Why am I so sad all the time?

Ever felt sad or stressed for no apparent reason? If you’re tearful or crying a lot, or just feeling down, this article can help you figure out why and what steps you can take.

This can help if:

• you feel sad all the time

• you want some help to stop feeling so sad

• you want to understand the causes of your sadness

• you want to know why people get sad.

How sad is too sad?

Everyone gets sad sometimes; it’s a part of being human. But feeling sad for a long period of time makes life really hard and isn’t good for your overall health.

Here are some signs that sadness is taking over your life:

• You’ve stopped seeing friends and family.

• You get angry easily.

• You get emotional and/or find yourself crying for no reason.

• You’ve stopped caring about stuff that used to interest you.

• You’re eating or sleeping habits have changed.

• You’re finding it hard to do all the things you used to do (such as work or chores).

What’s causing my sad feelings?

Not knowing what’s making you feel so crap makes it hard to find a solution. There are some simple things you can do to help figure it out. First up, it’s good to understand some obvious things that can get people down, such as experiencing grief or loss of a loved one, caring for someone who is unwell, being sick or having a medical condition or chronic illness.

Smaller life events that can cause sadness

There are other, less expected causes for sadness. You may not realise the impact they have on you in the moment, but sadness can often follow later down the track. This can include life events, such as:

• going through something stressful

• being around people who are going through a tough time

• having an argument with someone

• problems at school/uni/work

• being bored

• not sleeping well

• not exercising enough

• hormonal changes.

Why do I feel sad for no reason?

It's completely normal to feel sad sometimes, even if you can't pinpoint a reason. Emotions are complex. Things like stress, changes in your body, or even small, unnoticed events can affect how you feel. Sometimes, you might not feel sad in the moment, but then it hits you later on.

How to deal with sadness

If you’re unsure what is causing you to feel sad so often, it can be hard to know what to do to start feeling better. Here are some initial things you can try:

• Talk to someone you trust, such as a friend or a family member. They might have some insights that you can’t identify yourself, which might help you figure out what’s causing your sadness.

• Write down your feelings. The causes of your sadness may become more obvious if you write about what’s happening in your life and how you feel about it.

• Face things head on. Try not to stay in bed all day avoiding things.

If you can work out what’s getting you down, then you’ll be in a better position to turn your feelings around. Problem-solving strategies can be really helpful in overcoming some issues. If the cause of your sadness isn’t really something that can be solved, though, you might need to focus on developing coping strategies instead.

I feel so alone

You never have to cope with emotional problems on your own. A counsellor can help you figure out what’s going on, guide you through strategies to overcome your sadness, and recognise if something more serious is going on. It’s also important to remember that it's okay to feel sad and that these feelings won’t last forever.