7 Common Reactions to Sadness
7 Common Reactions to Sadness
Sadness is often triggered by certain incidents and to varying degrees. You may feel a little bit sad sometimes, and very very sad other times. When we feel sad, our bodies react naturally in 7 different ways, including:
- Crying
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Anger
- Venting
- Being forgetful
- Numbness
Through various behaviors, we let go of our sadness and make ourselves feel better. However, the journey of sadness varies across individuals. You may notice all of the above reactions, or just a couple of them. Most importantly, do know that it is normal for your body to react to sadness. Everyone exhibits these behaviors, and you are not alone.
Sadness = Bad?
In a society filled with positivity, the concept of “positive is right” is usually the main message behind articles, social media posts or books. When we cried as children, our parents would yell, “Stop crying!” And when we’re all grown up and have entered the workforce, we hear people say, “Don’t cry in front of others. They will see you as a weak person.” Even when we cry to express sadness after a fight with our significant other, they may ask, “Why are you crying again?” Various situations in life seem to tell us that “sadness = bad.” The cruel reality is that we will gradually turn into experts at hiding our sadness, telling ourselves that we shouldn’t cry or feel sad. But in fact, all emotions you experience are valid and there’s no right or wrong.
Sadness is the power that helps you understand yourself
Swiss psychologist Varena Kast once said in her book Trauern, “A person often suffers from depression not because of excessive sadness, but because of the rejection of sadness.” Sadness can be relieved through different ways, but when we refuse to recognize sadness and shut it off from the world, sadness will remain in our bodies, accumulate, and explode all at once. Only by allowing ourselves to face sadness can we realize what triggers our sadness as well as what we want and need, and finally come up with a solution. That’s why sadness can be said to be the power that helps you understand yourself.
Have you allowed yourself to be sad today? Have you treated yourself with the greatest gentleness and taken good care of your emotional well-being? Have you given yourself a chance to understand yourself better?
