Researchers estimate that at least six million men
in the United States suffer from a depressive disorder every
year. Research and clinical evidence reveal that while both
women and men can develop the standard symptoms of depression,
men often experience depression differently and may have different
ways of coping with the depression symptoms.
Men
may be more willing to acknowledge fatigue, irritability, loss
of interest in work or hobbies, and sleep disturbances rather
than feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and excessive guilt.
Some researchers question whether the standard definition of
depression and the diagnostic tests based upon it adequately
capture the condition of male depression.
"I'd drink and I'd just get
numb. I'd get numb to try to numb my head. I mean, we're
talking many, many beers to get to that state where you
could shut your head off, but then you wake up the next
day and it's still there. Because you have to deal with
it, it doesn't just go away. It isn't a two-hour movie
and then at the end it goes 'The End' and you press off.
I mean it's a twenty-four hour a day movie and you're
thinking there is no end. It's horrible."
Patrick
McCathern, First Sergeant, U.S. Air Force (Retired)
Men
are more likely than women to report alcohol and drug abuse
or dependence in their lifetime; however, there is debate among
researchers as to whether substance use is a "symptom"
of underlying depression in men, or a co-occurring condition
that more commonly develops in men. Nevertheless, substance
use can mask male depression, making it harder to recognize
as a separate illness that also needs to be appropriately treated.
Instead
of acknowledging their feelings, asking for help, or seeking
appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when
they are depressed, or become frustrated, discouraged, angry,
irritable and, sometimes, violently abusive. Some men deal with
male depression by throwing themselves compulsively into their
work, attempting to hide their depression from themselves, family,
and friends; while other men may respond to depression by engaging
in reckless behavior, taking risks, and putting themselves in
harm's way.
"When I was feeling depressed
I was very reckless with my life. I didn't care about
how I drove, I didn't care about walking across the
street carefully, I didn't care about dangerous parts
of the city. I wouldn't be affected by any kinds of
warnings on travel or places to go. I didn't care. I
didn't care whether I lived or died and so I was going
to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. And when
you take those kinds of chances, you have a greater
likelihood of dying."
Bill
Maruyama, Lawyer
Four times as many
men as women die by suicide in the United States, even though
women make more suicide attempts during their lives. In addition
to the fact that the methods men use to attempt suicide are
generally more lethal than those methods used by women, there
may be other issues that protect women against suicide death.
In
light of research indicating that suicide is often associated
with male depression symptoms, the alarming suicide rate among
men may reflect the fact that men are less likely to seek treatment
for male depression. Many men with depression do not obtain
adequate diagnosis and treatment, which can be life saving.
 Antidepressant
Medication Facts
60
Second Online Depression Test
Depression
Facts and Statistics
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