Melancholic Personality

Our day to day activities, our reaction to situations, the emotions we express and our temperament – everything is driven by our basic personality. The theory of psychology recognizes four basic temperaments – Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholic and Phlegmatic. These temperaments depict the moods that people feel and certain characteristics that are individual to each and by doing so, they help us understand the kind of person we are dealing with. These temperaments (or moods) were said to be the result of physical conditions (bodily fluids or humours) and every mood is a result of a different hormonal function. Melancholic traits are associated with the hormone ‘serotonin’, which suppresses aggressive tendencies in people. The following section talks more about common Melancholic Personality traits. As the name suggests, individuals belonging to this personality type are generally thoughtful, introverted, calm and even depressed at times. Go through the following description and get all the help you need to understand melancholic folks.

Melancholic Personality Traits

Let’s have a closer look at the melancholic personality traits and find who, among us, fall into this category.

People who are very thoughtful and remain reserved or introverts have a melancholic disposition.
More often than not, melancholics can prove to be geniuses in their fields; they are highly talented and creative in activities such as poetry and art.
Their calm and thoughtful attitude might portray them as sad, gloomy and depressed individuals.
They are slow in thinking. They consider it necessary, first of all, to think and rethink everything until they can form a safe judgment about the person or situation.
Since they are absorbed in their own thoughts, which are mostly on the negative front, they tend to become over-occupied with the misfortunes and meanness in the world.
Their gloomy exterior may also give the impression that these people have a lot to worry. In fact, these people do tend to worry constantly for all imaginable and unimaginable things. They tend to be suspicious and extremely skeptical of people.
Individuals with melancholic personality type are often perfectionists and hence expect the people around to be perfectionists as well.
Melancholics are often self-contained and independent in their attitude.
Physical movements of a melancholic individual are most likely to be consistent with their thought process. Hence, they are generally slow, self-conscious, reserved and cautious which may even seem deliberate at times. Sudden movements and extreme expressiveness is definitely not their forte.
They are severely sensitive and emotional to the needs, emotions and opinions of others.
Melancholic people are sincerely respectful and self-sacrificing individuals. They are also charitable and moralistic in nature. They tend to be loyal friends despite all the odds facing them.
People with melancholic personality tend to be persistent, pessimistic, depressed and revengeful. They do not forget or forgive easily.
Individuals falling into this personality type are also very analytical, careful, detail oriented and perhaps overcautious even in minor matters.
It may also appear that melancholics are discreet and introvert; as they don’t tend to speak unless spoken to.
Melancholic individuals do not generally react robustly to anything that turns upon them. But, their reactions, however feeble, leave imprints for an extended time.
Being inclined to introspection, melancholics seclude themselves from the crowds, forget their environment and make poor use of their eyes and ears.
And obviously, people with these personality traits are rarely effervescent, swift or lively.

In spite of their timid exterior, melancholics have a strong will coupled with talent and power but some of them might lack courage. However, when suddenly faced with adversities, their survival instincts kick in and they emerge as winners. It has thus become proverbial: “Throw the melancholic into the water and he will learn to swim.”

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