Sadness can help you respond to the thoughts and feelings it has helped you process. This means that sadness may actively help you make sense of the strong feelings that grief can bring.Įxpressing sadness by crying can also signal to those around you that you’re experiencing grief and could use support and understanding. Experts suggest that sadness may be a phase in the cycle of grief that promotes reflection. Sadness is an aspect of grief, the natural process for responding to and managing loss. This can give you space to process intense or complex feelings. A bit of solitude when you’re feeling sad may help your body and mind cut down on unnecessary stimuli.

Research from 2018 suggests that when sadness urges you to disconnect, you’re experiencing a protective mechanism meant to keep you safe during a vulnerable time. Sometimes sadness causes you to seek space from others instead - and this may actually be another benefit. Participating in a communal expression of sadness, such as attending a memorial service or vigil, is one way sadness could help you feel less alone.

Many cultures even have specific practices and rituals for expressing sadness as a community. This means that embracing sadness could connect you with compassion and care when you need it most.Ī 2015 study found that expressing sadness can also bring people together by creating a shared sense of values and belonging to a group. One function of sadness is that it encourages others to treat you with empathy, according to a 2018 review of research. For instance, it means accepting the reality of your current emotions and taking the first step toward processing them. Choosing sadness brings a variety of benefits. Letting yourself feel sad doesn’t mean wallowing in self-pity. While running from sadness can keep you stuck in a rut, acknowledging and processing it can make it easier to move forward meaningfully in life. It can seem helpful, but toxic positivity may cost you your authenticity and take an emotional toll. Toxic positivity is when you banish difficult emotions and only acknowledge more favorable ones, like happiness. Sometimes, avoiding sadness can even look like lashing out when someone brings up a topic that’s sensitive to you.Īvoiding sadness can also come with a side helping of toxic positivity. You might find yourself using distractions, like browsing your phone or snacking when you’re not hungry, to keep that heavy feeling in your chest at bay. It’s common to label sadness as a “negative” emotion and avoid it as a result. While it might be uncomfortable, letting sadness in can come with many benefits. Sadness probably isn’t one of your favorite feelings, but it’s still a valuable emotion, and it’s OK to be sad. Sadness is integral to the human experience - so why do we often push it away?

You should be sad