Depression is a common but
serious illness that can affect men and women differently. Men tend to focus on
the physical symptoms, such as feeling tired or losing weight, rather than
emotional symptoms like feeling 'low'. Early detection is important, as
untreated depression can lead to suicide. People with depression can do many
things to help themselves, and treatment is widely available and effective. Although
depression is the same disorder in both genders, men do experience different
symptoms and act on it in a different way.
For example, women may be more
likely to have anxiety in association with their depression, while men are more
likely to exhibit signs of substance abuse or conduct disorder. Some evidence
indicates that depression may be even more dangerous for men than for women.
Men are more likely than women to commit suicide, although women are more
likely to attempt suicide. To make matters worse, many men may shy away from
talking about their feelings, asking for help, and seeking treatment for
depression.
Perhaps one of the reasons male
depression may go undiagnosed is that men fear the repercussions of admitting
they have a mental illness. They may be concerned that their coworkers,
friends, and family would feel differently about them if they admitted they
needed help for depression. Also, they may fear that their job security,
promotion potential, and health benefits would be negatively affected if their
coworkers or boss found out they were depressed
Signs of depression in men
can affect anybody, but it is less likely to be noticed by men or the people
around them. If depression isn’t detected, then it can’t be treated, and it has
the potential to become severe and disabling. Depression is also a known risk
factor for suicide.
Although men are
more likely than women to recognize the physical symptoms of depression, such
as feeling tired and irritable, they are less likely to think of this as
depression. Some men may expect they will always be physically and mentally
strong and self reliant and experiencing depression can be seen as a weakness
rather than a common health issue.
Men generally tend to put off getting help for
health problems, and this is probably even more so for mental health issues.
They think they should be able to handle the problems themselves or ‘harden up’
and get over it. Unfortunately a lot of men manage their symptoms by using too
much alcohol, or recreational drugs, which make the symptoms worse.
Depression is very common over
our lifetimes, one in eight men, and one in five women will experience an
episode of major depressive disorder. Many more will experience less severe
forms of depression, which will nevertheless have negative impacts on their
lives and the lives of those around them. Depression can have very serious
consequences for men and their families, especially if it’s not recognized and
proper treatment and support provided.
Depression affects both men and
women, but quite often what they experience and how they respond is different.
Men are more likely than women to recognize and describe the physical
symptoms
of depression in men, such as
feeling tired or losing weight.
For more
information visit the site
https://selfbetter.com/
.