How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Sadness

Sadness is | Triggering sadness | So what

Sadness is

We feel sad when we realize that we are unlikely to achieve our goals, and especially when we have put a lot of effort into achieving them. Initially, this may trigger anger, but this never lasts for long and we are left in the miserable state of sadness.

Sadness may not last for long or may persist, depending on the goal that has been frustrated.

Depression is an extreme forms of sadness, where people stay sad for a long time and cannot see any way out of their state.

Triggering sadness

Sadness can be triggered by things that remind us of sad times, from down-beat music to tragic plays. Just being around depressed people is, well, a depressing experience.

Internally, sadness is caused by a lack of seratonin being created in the brain. Happy people produce lots of seratonin, whilst sad people produce very little.

Sad people tend to be more pessimistic and cautious. This appears in such as shopping habits, where sad people will look dolefully, but buy very little and very boring things.

Sadness is not a permanent state, and time is a great healer.

So what?

If someone is sad and you want them to be happy, reframe their goals to something they can achieve in the short term.

Do not try to sell things to people when they are sad, unless that state really is important.

Sadness

Sadness is

Triggering sadness

So what?

See also