Sad.

We’ve all been sad before.

It’s a natural emotion in life. We are usually sad for a specific reason. It comes for a few days, and then like all other emotions in life, it passes. It comes and goes. Life has ups and downs, and sadness often accompanies the downs. Sadness sees a way out, however; sadness knows that there are better days to come.

However...

Sometimes sad gets twisted into words that aren’t fitting. Sometimes, it gets twisted into much more serious emotions.

Depressed.

Many of us have been depressed. However, not all of us. Depression is a state of mind, rather than an emotion. It is very important to differentiate the two. Depression isn’t fleeting. It doesn’t have a reason why. It comes and goes as it pleases. There’s not much you can do about it. You just have to wait for the storm to pass. For some, it never passes. And sometimes...it brings us to something completely different.

Suicidal.

Not a lot of us have been suicidal. This is rock bottom. I know, because I’ve been here. We’ve all heard someone say “OMG I can’t believe I did that; I just want to die” or “Kill me OMG”. Sometimes it’s fun to laugh about...until it isn’t, until it becomes something much more serious.

Suicidal is not seeing a way out. Suicidal is feeling like you are a burden to everyone. When someone commits suicide, the most heartbreaking thing people say is “don’t they realize how selfish that is?” Well get this...they don’t realize it.

That’s what being suicidal is. Suicidal is feeling like the tunnel of darkness is endless. It is feeling like nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, is going to get better. However, suicide is often a fleeting thought. If you live through this awful thought, you’ll come out so much stronger.

It’s time to start recognizing the distinctions between these emotions. Too many times, I have come across things on social media like “wow that is really depressing” or “wow I’m so depressed”, and while you might be, there is also a good change you are actually just sad. There’s a good chance that you don’t know what depression is. Trust me...it’s not like you’re missing out on some "secret club."

Be GLAD you have never experienced it.

The important thing is to recognize these emotions for what they are. It is time to start recognizing that depression is more a state of mind than an emotion. It is time to start recognizing that suicidal is not seeing a way out.

Most importantly, it’s time to start recognizing that sadness will pass. It will all pass eventually.