Male depression
For personal reasons I have to deal with the above-noted issue unfortunately. I found this very interesting site with a part about "Male Depression" and want to share it with you. I think the report contains some very true points regarding the differences between male and female depressions. I hope that you and your personal environment are not affected but maybe it can help you to recognize some warning signals if it should happen though.
The symptoms of depression in men are commonly not recognized for several reasons:
The symptoms of male depression are different than the classic symptoms we think of as depression
Men deny they have problems because they are supposed to "be strong"
Men deny they have a problem with their sexuality and don't understand the relationship with depression
The symptom cluster of male depression is not well known so family members, physicians, and mental health professionals fail to recognize it.
Male depression is a disease with devastating consequences. To paraphrase from Jed Diamond's book Male Menopause
80% of all suicides in the US are men
The male suicide rate at midlife is three times higher; for men over 65, seven times higher
The history of depression makes the risk of suicide seventy-eight times greater (Sweden)
20 million American will experience depression sometimes in their lifetime
60-80% of depressed adults never get professional help
It can take up to ten years and three health professionals to properly diagnose this disorder
80-90% of people seeking help get relief from their symptoms
Differences between Male and Female depression:
Men are more likely to act out their inner turmoil while women are more likely to turn their feelings inward. The following chart from Jed Diamond's book, Male Menopause, illustrates these differences.
Female depression Male depression Blame themselves Feel others are to blame Feel sad, apathetic, and worthless Feel angry, irritable, and ego inflated Feel anxious and scared Feel suspicious and guarded Avoids conflicts at all costs Creates conflicts Always tries to be nice Overtly or covertly hostile Withdraws when feeling hurt Attacks when feeling hurt Has trouble with self respect Demands respect from other Feels they were born to fail Feels the world set them up to fail Slowed down and nervous Restless and agitated Chronic procrastinator Compulsive time keeper Sleeps too much Sleeps too little Trouble setting boundaries Needs control at all costs Feels guilty for what they do Feels ashamed for who they are Uncomfortable receiving praise Frustrated if not praised enough Finds it easy to talk about weaknesses and doubts Terrified to talk about weaknesses and doubts Strong fear of success Strong fear of failure Needs to "blend in" to feel safe Needs to be "top dog" to feel safe Uses food, friends, and "love" to self-medicate Uses alcohol, TV, sports, and sex to self medicate Believe their problems could be solved only if they could be a better (spouse, co-worker, parent, friend) Believe their problems could be solved only if their (spouse, co-worker, parent, friend) would treat them better Constantly wonder, "Am I loveable enough?" Constantly wonder, "Am I being loved enough?".
The symptoms of depression in men are commonly not recognized for several reasons:
The symptoms of male depression are different than the classic symptoms we think of as depression
Men deny they have problems because they are supposed to "be strong"
Men deny they have a problem with their sexuality and don't understand the relationship with depression
The symptom cluster of male depression is not well known so family members, physicians, and mental health professionals fail to recognize it.
Male depression is a disease with devastating consequences. To paraphrase from Jed Diamond's book Male Menopause
80% of all suicides in the US are men
The male suicide rate at midlife is three times higher; for men over 65, seven times higher
The history of depression makes the risk of suicide seventy-eight times greater (Sweden)
20 million American will experience depression sometimes in their lifetime
60-80% of depressed adults never get professional help
It can take up to ten years and three health professionals to properly diagnose this disorder
80-90% of people seeking help get relief from their symptoms
Differences between Male and Female depression:
Men are more likely to act out their inner turmoil while women are more likely to turn their feelings inward. The following chart from Jed Diamond's book, Male Menopause, illustrates these differences.
Female depression Male depression Blame themselves Feel others are to blame Feel sad, apathetic, and worthless Feel angry, irritable, and ego inflated Feel anxious and scared Feel suspicious and guarded Avoids conflicts at all costs Creates conflicts Always tries to be nice Overtly or covertly hostile Withdraws when feeling hurt Attacks when feeling hurt Has trouble with self respect Demands respect from other Feels they were born to fail Feels the world set them up to fail Slowed down and nervous Restless and agitated Chronic procrastinator Compulsive time keeper Sleeps too much Sleeps too little Trouble setting boundaries Needs control at all costs Feels guilty for what they do Feels ashamed for who they are Uncomfortable receiving praise Frustrated if not praised enough Finds it easy to talk about weaknesses and doubts Terrified to talk about weaknesses and doubts Strong fear of success Strong fear of failure Needs to "blend in" to feel safe Needs to be "top dog" to feel safe Uses food, friends, and "love" to self-medicate Uses alcohol, TV, sports, and sex to self medicate Believe their problems could be solved only if they could be a better (spouse, co-worker, parent, friend) Believe their problems could be solved only if their (spouse, co-worker, parent, friend) would treat them better Constantly wonder, "Am I loveable enough?" Constantly wonder, "Am I being loved enough?".