Melancholic depression is a form of major depressive disorder
(MDD) in which the primary indicator is a state of
"melancholia." For a person suffering from melancholic
depression, life often seems meaningless or without purpose. In
the U.S., it is estimated that between 12 and 15 percent of
women and eight to 10 percent of men will suffer with a serious
mood disorder such as melancholic depression during their
lifetime. Although melancholic depression has different levels
of severity, most researchers classify it as one of the more
serious forms of depression as it is often deemed "treatment
resistant." It is typically the type of depression experienced
by those with bipolar disorder. What Characterizes a 'Treatment
Resistant' Depression? Some 30 to 40 percent of depressive
episodes are considered treatment resistant, as they typically
don't respond well to a variety of antidepressants. In a strict
sense, depression is considered treatment resistant if it fails
to respond to two or more consecutive medication