How to Handle Sadness

We often cope with sadness by denying it, avoiding it, or blaming ourselves for feeling down. However, you cannot manage emotions by hiding them. Instead, it is important to confront your feelings right now. Take healthy steps to comfort yourself and seek the support you need to move past the sadness.

Acknowledge Your Feelings. Don’t suppress sadness or pretend everything is fine. Acknowledging what you're feeling will help release the emotions and make it easier to get back on track.

• Label your internal emotions. If someone asks how you're feeling, be honest and say 'I'm sad.' This is the first step toward healing and getting the support you need.
• If you find it hard to share your sadness with others, try telling yourself first. Look in the mirror and simply acknowledge how you feel by saying 'I’m sad.' You can also write your emotions down in a journal.

Allow Yourself to Feel Sad. Don’t punish or criticize yourself for feeling sadness. Sadness is a natural human emotion that everyone experiences, so there’s no reason to blame yourself for it. Give yourself the space and time to express your feelings without judgment or self-criticism for feeling down.

• Do whatever helps you release your sadness—whether it’s crying, lying in bed, or cuddling with your pet.
• To avoid staying stuck in sadness, set a time limit. You can allow yourself to feel sad for a day or two (or longer depending on the situation). Afterward, make a conscious effort to shift your mood by engaging in more uplifting activities, like listening to upbeat music, exercising, or hanging out with friends.

Express Your Emotions Through Creative Activities. Transform your sadness into artistic creativity. Writing poetry, composing songs, creating stories, or drawing can help you express and overcome sadness in a positive and meaningful way.

• Draw a picture that reflects your emotions or listen to a piece of music that moves you.
• Believe it or not, sad music may not make you feel sadder. In fact, many people find comfort in listening to melancholic tunes.

Remember How You’ve Overcome Sadness in the Past. Keep in mind that, like all emotions, sadness is temporary. The best way to do this is to recall past moments of sadness and reflect on what helped you move past it.

• By remembering your past sadness, you'll feel more confident in handling it because you know you've faced these emotions before.
• Additionally, you may recall positive coping strategies that worked for you, such as calling a friend or playing with your pet.

Get Moving. You may feel like staying in bed all day when you're feeling down—but while it’s okay to do this for a while, eventually you need to get up and move.

• Physical activities stimulate the release of endorphins, chemicals that are responsible for creating feelings of happiness in the brain.
• You could take a walk around the neighborhood, play fetch with your dog, or go dancing with friends.

Laugh. People with a sense of humor tend to have a stronger ability to bounce back from difficult situations, so find ways to make yourself laugh. Hang out with a friend who can crack jokes, or collect comedy movies or fun TV shows that you enjoy.

Do Things You Love. A great way to overcome sadness is to spend time on your hobbies and passions. These activities often provide comfort and joy, even in challenging times.

• If you enjoy tennis, schedule a few games this week. If baking is your passion, try creating a new recipe with your loved ones.

Avoid Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms. Alcohol, drugs, unhealthy food, and compulsive shopping may numb your pain when you're feeling down. However, these distractions only temporarily mask the pain and may lead to addiction or harmful behaviors later on.

• Resist the temptation to indulge in harmful coping strategies by staying away from them when you’re feeling sad. Limit access to alcohol, stimulants, or unhealthy food (keep healthy snacks in the fridge and pantry) and take out enough cash for daily expenses while storing your credit cards away.
• Instead of sinking into unhealthy distractions, use the time to care for yourself.

Spend time with those who support you. Reach out to your loved ones for strength and encouragement when you feel down. Simply having someone by your side can be helpful, but you can also ask them for specific things they can do to support you.

• For example, you could suggest that your partner give you a comforting hug or ask a close friend to sit with you and look through old photos of your late father. Let those around you know how they can help.
• Don’t isolate yourself, as this may worsen your mood and make you feel even more consumed by sadness.

Take Responsibility for Something. When feeling down, everyday tasks can seem overwhelming. Ask those around you to help with your duties and responsibilities.

• Ask your roommate to remind you to get out of bed and dress properly in the morning, or have a colleague encourage you to finish an important project.
• Create a list of things you want or need to do, and cross off each task as you complete it. This will help you stay motivated and positive.

Join a Support Group. Sharing your emotions with people who can relate to you is incredibly helpful. Whether in person or online, joining a support group is a great way to connect with others and receive support.

• If you have recently lost a loved one, consider joining a bereavement support group. If you're struggling with a chronic illness, you might find comfort in joining a cancer patient support group.

See a Therapist if Your Sadness is Affecting Daily Life. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, sadness doesn't just go away. It may even worsen and turn into something more severe, such as depression. If you're struggling with deep sadness, seek a mental health professional.

• Simply talking to someone can already make you feel better. However, a therapist can also teach you techniques to alleviate sadness, such as journaling or practicing gratitude.
• While sadness is generally temporary and related to external triggers, depression usually stems from within and lasts longer. It often feels like nothing brings joy and isn't linked to any particular event. Depression commonly includes feelings of fatigue, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, or loss of appetite, accompanied by a sense of worthlessness or guilt.