What Purpose Does Sadness Serve?

Most of us would say we want to experience happiness and avoid sadness. We also think of one emotion as good and the other as bad. However, all emotions serve a purpose and are part of what it means to be a human. Happiness is described as a pleasant emotional state often characterized by feelings of contentment, joy, gratification, satisfaction, and well-being. We often express happiness with facial expressions such as smiling, relaxed body language, and an excited, upbeat tone of voice. Feelings of disappointment, grief, hopelessness, disinterest, low energy, and mood often characterize sadness. For most, these negative feelings are transient, but for some, these feelings can be prolonged and severe and may result in depression.

Emotion theorists propose that sadness, like other emotions, was maintained through human evolution because it helped solve problems our early ancestors encountered (Sznycer et al., 2017). Research indicates that when people face obstacles to their goals that outstrip their abilities and resources, their sad expressions, tears, and behaviors elicit empathy and aid from others. When obstacles, failure, or loss occur, sadness can also be an architect of cognitive change, leading people to reconsider their beliefs and goals. It prompts us to consider the implications of loss, disengages us from unattainable goals and unrealistic expectations, and helps us develop more realistic ones. This restructuring of our thinking and beliefs requires effort but is essential in keeping us from wasting time on unrealistic expectations and goals. Over time, our disengagement from the object of our sadness will enhance our well-being and make it possible for us to pursue new goals (Karnaze, 2017).

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Mixed Feelings

While most people experience only pleasant emotions in reaction to a pleasant experience, several studies show we can experience pleasant and unpleasant experiences simultaneously. For example, college graduation can make people happy about their accomplishments and sad about leaving their college friends.

Getting Comfortable with all Emotions

Through practice, it is possible to be open and accepting of all emotions. It’s not about ignoring or pushing down uncomfortable ones or needing only positive ones. Learning to accept all of our emotions with curiosity will allow us to experience life fully.

References

Arias, J. A., Williams, C., Raghvani, R., Aghajani, M., Baez, S., Belzung, C., ... & Kemp, A. H. (2020). The neuroscience of sadness: A multidisciplinary synthesis and collaborative review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 111, 199-228.

Karnaze, M. M., & Levine, L. J. (2018). Sadness, the architect of cognitive change. The function of emotions, 45-58.

Sznycer, D., Cosmides, L., & Tooby, J. (2017). Adaptationism carves emotions at their functional joints. Psychological Inquiry, 28, 56–62.