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Male depression - recognising the symptoms in men

While it is true that women are two to three times more likely to suffer from depression than men, male depression is nevertheless far from an uncommon occurrence. The number of men suffering from depressive disorders has increased steadily over the years, as have rates of male suicide and substance abuse.

Biological and socioeconomic tend to play a large role in the predisposition of women to depression. When it comes to men on the other hand, factors such as emotional expression and gender stereotyping are both known to contribute to the onset of depressive type disorders.

Due to the fact that men are raised to be less expressive in terms of their feelings, they are usually less in tune with their inner emotions than women. The upshot of this is that men typically ignore possible signs of depression, and only seeking out help when forced to do so or when symptoms become so bad that they can no longer function on a daily basis.

Substance abuse and suicide in males have both been closely linked to depressive disorders. On average, men are five times more likely to attempt to commit suicide than women. Their attempts on their own lives are also typically far more violent and likely to succeed than those of their female counterparts. This is primarily due to the fact that unlike women, men are not crying for help when they attempt to commit suicide- their aim is genuinely to put an end to their confusion and take their own lives.

Whilst symptoms of depressive disorders in women tend to manifest themselves as sadness and despair, men tend to respond far more aggressively to the onset of depression. As a general rule, men will try to convince themselves that they are perfectly alright and that nothing is wrong with them. They may begin to behave anti socially, irrationally and out of character.

When confronted about the change in their behaviour, they may react aggressively and insist that there is nothing wrong with them. Many will turn to alcohol and other narcotic substances in an attempt to numb the symptoms they are experiencing. More often than not, it is the spouses and loved ones of men suffering from depression who eventually to convince them to seek treatment, rather than the men who seek treatment themselves. In addition, they are initially more likely to respond to medication than psychotherapy due to the fact that they are less comfortable opening up to therapists than women. As is the case with females however, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is still the most effective manner in which to bring the symptoms of depression under control.

To be sure your depression is not as a result of addiction - please see our sister site Guide4Living on drug abuse and addiction.

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