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continued:
Male depression: Understanding the issues
Male depression symptoms
Whether it's because of hormones, brain chemicals or coping methods, some evidence suggests that you may experience depression differently from how a woman does.
Signs and symptoms more likely to occur with male depression include:
- Violent or abusive behavior
- Inappropriate rage
- Escapist behavior, such as overinvolvement in work or sports
- Risky behavior, such as reckless driving
- Sexual liaisons
- Alcohol or substance abuse
- More frequent thoughts of suicide
Having these kinds of symptoms can make it more difficult to link them to depression, making diagnosis and treatment harder.
Male depression and suicide
Although women attempt suicide more often than men do, men are more likely to complete suicide. Older white men are at the greatest risk of suicide.
Men may be more likely to complete suicide because:
- They use methods that are more likely to be lethal, such as guns
- They act faster on suicidal thoughts
- They show fewer warning signs, such as talk of suicide
When you have suicidal thoughts
If you have thoughts of suicide, get help as soon as possible. If you're considering suicide right now and have the means available, talk to someone now. The best choice is to call 911 or your local emergency services number. If you simply don't want to do that, for whatever reason, you have other choices for reaching out to someone:
- Contact a family member or friend
- Contact a doctor, mental health provider or other health care professional
- Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community
- Go to your local hospital emergency room
- Call a crisis center or hot line
Male depression and coping skills
Like other men, you may feel that your depression symptoms aren't severe. You may believe that you should be able to just get over them or tough them out. You may try to deny depression symptoms, ignore them or blunt them by drinking too much alcohol, taking illicit drugs or working longer hours.
But these kinds of attempts at coping with male depression will likely just leave you chronically unhappy and miserable, and possibly at risk of losing your life.
It takes effort to practice healthy coping skills rather than automatically turning to alcohol, speeding or frequent sex. Treatment with a doctor or mental health provider can help you learn healthy coping skills. These may include:
- Goals. Set realistic goals and prioritize tasks.
- Support. Seek out emotional support from a partner or family or friends. In general, men tend to disregard the value of emotional support in coping with male depression.
- Activities. Engage in activities you enjoy, such as exercise, movies, ball games or fishing.
- Decisions. Delay making important decisions, such as changing jobs, until your depression symptoms improve.
Many effective treatments are available for depression. So don't try to tough out male depression on your own. The consequences may be devastating.
Previous page(2 of 2)
- Men and depression. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/men-and-depression/complete-publication.shtml .Accessed Oct. 17, 2008.
- Scheibe S, et al. Are there gender differences in major depression and its response to antidepressants? Journal of Affective Disorders. 2003;75(3):223-235.
- Addis ME. Gender and depression in men. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 2008;15(3):153-168.
- Kelly MM, et al. Sex differences in the use of coping strategies: Predictors of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Depression and anxiety. 2008;25(10):839-846.
- Smith DJ, et al. Differences in depressive symptom profile between males and females. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2008;108(3):279-284.
- Marcus SM, et al. Sex differences in depression symptoms in treatment-seeking adults: Confirmatory analyses from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression study. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 2008;49(3):238-246.
- Oliffe JL, et al. Men, depression and masculinities: A review and recommendations. Journal of Men's Health. 2008;5(3):194-202.
