Depression in Men is Real

It is not surprising that men only account for about one in every 10 individuals diagnosed with depression. The majority of individuals diagnosed with depression are women, which leads to the question, “Why are there so few men diagnosed?” At one point, depression was a “woman’s disorder” associated with hormones and premenstrual syndrome.  Or does this mean that only women suffer from depression? Of course the answer is no.

Unfortunately, in our society more men go undiagnosed with depression than women due to the stereotype of depression being one of a female condition or of a fear of being seen as weak. The reality is that depression affects both men and women.

The symptoms of depression are similar for women and men, but the difference is how they are manifested. This would depend on how the individual copes with stressors in their life. If they tend to turn things inward or internalize their problems and stress, then they would be more prone to depression. Those individuals who externalize or deal with their problems or stress by taking it out on others would be less prone to being diagnosed with depression and may be viewed by others as only being aggressive.

There are several reasons why depression is not recognized in men and why they don’t seek help. They include:

• Men are brought up in our society to be “strong,” so they tend to deny having problems or may feel like they are suppose to solve it themselves.

• Depression in men can affect sexual desire leading to performance issues. Men may also feel that performance problems are related to their manhood, when actually it is caused by depression.

• Men are often unwilling to admit that they have a problem for fear of being viewed as “weak.”

• Obvious signs of male depression are not as easy to diagnose, as men are less likely to show typical symptoms of depression, which are crying, sadness, loss of interest in activities and low self esteem. Instead men who suffer from depression are more likely to keep their feelings concealed, exhibiting more aggression and irritability.

If symptoms of depression included anger, blaming, lashing out at others and alcohol abuse, then more men would be diagnosed with depression as these symptoms are usually more common in men who suffer from depression than women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported in 2012 that men are four times more likely than women to commit suicide, and the main factor was feeling depressed. Men are also less likely to let others know how they feel and if they are depressed.

If you know someone who may be depressed, attempt to talk with them about your concerns, letting them know that you are there for them and will help if only they will ask.

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