Why Do I Feel Sad for No Reason?
Causes, Symptoms, and Getting Help
Everyone feels sad when sad things happen. Sadness is a normal part of life, but it usually comes from a clear place and passes with time.
But what do you do when you’re sad most of the time? What’s going on when it feels like you’re sad for no reason and it doesn’t pass? Many of us search for a reason to justify our feelings and, when we can’t find one, sink even deeper into shame, guilt, and depression.
You don’t have to.
First, understand that it’s okay to feel sad, down, or melancholy, sometimes, without a clear “reason.” You don’t have to justify every emotion that you feel—not even to yourself.
Still, persistent depression or sadness can be debilitating. You want some freedom from it, and you can get it. But instead of looking for a reason, let’s look for a cause.
Is it clinical depression?
Common symptoms of a depressive disorder
Persistent sadness is one of the most common symptoms of clinical depression. Most people with a depressive disorder experience other symptoms as well, such as:
Taking little or no pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
Changes in appetite
A lack of energy and/or motivation
Irregular sleep patterns
Trouble concentrating and/or remembering details
Feelings of guilt
Moving or speaking very slowly
Thoughts of self-harm and/or suicide
For more details and an easy self-evaluation, take our depression quiz. →
If you regularly experience more than one of these symptoms, in addition to always feeling sad or down, you may be suffering from clinical depression. If that’s the case, we strongly encourage you to reach out to a local counselor or therapist to get the healing you need—even if you feel like there’s “no reason” for you to be depressed.
Clinical depression is not just severe sadness over a definable event. Causes can be biological, psychological, and/or social. Depression is a complex illness that often causes feelings of sadness. There isn’t always a clear reason, but your counselor can help you uncover the cause(s) and deal with or manage them.
Other types of depression
Depression looks different for almost everyone, but there are a few trends that often emerge. A mental health professional can complete a thorough evaluation, but an overview of some of the main subsets of depression can help you start to figure out what’s causing those feelings of sadness.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD)
Persistent Depressive Disorder (PPD), also known as dysthymia, is a type of depression characterized by sadness that doesn’t let up for years. About 1.5% of adults in the U.S. suffer from PDD.
Many times, people who suffer from a depressive disorder will experience periods of sadness and low-energy that last for days or weeks, but they will also frequently experience days or weeks without overwhelming sadness. PDD sufferers, however, experience consistent sadness for at least two years.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mental health disorder that causes rapid and extreme shifts in moods and energy, including manic and depressive episodes.
Manic — During a high, “manic” episode, you may experience feelings of extreme happiness, excess energy, trouble sleeping, rapid speaking, and/or an inclination toward risky behavior.
Depressive — During a low, depressive episode, you may feel sad “for no reason,” tired, irritable, etc.
If your prolonged feelings of sadness are suddenly interrupted by days or weeks of high energy and euphoric happiness, then bipolar disorder might be the cause of your intense low feelings as well.
Perinatal depression
You may have heard of postpartum depression as something that many women experience after the birth of a child. The truth is, pregnancy alters a woman’s hormones from the very beginning, which is why up to 5% of U.S. women experience a major depressive disorder during pregnancy.
The term “perinatal” refers to the time period between the beginning of a pregnancy and to one year postpartum. Other common symptoms include:
Difficulty bonding with the new baby
Trouble sleeping
Changes in appetite or loss of appetite
Irritability
Untreated, perinatal depression can lead to a long-lasting depressive disorder, so please get in touch with a counselor if you are concerned.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that causes depression and/or anxiety in the week or two weeks leading up to a woman’s period. Other common symptoms include:
Severe irritability
Hopelessness
Extreme anger
PMDD usually piles symptoms on top of normal menstrual symptoms like cramps, bloating, breast tenderness, etc.
Seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression in which the sufferer experiences depression during certain times of the year—most commonly winter and fall. Less sunlight in winter months, especially in northern regions, is a contributing factor.
Up to 20% of U.S. adults experience some melancholy during these darker months, but for the 1 or 2% of adults who suffer from SAD, other symptoms include:
Fatigue
Hopelessness
Social withdrawal
Other causes
In addition to types of depression, it’s not uncommon for people to experience seasons of depression related to other circumstances.
The loss of a loved one causes a season of depression in most people. If you’ve experienced a death or divorce, take the time you need to mourn and grieve. Stay connected to friends, and find a counselor you can talk to as well, to make sure you recover in a healthy way.
Perimenopause can create unexplainable feelings of sadness or depression in women. You may also find it difficult to deal with normal stress, lose interest in favorite activities, and/or get weepy more frequently.
“Why do I feel sad for no reason?” is the wrong question.
There may not be a clear reason for your sadness sometimes, and that’s okay. If it’s uncommon and hasn’t lasted long, there could be a hundred reasons that you can’t quite put your finger on.
If it’s been longer, though, try to avoid asking yourself this question. It is meant well, but what usually happens is that we recall all of our blessings and compare ourselves to those who have much less. We find no “reason” for feeling depressed.
When there is no clear “reason” to be sad, we accidentally compound the guilt and shame—making ourselves feel worse. People who harbor guilt and shame about their depression are less likely to reach out for the help they need, and they are less likely to turn to healthy coping strategies day-to-day.
Instead of “Why do I feel sad for no reason?,” ask yourself, “What might be the cause of this ongoing sadness?” This mindset will prevent you from compounding the depression with more negative self-talk. It will also help you and your therapist dig out the root of the problem.
Treatment for depression starts with counseling
There are lots of strategies to help you manage symptoms of depression as they arise, but for long-term healing, start seeing a counselor. An experienced therapist will be able to diagnose your depression and tailor a treatment to your specific situation. They will also be able to point you in the right direction if medication might be helpful.
Remember, you don’t have to be diagnosable to see a counselor. Too often, people avoid therapy, because it seems like they’re sad “for no reason.” Whether you’re clinically depressed or just in a rough season, a counselor can help you through it.
Some immediate coping strategies for depression
A licensed therapist will recommend and work with strategies that are a good fit for you, but in the meantime, here are a few strategies you can try.
1. Establish healthy habits
Diet, sleep, and exercise are some of the most basic foundations, but they have a huge impact on mental health.
Get some sleep — Depression can make it hard to sleep, but sleep disruption also impairs emotional regulation. It’s worth the effort to get the best sleep possible: Set consistent bedtimes and waking times, turn off screens an hour before bed, establish a bedtime routine to help you wind down, etc.
Drink water — Studies continue to show that increasing water intake improves mood, that dehydration correlates to increased depression, and that adults who drink more water overall have a lower risk of depression.
Go outside — Spending time outdoors lowers your risk of depression. Sunshine (even if it’s cold) boosts serotonin in the brain, making you feel happier, and the light exercise that’s usually involved releases endorphins for another shot of good feelings.
2. Take a break from social media and news cycles.
There are a lot of good things about social media and our modern access to information, but it’s not all good. Studies have demonstrated that limiting social media use generally reduces depression, because heavier use of social media correlates with higher rates of depression and suicidal thoughts.
Similarly, the 24-hour news cycle is not designed for mental health. If you’re watching and reading a lot of news, which focuses on negative and shocking stories, your brain is releasing a lot of stress hormones. Consistent exposure can lead to depression. It’s good to be informed, but not at the cost of your mental health.
Try taking a few days, or a week, away from social media and news feeds, and see if it helps.
3. Talk to a friend or family member.
Depression is isolating, but it also thrives in isolation. It’s normal to feel embarrassed about feeling sad “for no reason,” but it’s more helpful to talk to someone.
Remind yourself that your friend is not a therapist and probably won’t say the right things. Remember that depression may make you irritable, and that you will be tempted to get defensive at their well-intentioned comments—just so you’re prepared. It’s not always easy, but in the long-term it is much easier than keeping to yourself.
4. Listen to music that makes you happy.
It might be your favorite band or album, but it might also be a playlist of really up-beat, positive music that you wouldn’t normally listen to. If it’s something that will get you moving—whether it’s tapping your foot or dancing in the kitchen—all the better.
Studies have shown that intentionally using music to boost your mood is effective and music therapy is often used to decrease depression and anxiety.
5. Watch some comedy.
We generally think that happiness comes before laughter, but the opposite can also be true. Laughter releases endorphins, so doing anything that will make you laugh—like watching a stand-up comedian or a funny movie—can be a proactive strategy against the blues.
When a loved one is sad “for no reason”
If you notice a friend or family member who seems down or depressed for an extended period of time, you want to help. Understanding a bit about depression and the feeling of “always being sad for no reason” can give you some tools for making the best impact.
Avoid pointing out all the good things, or how things could be worse. It’s natural, when someone seems sad and neither of you know why, to try focusing on the good. The problem is that your friend has probably already had that conversation with themselves a dozen or more times. You’re trying to reframe their perspective, but what you’re really doing is compounding guilt and shame.
Avoid comparing their feelings with someone else’s. Maybe someone has it worse. Maybe you feel like your loved one hasn’t considered how you feel. The truth is, they probably have, and they probably feel even more guilt about their depression being a “burden” to their loved ones.
Understand that your concern might be interpreted as anger. People who suffer from depression often mistake concern for frustration and/or anger. If you must speak, take care to be very gentle.
Be an empathetic listener. If a friend or family member is suffering from depression, what they really need from you is non-judgmental listening. They need you to try to understand them. You don’t really need to say anything or solve any problem. Just bear some of their burden with them.
If possible, encourage your friend or loved one to talk to a mental health professional. If they are embarrassed about their feelings or their mental state, you may need to be very gentle about how you recommend this at first, but it’s worth it.
You don’t need a reason to feel sad.
If you’ve been down, sad, or depressed lately, and you just can’t put your finger on the reason why, it’s okay. It may be that depression is the cause of your feeling, not just the feeling itself. Depression (in all its forms) is a complicated health condition, but you can get the help you need to heal.
And you’re already on the right track. If you’re searching for answers, you probably already recognize that your prolonged sadness isn’t healthy or normal, and that’s a huge first step. Please take the next one by reaching out to a counselor or therapist who can help you on your journey.
If you’re in Austin or Houston, or anywhere across the State of Texas, the team at Neema would be happy to meet with you in person or online. Our team works with people of all ages and backgrounds to help them manage and overcome depression. Our goal is always to provide the grace you need for hope and healing. You can reach us online or at 512.669.5701.