Depression isn’t (Necessarily) Sadness

I really appreciate the Pixar film Inside/Out. The film points out effectively that depression can be something other than feeling sad. Riley distinctly lacks Sadness during the primary events of the film. She is withdrawn, hostile, unable to interact effectively, but she isn’t sad in the traditional sense.

I have bipolar depressive disorder. And the depressive part of my bipolar tends to manifest as a lack of ability to get things done. I shut down. I do get sad on occasion. But sadness is not the norm. I tend, instead, to simply shut down. The worse it is the less I can force myself to do.

So to everyone who reads this who doesn’t have depression; when your friend or coworker mentions their depression, you do not have to mention that they don’t look sad.