True about major depression is

The lifetime risk of depression in males is 8-12% and in females is 20-26%. However, the lifetime risk of major depression (or depressive episode) is about 8%. The typical depressive episode is characterised by the following features: Depressed Mood: The most impoant feature is the sadness of mood or loss of interest and/or pleasure in almost all activities (pervasive sadness), present throughout the day (persistent sadness). Depressive Ideation/Cognition: Sadness of mood is usually associated with pessimism, which can result in three common types of depressive ideas. These are: a. Hopelessness (there is no hope in the future). b. Helplessness (no help is possible now). c. Wohlessness (feeling of inadequacy and inferiority). The ideas of wohlessness can lead to self-reproach and guilt-feelings. Psychomotor Activity In younger patients (< 40 years old), retardation is more common and is characterised by slowed thinking and activity, decreased energy and monotonous voice. In a severe form, the patient can become stuporous ( depressive stupor). In the older patients (e.g. post-menopausal women), agitation is common. It often presents with marked anxiety, restlessness (inability to sit still, handwringing, picking at body pas or other objects) and a subjective feeling of unease. Physical Symptoms: Multiple physical symptoms (such as heaviness of head, vague body aches) are paicularly common in the elderly depressives and depressed patients from the developing countries (such as India). Biological Functions Disturbance of biological functions is common, with insomnia (or sometimes increased sleep), loss of appetite and weight (or sometimes hyperphagia and weight gain), and loss of sexual drive Psychotic Features Suicide Absence of Underlying Organic Cause Ref: A Sho Textbook of Psychiatry, Niraj Ahuja, 7th Edition, pg. no.71