Men get depressed.
We don’t think about it much, and talk about it less, but it’s true.
Reports from the UK’s mental health foundation tell us that 1 in 10 men will get depressed. That’s 10% of the population.
While it’s true this isn’t as high as women (1 in 4 women will become depressed, or 25%), it’s still a lot.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that men don’t get depressed. Perhaps worse is the idea that men can just “shrug off” these depressed feelings.
The truth is that men get depressed just as much as women, if not more so. We know that 6 million American men each year have depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
That number’s probably low, as we just don’t like to talk about depression. Sadly, this often makes the situation worse.
Just like with others, men will need to get some professional help if their depressive thoughts continue for a sustained period of time.
What Does Depression in Men Look Like?
One problem is that we have the wrong idea on what depression is. For instance, men aren’t very likely to have problems with uncontrollable crying.
That’s not to say this won’t happen, it’s just that men don’t experience it as much as women. More, they don’t report it much either.
When men do report feeling depressed it’ll often be in the form of anger or irritability issues, not crying.
Besides that, men can be suffering depression if they have the following:
- Acting physically violent
- Substance abuse issues
- High-risk or hyper-sexual behavior
- Losing interest in things you love
- Fatigue or feeling tired
- Changes in appetite, especially loss of appetite
- Having trouble sleeping
- Feeling apathetic about life or people or situations
- A sadness that won’t go away
- Thinking that you’re worthless or can’t do anything right
If you’re experiencing any of these things on a regular basis, consider seeking professional help.
Many men get depression. There’s no shame in that. The best thing to do is talk to a medical professional and get to the root of the problem.
Depression and How it Hurts Men Physically and Financially
Depression is a mental condition that can manifest itself physically.
Left untreated, depression can cause so much stress that you feel aches and pains, lose weight, and increase your risk of accident, often through a lack of sleep.
Besides hurting our bodies, depression hurts us financially. The University of Michigan reports that depression cost America $83 billion in the year 2000.
What we often don’t measure are the effects on your own pocketbook. Besides having trouble working you might have erratic spending habits. This can devastate you long-term, even after you’ve begun taking steps to deal with your depression.
The effect on families is something else we don’t think about enough. Being depressed can weigh down your wife, kids, parents and even extended family members. People worry about you – they want you to get better.
If you or someone you know is depressed, contact us today and schedule an appointment. Isn’t it time to get your life back?
