary of Psychology. https://dictionary.apa.org/depression
National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Teen depression. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/teendepression.html
American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). What is depression? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Sadness. https://www.cdc.gov/howrightnow/emotion/sadness/index.html
Mayo Clinic Staff. (n.d.). Teen depression: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/teen-depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20350985
Simmons, W. K., Burrows, K., Avery, J. A., Kerr, K. L., Bodurka, J., Savage, C. R., & Drevets, W. C. (2016). Depression-related increases and decreases in appetite reveal dissociable patterns of aberrant activity in reward and interoceptive neurocircuitry. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 173(4), 418. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15020162
Sinval, J., Oliveira, P., Novais, F., Almeida, C. M., & Telles-Correia, D. (2025). Exploring the impact of depression, anxiety, stress, academic engagement, and dropout intention on medical students’ academic performance: A prospective study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 368, 665-673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.09.116
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Depression. https://www.apa.org/topics/depression
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Depression. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression

Depression vs. Sadness FAQs

How do I know if it’s depression or just normal sadness?

Sadness usually has a clear reason and eases with time. Depression tends to stick around, can feel constant most days, and often affects multiple parts of life—like sleep, appetite, motivation, school performance, and relationships. If it’s lasting or getting in the way of daily functioning, we recommend reaching out for help.

When should we ask for professional help for teen depression?

If symptoms last two weeks or more, are worsening, or are impacting school, friendships, family life, or self-care, it’s time to talk with a professional. You don’t have to wait for things to become a crisis—early support can make recovery easier.

Who should my teen talk to first if opening up feels scary?

A trusted adult is a strong first step—parent, caregiver, teacher, school counselor, or school nurse. If that feels too hard right now, starting with a close friend can help your teen feel less alone and more supported when they’re ready to involve an adult.

What kinds of therapy do you use for depression in teens?

We match care to each teen’s needs. That may include CBT to work with negative thoughts, DBT for emotion regulation and coping skills, interpersonal therapy to support relationship stressors, EMDR when past experiences are contributing, and TMS in specific situations where depression hasn’t improved with standard approaches.

What if my teen is pulling away from everyone?

Withdrawal is common with depression, but isolation can make symptoms feel worse. We encourage gentle connection—short walks, a movie night, low-pressure time with supportive people—while also building a treatment plan that helps your teen feel understood and capable again.