“Why am I so sad?”

Scientific research says, “From a basic emotion approach, sadness is described as an emotion resulting from the activity of the PANIC/GRIEF system, a system which has presumably evolved from more general pain mechanisms.” Maybe this makes some sense to you.

But, outside of scientific inquiry, we want to know why we feel sad NOW. Sometimes sadness doesn’t seem to have a cause at all. In fact, sadness is a mystery that humans relentlessly try to solve in our quest for happiness. Unfortunately, our search for answers often just leads to more questions. So, let’s take a moment to shine light on our most pressing questions about sadness.

10 common questions about sadness

Why am I sad for no reason?

Dear reader, you’re never sad for NO REASON. There’s always a reason for your sadness. Sometimes we don’t tune into the cause for our sadness because we fear what we’ll hear. Our reason for sadness could be surface level or deeply rooted in our past. No circumstance is too big or too small to trigger a feeling of sadness in our life.

Why am I sad all the time?

Dear reader, it’s possible you’re sad all the time because of a chemical imbalance in your brain. In this case, it’s important to seek the care of a doctor. However, often we’re just in the habit of being sad. Maybe our negative circumstances have already turned around. But we simply can’t snap out of our state of sadness. It could be that we fear “joy” will be temporary, so we hold on to what’s familiar. Work on training your brain to accept happiness as the new norm.

Why am I sad on the holidays?

Dear reader, holidays evoke a feeling of sadness in many people. For some, it’s sad to spend Christmas alone, because they’ve never found love or their loved one passed away. Others remember painful childhood memories when store aisles start filling up with festive decorations. Often, we tend to get high on the fun of decorating and planning for the holiday season. Then we’re suddenly let down when things are over and it’s time to get back to business as usual. Every season comes with its share of sadness, even the holiday season.

Why am I not sad when I should be?

Dear reader, stop comparing yourself to others. Who says when it’s appropriate to be sad or not? Of course, sometimes we hide our true emotions because we don’t want to be overwhelmed. But other times, we simply don’t view a situation the same way as someone else. Maybe your past has given you a unique perspective on difficult circumstances. Don’t let the expectations of others dictate how you should feel.

Why am I sad when it rains?

Dear reader, sunshine scientifically makes us happier, but that doesn’t mean rain has to make us sad. Some people actually feel happier when they hear the drops of rain outside their window. It gives them a feeling of cozy peace. However, for those of us who prefer to get out and about, rain can slow us down. We may not feel sad because of the rain, but because the rain keeps us from doing what we normally would. Rain has become an obstacle. Next time it rains, try to look at the raindrops in a new way. It’s o.k. to play in the rain. Umbrellas aren’t always necessary. You won’t melt in the rain.

Why do I get sad at night?

Dear reader, night is usually quieter. And typically, our thoughts get louder when the lights go out. What are your thoughts telling you? Instead of looking at night-time as a cause of sadness, look at the night as a perfect opportunity to let your mind give you insights. Don’t run away from the night by ignoring thoughts that masquerade as sadness. Let go of your need to feel o.k. Stop pressuring yourself to feel happy all the time. Night can be the optimal time for private reflection on your pain in preparation for healing.

Why do I get randomly sad?

Dear reader, random sadness could be the result of something like bipolar disorder or PTSD. However, random sadness could also be related to a sugar addiction. Perhaps your “random” sadness isn’t so random at all. Your brain is just ready for another hit of glucose. But it’s quite likely, your random sadness is related to your thoughts gone wild. Remember, it’s possible to retrain your brain. You can start to identify and log the thoughts that happen just before you start feeling sad. Once you do this for a while, you’ll most likely notice a pattern. After you identify a pattern, you can teach yourself to redirect your thoughts and keep sadness at bay.

Why do I feel sad after drinking?

Dear reader, you might feel sad after drinking alcohol because of guilt. You know you had way too many drinks. You’re well aware that you got wasted, therefore wasted your next morning nursing a hangover. You may have even done some things you’re not very proud of while inebriated. However, there’s also physiological reasons why you feel sad after drinking. Here is an article that outlines reasons drinking can make you sad.

Why do I feel sad after hanging out with friends?

Dear reader, let’s face it. Not all friends are good for us. In fact, some friends are outright toxic. Many of us seek happiness in other people rather than finding it from within. Hanging out with friends can be a quick fix for a much deeper problem. Hanging out in a noisy bar with our friends is a convenient way of masking problems like feeling unloved. It’s great to have friends. But be sure you’re o.k. with you when the party’s over. Learn to accept yourself when there’s no one else around to validate who you are.

Why do I feel sad in the morning?

Dear reader, maybe you’re a tired stay-at-home mom who can’t stomach the thought of one more Groundhog Day. Or it could be that office politics are draining what little life you have left after years of climbing the corporate ladder. We all have something to dread when we wake up in the morning. It’s up to us to decide. Is there something we can change to make our mornings more bearable? It isn’t worth it to live a life where each morning is sad and dreary. If you can’t change your situation, change your attitude. Try to find the grain of goodness as the sun rises. One way to change your attitude is to whisper things you’re thankful for before you jump out of bed. You’ll be surprised how our mood adjusts to a solid effort at gratitude.

Why am I so sad? – Conclusion

So, as you can see, there are many conditions in which sadness grows. But the condition doesn’t cause our sadness. Sadness is born from within. We are accustomed to sadness. Sadness became a habit. Sadness follows us wherever we go, if we allow it. Outside of mental health issues that must be faced head-on, we can also proactively address sadness that can’t be diagnosed.

LoveLifeLinks.com believes love is a permanent state of being, while sadness is not.

Remember, you can feel love anywhere. Anytime. All the time.