What is a characteristic of Major Depressive Disorder with Melancholic Features?

A key characteristic of Major Depressive Disorder with Melancholic Features is a severe lack of mood reactivity. This means that individuals with this subtype experience a marked inability to feel better, even when they encounter positive events. Their mood remains persistently low, and they may show an overall lack of interest or pleasure in most, if not all, activities.

In addition to the absence of mood reactivity, other symptoms typically include significant weight loss, insomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue, and excessive or inappropriate guilt. However, the hallmark feature that distinguishes melancholic features from other types of depression is indeed this profound and persistent lack of mood reactivity, which reflects a more severe form of depressive disorder.

In contrast, traits like weight gain, hypomania symptoms, or excessive energy would not align with the depressive features characteristic of melancholic depression. Such traits may signify different mood states or disorders, but they do not describe the melancholic subtype of Major Depressive Disorder.