It's Okay to Be Sad

By: Kelly Graham, MSW, RSW

Maybe you’re having a bad day, maybe you’re watching the news and seeing all of the horrible things happening around the world, maybe you’re dealing with something heavy in your life; no matter what is happening, it’s okay to be sad.

​We often get stuck in the mentality that we should be happy and suppress our sad feelings. Nobody is happy all of the time; it is normal to feel sad. Sadness is a human emotion. Being sad means that you are human. You are allowed to take time to be sad about whatever is making you feel that way. 

​"Being sad does not mean you will become depressed." 

Just because you take time to feel sad, does not mean that you will become depressed. Sometimes people are scared to let themselves feel sad, fearing that they will get stuck in that emotion and never get out. While it may feel this way, you can and will get out. If it helps, you can have guidelines and a plan for when you are going to allow yourself to feel sad, and how you will help yourself feel better afterwards. One way may be to set aside a certain time or day to let yourself feel your sadness. After that time, you can plan activities with loved ones or engage in an activity that you know will help you feel better. 
 
​People may also believe that they shouldn’t feel sad because compared to what others are going through, or the world around them, what they are sad about isn’t as bad. While this may be true, your feelings are valid. Just because something isn’t as bad as what it could be or what someone else is experiencing, does not mean that you aren’t allowed to feel sad. You are. You are experiencing this emotion for a reason, and it is okay to do so. Don’t let yourself pile a bunch of guilt on top of that sadness. 
 
Often when we try to suppress an emotion, we end up making that emotion bigger. By letting yourself feel what you are experiencing, you can stop the emotion from growing and exploding out of the bottle you put it in. So, give yourself permission to be sad. It is good to allow yourself to feel and experience your emotions, and you shouldn’t feel guilty for doing so. ​

So, give yourself permission to be sad. It is good to allow yourself to feel and experience your emotions,
​and you shouldn’t feel guilty for doing so.