Which of the following is NOT a symptom of a major depressive episode?

Get ready for your Psychiatric Mental Health Board Certification! Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Prepare for success!

During a major depressive episode, certain symptoms are commonly experienced, which can include persistent sadness, changes in weight, suicidal thoughts, and alterations in psychomotor functioning. Grandiosity, on the other hand, is typically associated with manic or hypomanic episodes, characteristic of bipolar disorder.

In the context of major depressive episodes, the presence of recurrent suicidal thoughts indicates a severe level of distress and hopelessness that often accompanies depression. Significant weight changes, whether increase or decrease, reflect the impact of the depressive state on appetite and are common symptoms seen in individuals with major depressive disorder. Additionally, psychomotor agitation or retardation describes the observable changes in a person's physical activity level and energy, which are crucial diagnostic criteria for identifying a depressive episode.

Grandiosity, apart from being a symptom of elevated mood in bipolar disorder, does not align with the depressive symptoms one would expect to find in major depression, thereby making it the correct choice in identifying what is not a symptom of a major depressive episode.

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