Introduction:
Depression affects both genders, but the indicators physicians found in them are different. In spite of the fact that sadness is the primary symptom of many mental health disorders, but there are other symptoms of depression that affects only men. Showing aggressive behavior, addicting to alcohol and drugs, and getting angry for no reason are some of the signs of depression in men.
Men are not interested to take treatment for their mental health problems even though they are suffering from it. And also, men don’t want to disclose their problems with other people due to various other symptoms of depression.
In this write-up, you will come to know about the behavioural, physical, and emotional indicators of depression in men. We have also provided the necessary steps that you can take to prevent the depression from occurring.
Mood Disorders and Men:
Men do suffer from mental health conditions and it is very common due to their daily tasks and if they are unable to handle the situations as well. In the United States, approximately nine percent of men are experiencing anxiety feelings or depression every day based on the report prepared by the American Psychological Association. And also, 29.5 percent of men will experience the symptoms of mental health conditions in their lifetime.
These mood disorders will affect a person’s presence of mind, brain structure, attitude, and also people will notice physical changes also in men like tiredness, maintaining low levels of energy, and significant changes in their body.
Women do suffer from mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. In the United States, nearly ten percent of women are feeling symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness due to depression. But men commit suicide due to depression more than women.
There are also reasons that men are not likely to diagnose with depression. Depression is the main cause of suicide in most cases. It is vital to understand the indicators between both genders. If you are aware of the symptoms of depression, it will be easy for you to identify the symptoms of mental health disorders in your loved ones. Identifying the indicators of depression is the initial step of taking action.
Indicators in Both Genders:
Unable to concentrate on the tasks at hand, feelings of sadness, low, guilty, tearful, feeling agitated or tired, losing happiness in enjoyable activities, getting difficulty in sleeping or sleeping for long hours, and sudden changes in your weight like gaining or losing are the common symptoms of both women and men.
No one will experience all the symptoms of depression. Because there are certain indicators that will affect only men and not women. These symptoms affect only men due to their hormonal changes, genes, and also social factors. Following is the clear-cut information about depression in men.
Attitudinal Indicators in Men:
Men and Women experience depression symptoms differently. For example, men can be affected by the depression with the heavy use of alcohol, and illegal drugs such as cannabis, methamphetamine, Cocaine, Ketamine, Ecstasy, Inhalants, gamma hydroxybutyrate, Heroin, and Hallucinogens. Also, men are more likely to exhibit anger on their family members and also they don’t get any second thoughts before doing any fearful activities.
Drinking more, trying to commit suicide, feelings of leaving the family and going away from their loved ones, doing risky things such as jumping from one building to another building, driving a motorbike very fast, not having control on their own body, working continuously without taking any breaks, trying to ruin their own relationships, getting angry for no reason, and becoming hard for them to look after their families are the behavioral signs of mental health conditions in men.
Depression also affects a person’s sex drive as this mental health condition will create doubt on their brain regarding their sexual performances. Persons who are suffering from depression will face a lot of troubles when it comes to doing sex. If your loved one is unable to perform well in the bed, ask your partner what’s the issue with them. Because it is also a sign of depression. But this problem is treatable if you take the necessary steps in the initial stage.
The reason for these sudden changes in their behaviors is due to they hide the mask of depression for a long time and controlled that mental health condition. Because of these attempts to hide their problem is the main cause of this bad behavior.
Observable changes of Depression in Men:
Although depression comes under the category of mental health conditions, men also experience depression physically.
Sudden changes in the body weight, headaches, not having interest in eating food, closeness in the chest, not having sufficient energy to move on with the day, backache, limb, joint ache, getting difficulty in sleeping or sleeping for long hours, sudden changes in the digestive tract, and tiredness are the physical symptoms of depressions in men.
These indicators occur in men due to the depression effect on that respective person’s brain chemicals. Depression affects the feel-good chemicals such as dopamine, endorphin, oxytocin, and serotonin. These chemicals are responsible for your mood changes and your happiness. That’s why a person will experience sadness, tiredness when they are diagnosed with depression. It is not easy for your physician to give treatment for your problem.
Both of the genders will not feel happy as long as they are suffering from mental health conditions and they are also will be in a confused state. No one controls their mind and they will behave in the society based on the thoughts they got in their minds.
Women are more likely to describe their problems with other people than men regarding the problem they are suffering. Men are less likely to share their depression experiences with other people. Men don’t want to share their problems even with the members of their family also. Because it makes them feel uncomfortable and they will also feel shy while explaining their problem to other people.
Getting anger for no reason, not having patience, feeling frustrated for little things, and not being self-confident are the primary indicators of mental health conditions in men.
Psychological Indicators of Depression in Men:
Certain men openly discuss their physical symptoms than the emotional changes in their bodies. But there is a strong connection between the mind and body. It is important to provide all the information to your physician regarding the problem, and also never hesitate to ask about anything. You need to give a brief description to your doctor regarding the symptoms you are experiencing, and the emotions you are carrying throughout the day.
Time to Visit your physician:
We would advise having a word with your physician if you are experiencing the attitudinal, observable, and psychological symptoms of depression. It is vital to take treatment at an initial stage. Recognizing the symptoms of depression is the first step towards your recovery from that mental health condition.
That’s why we would advise you to consult your mental health provider so that he can diagnose the condition in you and start giving you the treatment and it is in the early stage he will suggest you take some prevention steps in order to prevent depression.
Therapy for Depression:
There are certain ways to ease the symptoms of mental health conditions. Each person responds to treatment variously, but in order to find a suitable treatment option for you, you have to consult your physician while making this decision. Have a word with your doctor regarding the course of action that you are going to take in order to control your depression problem.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, supportive counseling, social skills therapy, psychodynamic therapy, problem-solving therapy, behavioral activation, and also using medications such as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), and Esketamine are the various treatment options available to ease the symptoms of depression.
What do you need to do if your loved one is suffering from depression?
If you notice any signs of the depression in your friend, or your family members, it is important for you to have a word with those persons. Because, in the initial stage of the depression, they are able to cooperate with you. Asking questions about their condition, and taking care of them is the first successful step towards their recovery.
If the person is affected by depression severely, in this case, you have to show more concern on him because at this stage he may not be able to listen to you. But, make sure that whatever he is conveying to you listen to them carefully. You have to be a good listener in order to help them. Sometimes, at the time of your taking care of your loved one who is suffering from depression may show you aggressive behavior on you. In that case, you need to be patient and also there are ways to tackle this situation like call 911 or consult the mental health provider immediately is the best suitable option at that time in order to take good care of them.
Conclusion:
It is very difficult to find depression symptoms in men. Because they don’t want to openly discuss their mental health conditions. They are also good at hiding their emotions as long as the depression is at the initial stage.
Getting to know about the signs of mental health conditions will help you to calculate the risk of depression and also it helps you to assess the level of depression you are suffering from.
We would advise you to consult your physician as soon as possible if you recognize the symptoms of depression in you. Because, as its condition gets severe, it may lead you to get suicidal thoughts. Depression is the main cause of suicide in most cases.
Also, please bear in mind that whether your depression condition is mild or severe, it is a manageable and treatable condition. With the proper care and right treatment, you will get back into your normal routine very easily.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038800/
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1557988315623993
- http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2017;volume=6;issue=4;spage=775;epage=779;aulast=Khesht%2DMasjedi
Sirisha B