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Men and Depression

Men and women both experience depression, but their symptoms can be very different. Because men who are depressed may appear to be angry or aggressive instead of sad, their families, friends, and even their doctors may not always recognize the anger or aggression as depression symptoms. In addition, men are less likely than women to recognize, talk about, and seek treatment for depression. Yet, depression affects a large number of men.

What is depression?

Everyone feels sad or irritable and has trouble sleeping once in a while, but these feelings and troubles usually pass after a couple of days. Depression is a common but serious mood disorder that may cause severe symptoms. Depression affects the ability to feel, think, and handle daily activities. Also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, a man must have symptoms for at least two weeks to be diagnosed with depression.

Both men and women get depression, but their willingness to talk about their feelings may be very different. This is one of the reasons that depression symptoms for men and women may be very different as well.

For example, some men with depression hide their emotions and may seem to be angry, irritable, or aggressive, while many women seem sad or express sadness. Men with depression may feel very tired and lose interest in work, family, or hobbies. They may be more likely to have difficulty sleeping than women who have depression. Sometimes mental health symptoms appear to be physical issues. For example, a racing heart, tightening chest, ongoing headaches, or digestive issues can be signs of a mental health problem. Many men are more likely to see their doctor about physical symptoms than emotional symptoms.

Some men may turn to drugs or alcohol to try to cope with their emotional symptoms. Also, while women with depression are more likely to attempt suicide, men are more likely to die by suicide, because they tend to use more lethal methods.

Depression can affect any man at any age. With the right treatment, most men with depression can get better and gain back their interest in work, family, and hobbies.

"My daily routine was shot. I didn't have the energy to do anything. I got up because the dog had to be walked and my wife needed to go to work. The day would go by and I didn't know where it went. I wanted to get back to normal. I just wanted to be myself again."—Jimmy, Firefighter

What are the signs and symptoms of depression in men?

Different men have different symptoms, but some common depression symptoms include

• Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness
• Feeling anxious, restless, or "on the edge"
• Loss of interest in work, family, or once-pleasurable activities
• Problems with sexual desire and performance
• Feeling sad, "empty," flat, or hopeless
• Not being able to concentrate or remember details
• Feeling very tired, not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
• Overeating or not wanting to eat at all
• Thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts
• Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
• Inability to meet the responsibilities of work, caring for family, or other important activities
• Engaging in high-risk activities
• A need for alcohol or drugs
• Withdrawing from family and friends or becoming isolated

Not every man who is depressed experiences every symptom. Some men experience only a few symptoms while others may experience many.

What are the different types of depression?

These are the most common types of depression:

• Major depression includes depressive symptoms that interfere with a man's ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy most aspects of life. An episode of major depression may occur only once in a person's lifetime, but it is common for a person to have several episodes.
• Psychotic depression is severe depression associated with delusions (false, fixed beliefs) or hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that are not really there). These psychotic symptoms are depression themed. For example, a man may believe he is sick or poor when he is not, or he may hear voices that are not real that say that he is worthless.
• Seasonal affective disorder is characterized by depression symptoms that appear every year during the winter months when there is less natural sunlight.
• Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia) is characterized by depressive symptoms that last a long time (two years or longer) but are less severe than those of major depression.
• Minor depression is similar to major depression and persistent depressive disorder, but symptoms are less severe and may not last as long.
• Bipolar disorder is different from depression. It is included in this list, because a person with bipolar disorder experiences episodes of extreme low moods (depression). However, a person with bipolar disorder also experiences extreme high moods (called mania).

What causes depression in men?

Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S. Current research suggests that depression is caused by a combination of risk factors, including the following:

• Genetic factors—Men with a family history of depression may be more likely to develop it than those whose family members do not have the illness.
• Environmental stress—Financial problems, loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, major life changes, work problems, or any stressful situation may trigger depression in some men.
• Illness—Depression can occur with other serious medical illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or Parkinson's disease. Depression can make these conditions worse and vice versa. Sometimes, medications taken for these illnesses may cause side effects that trigger or worsen depression.