Dysregulated negative emotional state Pathological sadness 2023-07-28T13:55:40Z Unrelenting despondency A negative emotional state characterized by sadness, unhappiness, or sorrow that is excessive in intensity, duration, or resistance to self-regulation compared with culturally appropriate norms or the individual's usual emotional range. It may arise spontaneously or in response to significant life events, but when reactive, it is disproportionate to or persists beyond what is typically expected for the context. Pathological sadness can be associated with feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, anhedonia, and a pessimistic outlook, but these features are not invariably present. It may also be accompanied by increased tearfulness, low energy, cognitive difficulties such as impaired concentration, and somatic changes including disrupted sleep or appetite. Depressed mood Melancholy Sadness, per se, is a basic emotion with negative valence and low arousal. Sadness has significant evolutionary implications from behavioral, cognitive, social and health perspectives. As sadness persists, physical and cognitive symptoms including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, disrupted sleep, and loss of interest or pleasure in activities may become present, when dominant, interfere with personal, social, or occupational functioning. This state is distinct from normative sadness or grief and should be differentiated from the syndromic presentation of Major Depressive Disorder. Down in the dumps Abnormal grief response Feeling hopeless all the time Profound unhappiness Profound sorrow Dysthymia Emotional pain Morbid sadness Has the blues Profound despair