Opinions on Melancholic Depression

As I understand it:

- Sadness is a normal human reaction/emotion to some 'negative' day to day circumstance (to put it generally).

- Depression is either a neurotic response to that same 'negative' day to day circumstance, or a biochemical consequence that's out of someones control.

- Melancholy is a deep and pensive sadness, but when it only lasts a short amount of time it isn't a 'disorder'.

- Melancholic Depression is melancholy combined with features associated with depression (anhedonia, psychomotor slowing etc.).

There's some confusion over whether Melancholic Depression is separate from other forms of depression. Don't you think that this condition is actually moreso on the "sadness spectrum" with features of depression on top of it, usually caused by a depletion of Serotonin/Dopamine, instead?

People with Melancholic Depression usually don't feel tearful, or 'dark', and often cannot cry at all. Instead they feel a very deep sadness seemingly combined with an inability to outwardly express said sadness; a poet called Elizabeth Barrett Browning compared Melancholic individuals to marble statues, in that sense.

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Thoughts?

Auxiliary11 wrote:
- Melancholy is a deep and pensive sadness, but when it only lasts a short amount of time it isn't a 'disorder'.

- Melancholic Depression is melancholy combined with features associated with depression (anhedonia, psychomotor slowing etc.).

I felt that in the past, I experienced "Melancholy feelings," that have now been fixed by taking meds for bipolar. I feel great now. This is just me as I have been diagnosed and am being treated by a psychiatrist. Doesn't mean it's like that for others, though.

Auxiliary11 wrote:
There's some confusion over whether Melancholic Depression is separate from other forms of depression. Don't you think that this condition is actually moreso on the "sadness spectrum" with features of depression on top of it, usually caused by a depletion of Serotonin/Dopamine, instead?

The question overwhelms me because of the definition of depression as I know it, which is a chemical imbalance in the brain or it can be brought about by a situation in life. I think it is more under the depression spectrum because it's not full blown depression, yet it is more than just feeling a little down or sad. I believe that only based on past depressions which resonate as the explanation of melancholic depression. Then again, I have bipolar and that could change the outcome. I hope others will give their own opinions to see any differing experiences, which might agree with your thinking.