Posted by psychobot5000 on May 10, 2012, at 2:59:45
In reply to Re: Melancholic vs Atypical depression, posted by policebox on May 10, 2012, at 1:42:22
> I can't see how you could be have both melancholic and atypical depression, as the diagnoses are mutually exclusive.
>
In the original post, I specifically mentioned that (supposed) point. However, a detailed look at the symptomology of the two indicates that:1) I have the salient features of both
2) Said salient features are not mutually exclusive(which, along with other details, suggests that)
3) The exclusion between the two is, to an extent, arbitrary, a grasping after clarity amid a disorder which, in the early 21st century, is still fairly poorly understood (or can you explain to me how a vagus nerve stimulator treats affective disorders?).> Melancholia involves the inability to find pleasure in positive things and lack of mood reactivity. Melancholic depression generally involves weight loss or loss of appetite and insomnia.
>
> Whereas atypical depression involves mood reactivity...Not to go through the entire symptomology of the two disorders, I'll skip to noting that mood reactivity and anhedonia, the two focal points of the diagnosis, are NOT mutually exclusive. 'Mood' and 'ability to experience pleasure,' are simply not the same thing, though naturally they are interrelated (like almost all depressive symptoms). Thus it's possibly to have variable mood in response to external events, yet a severely reduced ability to experience pleasure, at the same time. Ta-daa!
Along the same lines, 'hypersomnia' (characteristic of atypical dep.) and 'insomnia' (characteristic of other kinds) are likewise not mutually exclusive. At all. Trust me.
Which brings us full circle, to me saying: I have both atypical and melancholic symptoms most or all of the time, and my condition often fits the characteristics of both like a hand in a glove. I wonder if there is anything to be learned from this?
poster:psychobot5000
thread:1017453
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120508/msgs/1017599.html