Sadness

Sadness is a transient emotional state typically associated with hopelessness, low mood, and the experience of psychological or physical pain. Many theorists, including psychologist Paul Eckman, have acknowledged sadness as one of the basic emotions all human beings experience throughout life. Feeling sadness is an automatic emotional response to losing something valued (an object, a relationship, a person, an experience, or even a dream that never materialized). The intensity and duration of sadness can vary according to the emotion-triggering situation and the individual’s emotional regulation capacity. Persistent sadness is an indicator of depression and other mental health diagnoses.