Sadness is a Good Thing
by Sarah Edmunds
In 1988, advancements in medicine led to the drug Prozac, an antidepressant pill that can put an end to the depression countless people suffer. Within a few years of Prozac's invention, the market for antidepressant medication skyrocketed. Prozac was a "miracle drug," and even two decades later, it is still the most widely prescribed antidepressant in the world.
However, the new trend of antidepressants threatens to undermine sadness, a human emotion built into our biological makeup. Prozac and other such medications are no longer prescribed solely to cases of clinical depression, which is a very serious illness that often leads to suicide. Instead, people are popping antidepressant pills in order to escape sadness caused by a tough break-up or losing a job.
While losing one's job is not easy, there is a definite line between harmful life-altering depression and rough patches, the natural sadness that is part of the human experience. Clinical depression is often considered an extreme state of sadness, so it seems logical to eliminate potential depression before it evolves into the dangerous disease. Though the two are related, clinical depression is not necessarily just an amplified version of normal sadness. Every person on the planet will feel sadness at some point in life; whereas depression may be inherited and is often linked to other mental conditions.
In addition, sadness is a mood triggered by a troublesome situation. A sad person is able to overcome the feeling within a relatively short amount of time and cope with living. Clinical depression, on the other hand, may last for weeks, months, or even years. A depressed person cannot find logic behind his or her feelings, and will likely become overwhelmed in despair. So, treating normal sadness as if it were a serious disease is not a wise course of action. Even though sadness is often inconvenient, it is part of our biological makeup for a reason. Sadness is actually a good thing.
Sadness is a teacher. The pangs of sadness, which are unarguably unpleasant to experience, serve as incentives to be more careful with things of importance such as jobs and relationships. Sadness is a natural punishment that helps us learn from our mistakes. The risk of feeling sad causes us to use better judgment in our daily lives.
Sadness is also a motivator. If we are in a bad situation, we feel unhappy. That unhappiness instinctively motivates us to improve our bad situation. However, if we take antidepressants to eliminate our sadness, we no longer feel the need to improve and may continue in an unhealthy situation rather than address the underlying problem.
Clinical depression is indeed a severe mental and physical condition, and in no way should be taken lightly; misjudged; or under-medicated. But normal sadness should not be exaggerated and over-medicated. Sadness is the natural human biological reaction to painful circumstances and is necessary for self-development. We should not run to the doctor every time we feel a little down, in hopes that a chemical-filled capsule will solve our problems. We don't have to embrace sadness with open arms; we only have to accept it. After all, without the bad times, how can we recognize and fully appreciate the good?
